Method for cleaning aluminum at low temperatures

A process for cleaning aluminum surfaces [to remove] having thereon deposits of aluminum fines and lubricants consisting essentially of removing said lubricants and metallic fines [which comprises] by contacting said surface with an aqueous cleaning solution, comprising active fluoride expressed as hydrofluoric acid at a concentration in said solution of about 0.005 to about 0.1 gram per liter and sulfuric acid in a concentration of about 1.0 to about 10 g/l of said aqueous cleaning solution and having a surfactant dissolved therein , wherein the aluminum of said surface is 3004 alloy or aluminum alloy substantially equivalent thereto .

A process for cleaning an aluminum surface having thereon deposits of aluminum fines and lubricant consisting essentially of removing said deposits by contacting said surface with an aqueous cleaning solution consisting essentially of hydrofluoric acid in a concentration of about 0.005 to about 0.1 g/l of said aqueous cleaning solution and sulfuric acid in a concentration of about 1.0 to about 10 g/l of said aqueous cleaning solution and having a surfactant dissolved therein.

A process for cleaning an aluminum surface having thereon deposits of aluminum fines and lubricant, the aluminum of said surface being 3004 alloy or an aluminum alloy substantially equivalent thereto, consisting essentially of removing said deposits by contacting said surface with an aqueous cleaning solution consisting essentially of hydrofluoric acid in a concentration of about 0.005 to about 0.1 g/l of said aqueous cleaning solution and sulfuric acid in a concentration of about 1.0 to about 10 g/l of said aqueous cleaning solution and having a surfactant dissolved therein.