Since their first use decades ago in healthcare and laboratory settings, aqueous cleaning detergents, specially formulated to leave no interfering residues, have found increasing application in a wide range of industries. The cleaning process, including the choice of detergent, deserves significant attention where cleanliness has a direct impact on value or result. These situations demand what we refer to as “critical cleaning.” The substantial growth in the use of aqueous detergents in critical cleaning is driven by their efficacy, biodegradability and operator safety, and represent a particularly attractive alternative to flammable, hazardous, and/or volatile solvents.
This 5th edition of the Aqueous Cleaning Handbook distills and presents practical information covering the history of such cleaners—what they are, how they work, and how to make best use of them. Manufacturing processes, instruments and parts in many industries require critical cleaning including biotech, medical device, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, foodservice and food processing, optics, electronics, solar, and precision manufacturing.