Aircraft Cleaning and Degreasing Products Key Terms

Choose the right aircraft cleaning agents to keep your staff and passengers safe

By Nikki Davis

Selecting the right cleaning and degreasing agents for your aircrafts is vital to the safety of your trained staff and your passengers. Knowing the key terms and definitions can help you better understand what you are looking for and/or purchasing to make sure you choose products that do the job right and are compatible with the strict regulations of the industry. Aircraft cleaning and degreasing has its own safety concerns, from flash points to non-conductive. Other factors like pH balance should be considered for high-grade interior items as well. It is important to understand what you will be cleaning off, as well as what forms your cleanser will come in. Knowing the terms and definitions will keep you knowledgeable as you discuss the topics in the field.

Vapor degreasing

Vapor degreasing uses nonflammable cleaning solutions that boil at a boiling point below that of water, which creates a fog that is applied via condensing, spraying or dipping. When the contamination is dissolved, the vapor rinses the contaminates clean.
Try: Find out about solvent vapor degreasing from Products Finishing Magazine. The president of Degreasing Devices also talks about how vapor degreasers work.

Laminar flow, streamline flow

Laminar flow, or streamline flow, is when a fluid flows in parallel layers, but there is no disruption between the layers. In layman's terms laminar flow is characterised as "smooth," as opposed to turbulent flow, which is "rough."
Try: Learn about airplane laminar flow from the Aviation History Online Museum.

pH balance

pH measures the acidity or basicity of a solution. pH balance is particularly important when cleaning delicate items in a plane like leather seats and surfaces.
Try: Learn about airplane leather cleaning with Universal Aircraft Cleaning.

Exhaust

Exhaust are the gas wastes that are ejected from airplane engines. Oftentimes, special cleansers or power washing is required to clean off exhaust.
Try: Pacific Western Paints sells ELDORADO ED-500, a cleaner that works on exhaust-track film.

Non-conductive

Non-conductive means that your aircraft cleanser or degreaser will not conduct heat or electricity. Non-conductive also describes the exterior of the airplane, so if lightning strikes it, the electricity is dispersed instead of causing damage to the craft.
Try: Find out from the Smithsonian Institution how aircrafts are made of non-conductive materials.

Self-emulsifying

Emulsions are two unblendable liquids. A self-emulsifying cleanser forms emulsions when mixed with water.
Try: Look at the concentrated self-emulsifying degreasing solvent available from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.