Sports enthusiasts make substantial investments in shooting and fishing equipment. If you’ve spent several hundreds of dollars or more on a rifle or fishing reel, you need to take care of that investment. Regular cleaning after a day in the field or stream is part of the maintenance but for a thorough cleaning job nothing beats an ultrasonic cleaner.

That’s because with manual cleaning it’s virtually impossible to reach all surfaces of these precision instruments no matter how carefully you try or how much time you spend dismantling, cleaning, oiling and wiping their many components. With the power of ultrasonic cavitation, however, cleaning action reaches all surfaces of all components, no matter how small or how intricate. Oils, greases, sand, salt deposits, powder residue – any contaminant that can accelerate wear and diminish the life of your sporting gear – is quickly and safely removed.

Ultrasonic cleaners on the market today come in a variety of sizes and prices. There are modestly priced models available for home use by hunting and fishing enthusiasts and clubs. Sporting goods stores can offer ultrasonic cleaning as a service to patrons.

How an Ultrasonic Cleaner Works for Shooting and Fishing Gear

While ultrasonic cleaners come in a variety of sizes, the basic operating principle is the same. An ultrasonic cleaning system is comprised of a tank in which the cleaning solution is placed, an ultrasonic generator that creates the energy to drive ultrasonic transducers mounted on the bottom of the tank, plus on-off switches, timers and, in some models, solution heaters.

Following manufacturers’ instructions, fill the cleaning tank with the proper amount of a cleaning solution specially formulated for cleaning products such as hunting and fishing gear. Today’s solutions come in concentrated form and are biodegradable, which means no special disposal procedures are required.

When the unit is turned on ultrasonic energy emitted by the transducers passes through the tank bottom, creating billions of minute air bubbles in the solution. If the solution is new, it should be “degassed” for at least 10 minutes to remove entrapped air that interferes with, and extends the cleaning cycle. During this period the solution warms slightly, which can enhance the cleaning process once it begins.

Components of partially disassembled rifles, pistols or fishing reels are placed in a mesh basket or perforated tray and lowered into the ultrasonic bath.

When the bubbles come in contact with the basket contents they implode with great force and literally blast away all dirt and contaminant even from the smallest cracks, crevices and blind holes unreachable by manual soaking and scrubbing. As powerful and as thorough as it is, ultrasonic cleaning does not damage delicate parts, so it is completely safe for your prized rifles and reels.

The process is quick, generally less than 15 minutes, and can be controlled by a timer. Once the ultrasonic cleaning cycle is complete, components are removed, rinsed in water, dried, lubricated and reassembled.