Most common cleaning technical questions and professional answers.
Can hydrocarbon cleaners be recycled and reused?
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Yes. Hydrocarbon cleaners have a moderate boiling point (typically 160-220℃). When used with a distillation recovery unit, they can be recycled multiple times with a recovery rate of over 90%, significantly reducing long-term consumable costs. This is one of the core advantages of hydrocarbon cleaners compared to traditional solvents.
What should I do if workpieces rust easily after water-based cleaning?
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Our water-based formulas contain high-efficiency corrosion inhibitors that effectively protect metal substrates. We recommend immediate drying after cleaning. For inter-process storage, our short-term rust preventive can be used. For rust-prone materials such as cast iron, we offer specialized rust-proof water-based cleaners.
Do your cleaning agents meet export environmental standards?
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All our products are RoHS and REACH certified, phosphorus-free, halogen-free, and free of ODS (Ozone Depleting Substances). We provide complete SGS and other third-party test reports, fully meeting environmental compliance requirements for export to Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea markets.
For complex blind hole structures, which type of cleaner works better?
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We recommend prioritizing low surface tension hydrocarbon cleaners (surface tension approximately 21-24 mN/m). When used with ultrasonic or vacuum cleaning processes, the cleaning fluid can penetrate micron-level blind holes and gaps, achieving deep cleaning with no dead corners. If the workpiece has special requirements for water-based cleaners, we can also recommend low surface tension water-based formulas.
Do you offer free sample testing?
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Yes, we support free sample delivery for your testing. For customers with complex process requirements, we welcome you to send your workpieces to our technical laboratory, where our engineers will perform free cleaning sample testing and provide a detailed cleaning process parameter recommendation report.
How high is the flash point of hydrocarbon cleaners? Are storage and transportation safe?
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Our hydrocarbon cleaners typically have a flash point above 58-70℃, classifying them as high flash point flammable liquids — far higher than traditional solvents. Under normal storage conditions (ventilated, away from open flames), use and storage are safe. We recommend warehouse management according to GB 15603 standards and provide MSDS for your reference.
How should water-based cleaner waste liquid be handled?
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Our water-based cleaners have a biodegradability rate exceeding 90%, making waste liquid treatment relatively simple. We generally recommend a physical + biochemical treatment process: first, oil separation to remove floating oil, then coagulation sedimentation or biochemical treatment to meet discharge standards. Customers with small waste liquid volumes can also entrust licensed hazardous waste treatment companies for centralized disposal.
How to select ultrasonic cleaning frequency and temperature?
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Ultrasonic frequency selection: 28-40KHz recommended for rough degreasing, 40-80KHz for precision cleaning, 80-120KHz for ultra-precision cleaning (such as semiconductors). For temperature: hydrocarbon cleaners recommended at 40-50℃, water-based cleaners at 50-65℃. Specific parameters need to be determined based on workpiece material, oil contamination type, and cleanliness requirements.
What impact does the newly issued GB 38508 revised standard have on cleaning agents?
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The revised version of GB 38508 'Limits of Volatile Organic Compounds in Cleaning Agents' was issued in March 2026 as a mandatory national standard. The new standard sets stricter VOC content limits for water-based, semi-water-based, and organic solvent-based (including hydrocarbon) cleaning agents respectively, while also limiting the content of harmful substances such as dichloromethane, trichloroethylene, and benzene series compounds. Choosing compliant cleaning agents that have passed this standard's testing is key for companies to avoid environmental penalties. All Tansochem products meet the new standard requirements and third-party test reports are available.
What specific impacts does the full-chain ODS and HFCs regulation have on cleaning agent users?
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Since March 1, 2026, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has implemented full-chain regulation of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), covering eight stages including production, sales, use, recycling, and disposal. As a cleaning agent user, you need to ensure the cleaning agents you purchase do not contain controlled ODS/HFCs substances, while retaining supplier qualifications and purchase/sales records for at least 3 years. Using cleaning agents containing controlled substances may result in confiscation of illegal gains and a fine of up to 3 times the value of the goods. Tansochem products are ODS and HFCs-free and can provide compliance declaration documents.
What international regulations should be considered for cleaning agents exported to Europe and America?
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Exporting to European and American markets requires attention to three core regulations: EU REACH requires Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) content below 0.1%; EU RoHS directive limits 6 categories of hazardous substances including lead, mercury, and cadmium; US EPA controls on VOC emissions and California SCAQMD Rule 1171's ban on specific solvents (pCBtF and t-BAc banned since January 2026). All products hold SGS-issued compliance test reports for the above regulations.
How does the total cost of water-based cleaners compare with hydrocarbon cleaners?
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It depends on your specific operating conditions. Hydrocarbon cleaners require an upfront investment in distillation recovery equipment (approximately 50,000-150,000 RMB), but long-term consumable costs are low with a recovery rate of >90%, making them suitable for large-volume continuous production. Water-based cleaners have low equipment investment and lower unit price, but waste liquid treatment costs are higher and require supporting drying processes. Generally, for precision parts lines producing over 1 million pieces annually, the 3-year TCO of hydrocarbon solutions is lower; for small-batch, multi-variety scenarios, water-based solutions offer better cost-effectiveness. We can provide a free TCO comparative analysis based on your production capacity and workpiece characteristics.