In solvent cleaning, organic soils such as oil and grease are removed from a metallic surface by means of chemicals that dissolve the soils. Common application techniques include hand-wiping, immersion, spraying, and vapor degreasing. Vapor degreasing uses hot vapors of solvents to dissolve and remove oil and grease on part surfaces. The common solvents include trichlorethylene (C2HCl3), methylene chloride (CH2Cl2), and perchlorethylene (C2Cl4), all of which have relatively low boiling points. The highest boiling point of the three solvents is 121°C (250°F) for C2Cl4. The vapor degreasing process consists of heating the liquid solvent to its boiling point in a container to produce hot vapors. Parts to be cleaned are then introduced into the vapor, which condenses on the relatively cold part surfaces, dissolving the contaminants and dripping to the bottom of the container. Condensing coils near the top of the container prevent any vapors from escaping the container into the surrounding atmosphere. This is important because these solvents are classified as hazardous air pollutants under the 1992 Clean Air Act.
Solvent cleaning is a type of chemical cleaning.