Method for cleaning surfaces using parallel flow

A method for removing contaminants from a surface of an object to be cleaned, the method comprising:

• providing a cleaning device fluidically connected to a high-pressure gas supply, the device comprising at least one high-pressure passage of a predetermined miniature lateral scale with a high-pressure outlet for accelerating the gas, the high-pressure outlet characterized by at least one narrow lip, the outlet and the narrow lip defining an active surface;
• bringing the active surface of the cleaning device to a predetermined miniature gap from, and substantially parallel to, the surface of the object to be cleaned, thus defining a throat section associated with the device between said at least one narrow lip and the surface of the object to be cleaned, wherein the gap is the width of the throat section;
• accelerating the gas to about sonic speeds at the throat section;
• thereby producing lateral aeromechanic removal forces that act on the contaminants.