Not everything that should be cleaned is easy to clean. In fact, sometimes cleaning something can be nerve-wracking as there’s the risk of damaging the item in question. Other times something contains many small parts, and it’s nearly impossible to get into the tiny crevices and offer a proper clean. The following will explore a cleaning solution that you probably haven’t heard of that might just be able to help you deal with the tougher cleanliness demands: an ultrasonic cleaner.
What Is An Ultrasonic Cleaner?
Quite simply, ultrasonic cleaner uses ultrasound to agitate a fluid. Ultrasound refers to waves of sound that have a frequency of more than 20,000Hz; it is the same concept that is used in ultrasound imaging (most commonly used to monitor the development of a fetus by producing an image of the interior of a woman’s womb). It can be used with water, but many people prefer the liquid to be a solvent with cleaning chemicals that are appropriate for whatever it is that they’re cleaning. The object that needs to be cleaned is inserted into the liquid, and the ultrasonic process is turned on. Typically it takes somewhere between three and six minutes, but some objects will take up to twenty minutes depending on the particulars of the item.
The devices look a little bit like those portable deep fryers you can buy and keep on your countertop. They’re often smaller-sized silver boxes with a reservoir and a basket to hold the item that’s being cleaned. When turned on, there’s typically a higher-pitched noise as sound is what is cleaning the object in question. The sound is what is moving the liquid and creating the cavitation bubbles.
Why Do People Use Ultrasonic Cleaning?
Ultrasonic cleaning came about to help people clean objects that need sterilization or an otherwise strong clean but are also delicate and so cannot be washed using other cleaning alternatives. You might find ultrasonic cleaning is ideal for jewelry, lenses and optical parts, scientific samples, surgical instruments, dental instruments, collectibles, coins, tools, fountain pens, fishing reels, golf clubs, window blinds, components of firearms, car fuel injectors, gramophone records, musical instruments, parts from industrial machinery, bike parts, and electronic equipment. You can usually find ultrasonic cleaning devices in scientific labs, electronic repair workshops, jewelry workshops, and watchmakers’ workshops.
Basically, anything that can be submerged in water or cleaning solution and can fit in the device you’ve chosen can be cleaned ultrasonically. It is worth noting that electronic devices often can be ultrasonically cleaned as long as they are dried properly afterward. You want to be sure that whatever you put into an ultrasonic cleaning device can be dried (hyper-absorbent materials might not work).
What Does Ultrasonic Cleaning Remove?
In particular, the cavitation cleaning process can remove things like dust, soot wax, dirt, mold release agents, oil, fingerprints, pigments, flux agents, rust, polishing compounds, grease, limescale, algae, bacteria, fungi, and biological soil like blood. Given the comprehensive nature of ultrasonic cleaning, quite often, objects do not require disassembly before they’re cleaned.
What Can’t Ultrasound Clean?
Ultrasonic cleaning cannot remove viruses or spores. This means that you might have to undergo an additional sterilization step if you’re worried about infectious contaminants. Cleaning professionals at www.leadsonics.com emphasize that you can find ultrasonic cleaning devices that come with features that handle the extra sterilization step for you. You can also use sterilizing cleaning solutions in some ultrasonic cleaning devices.
How Does It Work?
Ultrasonic cleaning uses cavitation bubbles. These are bubbles that are created by high-frequency pressure (created by sound waves) that agitate a liquid. Contaminants that adhere to materials like ceramics, glass, rubber, metals, and plastic are lifted away by the cavitation bubbles. Often this involves removing all traces of contamination.
What Are The Benefits?
Compared to regular cleaning options, ultrasonic cleaning has a lot of benefits. The first is the efficiency by which the process works. Things that would require hours of scrubbing with tiny utensils like a toothbrush, can be cleaned in a matter of minutes. Things that are hard to get off of items like grease and oil can also be removed in a few minutes. Ultrasonic cleaning is even used to clean smoke-damaged items.
The above information should have explained the many benefits and uses of an ultrasound cleaner. If you find yourself needing to clean hard-to-scrub objects or messes, ultrasonic cleaning might be right for you. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and be sure to reach out to a professional if you’re unsure whether a particular item can be cleaned in your ultrasonic cleaning device.