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CarCareTruth

Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates

  • Nonionic surfactants
  • CAS 24938-91-8
  • IUPAC: tridecyl alcohol, ethoxylated

Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates (CAS 24938-91-8) appears in 1 of the 2,122 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of August 2026). It is readily biodegradable.

Ingredient-level classification carries H318 (serious eye damage Cat 1) — a real contributor to the finished product's DANGER signal word alongside sodium hydroxide. Not a skin sensitizer or respiratory hazard at the concentrations used in tire-cleaner formulas.

Tridecyl alcohol ethoxylates are nonionic surfactants built from a branched C13 fatty alcohol reacted with ethylene oxide. They are APEO-free (alkylphenol ethoxylate-free) wetting and detergency agents used in caustic cleaners to help the alkaline builders penetrate and lift baked-on contamination from tire sidewalls and wheel faces. This CAS number (24938-91-8) is a distinct ethoxylate homolog series from the related tridecyl alcohol ethoxylate (CAS 9043-30-5, singular) already in the catalog; the two are chemically similar but not identical substances.

Regulatory status

  • Not Prop 65 listed
  • Classified Aquatic Chronic 2 at ingredient level, a moderate, not severe, aquatic-toxicity signal
  • Readily biodegradable per supplier OECD-style test data; no bioaccumulation concern

Health & environment profile

VOC
no
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
yes
Biodegradable
yes
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
no
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
5/5
Purpose: Nonionic surfactant providing wetting, detergency, and foam structure in caustic tire and wheel cleaners

Common questions about Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates

What is Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates used for in car care?
Nonionic surfactant providing wetting, detergency, and foam structure in caustic tire and wheel cleaners
Is Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates a VOC?
No. Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates is not classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates is not on California's Proposition 65 list.
Is Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates biodegradable?
Yes. Tridecyl Alcohol Ethoxylates has a confirmed biodegradable profile.

1 product contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.