Henkel says effective surface
cleaning remains necessary for
optimum bonding and sealing in
most applications. Residues are often
left from previous operations. For
this reason, the company provides
Loctite cleaning solutions that
broadly fall into three categories.

The first is ‘organic’ where typically
the residue is a lubricant or corrosion
prevention fluid. For this purpose,
alkaline cleaners are suitable.

‘Inorganic’ is the second cleaning
category and includes rust, weld
scale, smuts and oxides. Acids or
acidic cleaners are suitable for these
tasks and can be used to clean
injection-moulded thermoset plastic.

The final category covers 90% of
workshop cleaning and typically
includes removal of grime, inks, glove
and fingerprints. Henkel generally
recommends alkaline or neutral
cleaners for these tasks. Products for
dedicated purposes are also available.