The thermal oxides from any heat treatment process and welding mainly Iron Oxides of various states, readily corrode and in almost every application, will contaminate product media in which they are in contact with. It is vital to remove these oxides to maintain the surface properties of stainless steel. Mechanical treatments can remove the bulk of these oxides, although these methods can smear the surface entrapping contaminants which may later release, causing failure to the function of the product. For example, if an abrasive wheel employed to remove the oxides, it can have the dual action of decontaminating and recontaminating the surface.