Method for cleaning and drying of metallic and nonmetallic surfaces

A cleaning process comprising the sequential steps of:

• (a) contacting a contaminated surface with a solvent selected from the group consisting of orange terpene hydrocarbon, hydrotreated light petroleum distillate, mixed aliphatic hydrocarbons and aliphatic esters, C.sub.10 branched chain synthetic ester and aliphatic petroleum hydrocarbon;
• (b) heating and ultrasonically agitating said surface with said solvent;
• (c) displacing said solvent from said surface and rendering said surface hydrophilic by applying an aqueous solution containing a surfactant and pH modifier to said surface, said surfactant being selected from the group consisting of nonylphenoxyethoxyethanol, polyglucosides, anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants and mixtures thereof having low emulsification power for said solvent, the pH modifier being selected from the group consisting of hydroxides, carbonate, bicarbonate, phosphates of metals in groups I and II elements, ammonia, ammonium water soluble primary amines, water soluble secondary amines, water soluble tertiary amines, mineral acids, organic acids, polyacids, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid, formic acid, acetic acid, gluconic acid, glycolic acid, oxalic acid, tartaric acid and citric acid;
• (d) rinsing, heating and agitating said surface with water;
• and
• (e) drying said surface.