Common abrasives include calcium carbonate, silica, feldspar, and pumice. The type of abrasive generally does not change the heading classification — what matters is that the product's primary function is mechanical scouring or abrasive cleaning. However, if the abrasive is the product's sole component (e.g., pure pumice powder), it may be classified as a mineral rather than a cleaning preparation.

Scouring preparations rely primarily on abrasive particles to remove soil through mechanical action, even if they also contain surfactants. Surface-active washing preparations rely primarily on chemical surfactant action to lift and suspend soil. When a product contains both abrasives and surfactants, the dominant cleaning mechanism — mechanical versus chemical — determines which heading applies, and CBP may request technical data to make that determination.