Many manufacturing companies are looking for ways to substitute environmentally problematic cleaning methods for surface treatments with more environmentally friendly ones. In this paper, one potential solution is described. The Qlean method, based on cleaning with highly pure water (in this paper defined as Qlean Water), is a novel cleaning method. This method, now utilized at one plant at a leading major international electronic company, has substituted previous chemical-based methods for cleaning printed circuit boards prior to lacquering. This paper presents, based on that company's primary data, a comparative study using environmental analysis and economic life cycle cost review between cleaning with Qlean Water and conventional cleaning. The focus is on the environmental and economic performance of the two alternatives. The conclusion is that Qlean Water offers both a significant economic and environmental cost reduction and a better product. This is the case even though all identified economic benefits derived from using Qlean Water, e.g. that the quality and technical lifetime have been extended for the printed circuit boards with the Qlean Water cleaning method, are not considered in the economic analysis.

Detergents are broadly used in our everyday life for cleaning and washing procedures. They are however, a source of water pollution and can have a negative effect on human health and the environment. To reduce their negative impact, a new trend of using only pure water for washing and cleaning applications is being implemented. However, a scientific basis needs to be established first, as the mechanisms and the effectiveness of this method are not fully understood. In this work, we aim to investigate the effect of water purity on the removal of oil from surfaces and the stability of colloidal systems. To do that, two purified water grades are compared with non-purified tap water and 10 mM NaCl solution. Results from measurement of oil film mass before and after water contact and Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) indicate that purified water grades can wash a surface more efficiently than non-purified water grades. Contact angle measurements show that pure water facilitates the cleaning process while spreading of oil on plastic surfaces indicates that electrostatic interactions have an important role in the system. Visual observations of o/w emulsions, show that purified water grades redisperse the oil better. We hypothesize that the mechanism behind the cleaning and washing without detergents relies on the electrostatic interactions. To further investigate the effect of salt on cleaning mechanisms, we performed zeta potential measurements. Results indicate that salt has a negative effect on the stability of the particles.