Fishing equipment is exposed to a variety of substances such as lubricating grease and environments that can cause build-up of number of different residues. Many fishing trips are done in the ocean which exposes the gear to seawater. Seawater contains a number of different salts in different concentrations, all of which can cause clogging or jamming of the equipment. Additionally, some of the minerals in seawater are quite corrosive and can not only eat into the parts, but also cause additional clogging and jamming due to rust build-up and deposition of other products of corrosion. Fresh water can also pose a threat to the life of your fishing gear, as it usually contains more algae and bacteria than seawater. Sand, silt, algae, fish scales, and bacteria can leave additional residues in the sensitive moving parts.

Ultrasonic cleaners produce microscopic bubbles that implode forcefully in a cleaning solution. The process, called cavitation, blasts dirt, grease, rust, and grime away from any kind of hard surface. Since the liquid allows cavitation to occur anywhere in the tank the cleaning process is more efficient and gentle to the equipment than most other cleaning processes. It has the additional advantage of reaching inside surfaces and crevices inaccessible by cleaning brushes.

Because there’s a wide range of makes, models, sizes, power, and prices of ultrasonic cleaners, it is not easy to choose one that is ideally suited to clean fishing reels. The price is of course a concern. The price of an ultrasonic cleaner basically depends on the ultrasonic power and availability of advanced features such as variable power and frequency, as well as the overall quality of the equipment.

Most ultrasonic cleaning units are built with piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers. Piezoelectric transducers are very efficient in converting the electrical energy from the generator into ultrasonic energy in the cleaning bath. However, it is very important to know the effective ultrasonic power in the tank, as many low cost units are underpowered.

A sonic jewellery cleaner as well as similar items are constructed for short run times. This might not only mean that the unit needs to be turned on several times to get a much more dirty fishing reel clean, but it can also mean that the unit is not able to withstand long operation times due to overheating, and will eventually break down. Check the runtime of the timer. If it is lower than 30 minutes, it is probably not a unit that is ideal for cleaning fishing reels. Some units have timers that have a steady setting. These are meant to be used continuously and are more durable than other units.

Another thing to consider is the size and shape of the tank. Large ultrasonic cleaners with rectangular shaped baskets work best for fishing reels as they will keep the parts from bunching together during the cleaning process. Make sure to choose a model with a basket that is large enough to fit your biggest reel with all the parts, and that is deep enough to allow complete submersion of the parts.