Part cleaning is a critical step in manufacturing. During production, metal components are typically coated with oils, greases, coolants, and lubricants after machining or forming. If these residues are not removed properly, they can interfere with coatings, reduce paint adhesion, and accelerate corrosion. Furthermore, effective part washing ensures performance, quality, and long-term reliability. At the same time, manufacturers must balance wash performance with cost control. While part cleaning adds expense to production, it is minor compared to the cost of rejected shipments, rework, or reproducing damaged parts. For this reason, manufacturers rely on structured cleaning strategies to protect both quality and profitability.
That is why manufacturers use different part washing methods depending on the type of metal, soil level, and production environment. In other words, no single cleaning method fits every application.
Common processes include:
Immersion
Spray
Wet vapor blasting
Vapor honing
Ultrasonic
Hand
Vibrating tumblers
ZERUST® enhances each of these processes by:
Reducing total cleaning time
Improving surface preparation and adhesion
Preventing flash corrosion after washing metal parts
Lowering rework and rejection rates
Below is a breakdown of how ZERUST® solutions improve each method.
Improve Your Part Cleaning Performance
Discover high-performance parts washer fluids engineered to enhance washing metal parts, reduce flash corrosion, and improve washing efficiency across your operation.
Immersion cleaning is widely used for heavy degreasing and descaling. In this process, parts are submerged in a cleaning solution designed to remove:
Straight oils and soluble oils
Metalworking fluids
Forming lubricants
Carbon scale
Heavy soils and greases
Tramp oils
For immersion part cleaning, ZERUST® offers a range of industrial cleaners that remove hydrocarbon soils while minimizing corrosion risk. In addition, these cleaners are engineered to maintain surface integrity after washing. Recommended products include:
AxxaWash™ KF-121 – Low-foaming alkaline metal cleaner for light-to-medium hydrocarbon soils, ideal for immersion systems.
AxxaWash™ KF-122– Heavy-duty, hard-water compatible alkaline cleaner suitable for immersion part cleaning.
AxxaWash™ KF-123 – Mildly alkaline cleaner that inhibits flash rust in immersion washes.
AxxaWash™ KF-124– Mildly alkaline, flash-rust inhibiting cleaner for immersion applications.
AxxaWash™ KMS-220– Low-foam part cleaner with excellent oil-splitting capabilities, compatible with immersion tanks.
AxxaWash™ KMS-310AL – Aluminum and ferrous cleaner that can be used in immersion to remove medium-duty soils.
AxxaWash™ NW-10C – Alkaline preservation cleaner that deactivates chlorides and oils and is effective in immersion.
AxxaWash™ NW-12C – Extended flash-rust inhibiting cleaner usable in immersion systems
These solutions improve part cleaning results while helping protect components during staging, storage, or transfer. As a result, manufacturers reduce downstream corrosion issues and improve overall reliability.
Spray Cleaning Systems
Spray cleaning uses a pressurized solution to remove contaminants from metal surfaces. Because of its speed and consistency, it is common in automated production lines where consistent washing of metal parts is essential.
For spray cleaning and washers where you are washing metal parts under low to medium spray pressures, include:
AxxaWash™ KF-121 – Effective under spray conditions and removes light-medium soils.
AxxaWash™ KF-122 – Heavy-duty spray suitable for hard water systems.
AxxaWash™ KF-123– Flash-rust inhibiting, appropriate for spray part washing.
AxxaWash™ KF-124– Flash-rust inhibiting spray that performs well at lower temperatures.
AxxaWash™ KMS-305AL– Aluminum compatible solution formulated specifically for spray use with oil-splitting performance.
AxxaWash™ KMS-310AL – Versatile cleaner that also performs well in spray systems.
AxxaWash™ NW-10C– Can be used as a spray solution that deactivates soils and corrosion sources.
AxxaWash™ NW-12C – Extended flash-rust protection usable in spray modes.
By integrating corrosion inhibition into the part cleaning stage, manufacturers reduce downstream failures. Consequently, surfaces remain stable between cleaning and packaging.
Wet Vapor Blasting
Wet vapor blasting combines pressurized water with abrasive media to remove coatings, corrosion, and embedded contaminants. As a result, this process is effective for restoring surfaces and preparing components for refinishing.
