Paint producers have a number of bases at their disposal for adjusting pH. The most commonly used bases are amines, ammonia and/or caustic. Alkanolamine bases are most preferred, owing to their ideal neutralizing properties and generally low odor. Amine bases allow for the formation of colloid-compatible ammonium salts, while caustic leads to colloid-destabilizing sodium/potassium salts, as given by the following two chemical equations.