Cleaning Operations - Hand-wipe Flush

Hand-wipe flush cleaning is used on assemblies and parts with concealed or inaccessible areas. The cleaning agent is passed over, into, or through the part before being drained. The procedure is repeated as many times as necessary.

The solvents used for hand-wipe cleaning operations must meet certain requirements, including being:

• Aqueous
• A lower VOC vapor pressure

Certain cleaning operations on aircrafts are exempt from the cleaning solvent composition and vapor pressure requirements, such as:

• Cleaning during the manufacture, assembly, installation, maintenance, or testing of components of breathing oxygen systems that are exposed to the breathing of oxygen.
• Cleaning and surface activation prior to adhesive bonding.
• Cleaning of electronics and assemblies containing electronics.
• Cleaning of fuel cells, fuel tanks, and confined spaces.
• Surface cleaning of solar cells, coated optics, and thermal control surfaces.
• Cleaning during fabrication, assembly, installation, and maintenance of upholstery, curtains, carpet, and other textile materials used on the interior of an aircraft.
• Cleaning of aircraft transparencies, polycarbonates, or glass substrates.
• Cleaning solvent usage associated with research and development, quality control, or laboratory testing.
• Cleaning operations, using nonflammable liquids, conducted within five feet of energized electrical systems.

Cleaning solvents must be emptied into an enclosed container that is kept closed when not in use. This rule applies to the flush cleaning of aerospace parts, assemblies, and coating unit components. Aqueous cleaning solvents are excluded from these flush cleaning requirements.

To learn more about Dipping, Coating & Cleaning Operations visit our Dipping, Coating & Cleaning Operations Online Training web page.