Wiping Overview Wipe cleaning involves rubbing a surface with a soft cloth or other material. The cloth is usually dampened with a solvent or water mixture. Dry or tacky cloths are used for removal of loose debris. Wipe cleaning is usually a manual operation. It is best suited for spot cleaning or occasional use. Repetitive or large area wiping suggests a need for examination of the processes before and after the wiping step. Wiping generates more waste than other processes. The wipe material becomes contaminated with the cleaning chemical and soil. The requirements for disposal of the cloths depend on the solvent and soils removed. For instance, if the solvent used is a hazardous waste, the used cloths must also be treated as hazardous waste. State Information | Glossary | Conversion Checklist | Comments Home | Process Advisor | Alternatives | Links | Search All SAGE material, Copyright© 1992, Research Triangle Institute Last Update: 18 March 1995 sage@rti.org http://clean.rti.org/alt.cfm?id=wp&cat=ov