After aggressive cleaning, flash corrosion can occur quickly. ZERUST® addresses this risk with:
AxxaVis™ WBA-10 – Counters corrosive anions on metal surfaces and provides extended flash corrosion inhibition. Hard water capable.
For operations that rely on washing metal parts with abrasive systems, adding corrosion control improves consistency and surface stability. Therefore, components remain protected even in demanding environments.
Vapor Honing for Precision Parts
Vapor honing is similar to wet vapor blasting but is typically performed in smaller cabinet systems. Because of its controlled environment, it is ideal for smaller machined components and precision parts.
Benefits of vapor honing include:
Dust-free process
Simultaneous degreasing and blasting
Longer media life
Softer surface finish
Reduced media embedding
To enhance part cleaning performance, ZERUST® offers:
AxxaVis™ WBA-10 – Treats chlorides and water hardness while preventing flash corrosion after washing metal parts.
This ensures surfaces remain clean and protected after processing. Ultimately, it helps maintain dimensional integrity and finish quality.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Ultrasonic cleaning uses cavitation created by high-frequency sound waves to loosen and remove soils. As a result, it is highly effective for intricate components and tight geometries.
Ultrasonic part cleaning systems benefit from cleaners formulated to degrease and remove soils without cavitation damage. For this reason, selecting the proper chemistry is critical. Add the following:
AxxaWash™ KF-121– Works in ultrasonic systems for light-medium soils.
AxxaWash™ KF-122– Suitable for ultrasonic systems in harder water conditions.
AxxaWash™ KF-123– Mild alkaline with flash-rust inhibition for ultrasonic washes.
AxxaWash™ KF-124– Flash-rust inhibiting that is compatible with ultrasonic baths.
AxxaWash™ KMS-310AL– Multi-mode product effective in ultrasonic systems for aluminum and ferrous parts.
AxxaWash™ NW-10C– High-performance product that deactivates corrosion sources in ultrasonic cleaning.
AxxaWash™ NW-12C – Designed for ultrasonic usage with extended flash-rust inhibition.
These products allow manufacturers to improve cleaning efficiency while minimizing corrosion risk after washing metal parts. In turn, this supports higher production throughput.
Hand Cleaning Applications
Hand cleaning is often used for specialty parts, rework areas, or low-volume production. However, it can be inconsistent and labor-intensive.
When washing metal parts manually, corrosion control is especially important. Without proper inhibition, residual moisture and inconsistent drying can lead to rapid oxidation.
ZERUST® solutions for manual part washing include:
These solutions simplify hand cleaning while improving consistency and corrosion resistance. As a result, operators achieve more predictable outcomes.
Vibrating Tumblers
Vibratory tumbling systems clean, deburr, polish, and descale smaller components using controlled vibration and media movement.
This method is ideal for high-volume part washing of small components. Additionally, it supports consistent surface finishing across batches. To enhance washing metal parts in vibratory systems, ZERUST® offers:
Adding corrosion inhibition to vibratory part cleaning reduces the risk of oxidation between washing and packaging. Therefore, manufacturers maintain surface quality through the next production stage.
Selecting the Right Parts Washer Fluid
Not all washer fluids are created equal. Learn how to choose the right solution for effective part cleaning and improved corrosion protection.
No matter which part washing method your facility uses, ZERUST® can help improve results while protecting your metal assets.
Our team will:
Evaluate your current washing of metal parts process
Conduct fluid audits
Review packaging and VCI integration
Analyze corrosion risks
Recommend cost-effective improvements
By combining effective chemistry with corrosion control, manufacturers can reduce rework, lower total cost, and improve product quality. More importantly, they can prevent corrosion before it becomes a costly problem.
Contact ZERUST® today to optimize your part washing process and protect your metal components from start to finish.
Take a Smarter Approach to Corrosion Control
Cleaning metal parts is only one piece of the corrosion prevention process. With the ZERUST® Z-CIS® Approach, our engineers evaluate your entire operation, from washing metal parts and fluid chemistry to packaging, storage, and transport. We identify risks, improve performance, and implement cost-effective corrosion management strategies tailored to your facility.
