Chemicals used in washdown processes typically are corrosive or caustic, characteristics that damage metals. According to Dana Johnson, of
Birko Corp., a specialty chemical company, "General-purpose cleaners, foaming acids, and self-foaming chlorinated caustic cleaners and sanitizers such, as chlorine, are the most common chemicals used in washdowns.” Another compound used solution is sodium hydroxide, which can be a strong caustic.
“Stainless steels have a proven record of being inert and are easily cleaned and sanitized, explained James D. Fritz, PhD, of TMR Stainless, a service provider to the stainless steel industry. "These properties, combined with the ease of fabrication, make stainless steels well suited for food processing applications. Typically, other materials — such as aluminum, copper alloys and coated carbon steels — do not have the same resistance for food processing and cleaning environments.” Furthermore, at temperatures below 95° C (203° F), SAE types 304 and 316 stainless steel are resistant to highly concentrated sodium hydroxide.
