Spray Washing vs. Immersion Cleaning: Choosing the Right Method

When you're selecting an aqueous parts washer, one of the first decisions you'll face is the cleaning method: spray washing, immersion cleaning, or a system that combines both. Each method has distinct strengths, and choosing the right one depends on your parts, your contamination, and your cleanliness requirements.

How Spray Washing Works

In a spray cabinet washer, parts are placed on a rotating basket inside an enclosed cabinet. Nozzles deliver heated aqueous cleaning solution at pressure from multiple angles. Spray washing is excellent for removing heavy, surface-level contamination — thick oils and greases, carbon deposits, metal chips, and road grime. Magido's spray cabinet washers include the X81, X51, X51/2, X53, and X53/2 series.

How Immersion Cleaning Works

Parts are fully submerged in a heated bath of aqueous cleaning solution. The solution surrounds the entire part — including internal cavities, blind holes, channels, threads, and features that spray jets can't reach. Agitation drives fresh cleaning solution into these internal features and flushes contaminants out. Magido's Agita series uses a pneumatic platform that oscillates to create controlled agitation.

When You Need Both

Magido's Platinum series rotary immersion washers combine spray, immersion, and rotational agitation in a single machine. Parts receive direct spray cleaning while simultaneously being immersed and hydraulically purged. This is the solution for parts with both heavy external contamination and critical internal cleanliness requirements.

Making the Decision

Choose spray washing when contamination is primarily on external surfaces and throughput favors fast cycle times. Choose immersion when parts have internal cavities or complex geometry. Choose a combination system when a single-method approach doesn't deliver the results you need. If you're unsure, Magido offers free parts cleaning evaluations — call 844-4MA-GIDO or email Sales@MagidoUSA.com.