Metalworking & Precision Manufacturing

Q: We typically clean our carbon steel with Citrajet detergent but following an unintentional overnight soak, we found a dark layer of black soot.  What might this be and how should we clean it?

A: All steels that aren’t stainless will eventually get attacked by acidic solutions over time, so what you are seeing there is the action of the acids in both Citrajet® Low-Foam Liquid Acid Cleaner/Rinse (and would be the same case with its foaming sibling Citranox® Liquid Acid Cleaner and Detergent) on the carbon steel that you are using…..

Q: What is the best way to remove tough heat treat scale?

A: Heat treat scale can be a stubborn challenge to remove, but with the right approach, it can be effectively cleaned. We recommend using a warm 2-3% solution of….

Q: We are exploring alternate cleaning chemicals for our brazed copper and brass tubing components.   The major residue is brazing flux and light oil residue from fabrication.  We are currently using nitric acid.  What do you recommend?

A: Inorganic brazing flux residue, and the light oils, will be handled nicely by our mild yet effective citric acid based detergents. Depending on your cleaning method, manual or a washer system, we can recommend

Alconox Inc. is excited to be at The Battery Show at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan September 12-14, 2023. The battery manufacturing and recycling industry requires advanced critical cleaning detergents. Our critical cleaning experts will be on hand…

Q: We have started to qualify Alconox Precision Cleaner for our clean line to clean parts for ultra high vacuum applications. Worked great on the stainless parts. But, when we tested an old molybdenum platen with a bead blasted metallic surface, it went black. Do you have a recommendation?

A: While metallic molybdenum is not generally reactive to water or alkaline solutions for the most part, it may be reacting with the phosphates in the Alconox® Powdered Precision Cleaner.