Tom White is the Marketing Manager at ZERUST®, bringing almost a decade of expertise in Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor (VCI) technologies and corrosion prevention solutions. He leads strategic marketing initiatives that showcase ZERUST®’s global product portfolio, from sustainable VCI packaging films to advanced rust preventatives and cleaners. Tom is deeply involved in product launches, trade show planning, digital marketing, and customer engagement, ensuring that ZERUST®’s innovative solutions reach the right industries and decision-makers. With a strong focus on aligning technical expertise with customer needs, he helps drive the brand’s growth and strengthen its position as a leader in corrosion protection worldwide.
AxxaWash™ KF-121 is a low foam, alkaline, water-based metal cleaner that effectively removes light to medium-duty hydrocarbon soils from ferrous substrates. Additionally, it also serves as the ideal metal cleaner for applications requiring low temperatures.
AxxaWash™ KF-122 is a low-foaming, heavy-duty alkaline, water-based cleaner compatible with very hard water in a wide range of operating temperatures. Additionally, it also maintains low foaming under spray conditions.
ZERUST®/EXCOR® AxxaWash™ KF-123 is a low-foaming, mildly alkaline, high-performance water-based industrial parts washer that is designed for cleaning ferrous substrates. In addition, AxxaWash™ KF-123 provides flash-rust inhibition.
AxxaWash™ KF-124 is a low-foaming, mildly alkaline, water-based degreaser & cleaner with low operating temperatures. In addition to cleaning, AxxaWash™ KF-124 provides flash-rust inhibition.
AxxaWash™ KMS-220 is a low foam, low temperature, mildly alkaline water-based part cleaner with excellent oil-splitting capabilities. In addition, AxxaWash™ KMS-220 provides flash-rust inhibition.
AxxaWash™ KMS-310AL is a low-foaming, alkaline, water-based aluminum and ferrous cleaner that’s designed to be used in immersion, ultrasonic, spray, or drum washer processes.
AxxaWash™ NW-10C is a mildly alkaline, water-based preservation cleaner with a wide range of operating temperatures. In addition to flash-rust inhibition, it also removes and deactivates sources of corrosion such as chlorides, oils, and contaminants.
AxxaWash™ NW-12C is a mildly alkaline, water-based ultrasonic cleaning solution with a wide range of operating temperatures. In addition, it can be used in immersion and spray cleaning modes.
AxxaWash™ KMS-305AL is a low foam, low temperature, alkaline water-based aluminum part cleaner designed for use with aluminum and ferrous metals in spray systems with its excellent oil-splitting capabilities.
AxxaClean™ 2048 is a moderate-acting (nonhazardous) safe rust remover designed to eliminate medium rust and tarnish, even in the most hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. Additionally, it is mildly acidic (about 2.5 pH), similar to a soda drink that cleans and deoxidizes ferrous metals, brass, copper, and various alloys without leaving a gray residue.
AxxaClean™ 3048 is a rapid-acting industrial rust remover designed to eliminate heavy rust and tarnish, even in the most hard-to-reach cracks and crevices. Additionally, AxxaClean™ 3048 effectively cleans ferrous and yellow metals of rust and tarnish, and with a pH of around 1, it minimizes disposal concerns.
AxxaVis™ HST-10 powder additive is an effective hydrostatic testing corrosion inhibitor that treats water used to test pressure vessels and voids. It reduces hardness and deactivates ionic contaminants like chlorides found in municipal water sources, preventing rust and hard water deposits on metals.
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Immersion cleaning is widely used for heavy degreasing and descaling. In this process, parts are submerged in a cleaning solution designed to remove:
Spray cleaning uses a pressurized solution to remove contaminants from metal surfaces. Because of its speed and consistency, it is common in automated production lines where consistent washing of metal parts is essential.
Wet vapor blasting combines pressurized water with abrasive media to remove coatings, corrosion, and embedded contaminants. As a result, this process is effective for restoring surfaces and preparing components for refinishing.
Vapor honing is similar to wet vapor blasting but is typically performed in smaller cabinet systems. Because of its controlled environment, it is ideal for smaller machined components and precision parts.
Ultrasonic cleaning uses cavitation created by high-frequency sound waves to loosen and remove soils. As a result, it is highly effective for intricate components and tight geometries.
Hand cleaning is often used for specialty parts, rework areas, or low-volume production. However, it can be inconsistent and labor-intensive.
Vibratory tumbling systems clean, deburr, polish, and descale smaller components using controlled vibration and media movement.
