Mechanical decontamination is used for surface or sub-surface decontamination:
| Technique | Application | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Water flushing | General surfaces | Initial gross decontamination |
| Vacuuming / wiping / scrubbing | General surfaces | Manual removal of loose contamination |
| Strippable coatings | Large, non-porous, easily accessible surfaces | Polymer coating applied, allowed to cure, then peeled off with contaminants |
| Steam cleaning | Complex shapes | Effective in hard-to-reach areas |
| Abrasive cleaning | Metal, concrete, ceramics, plastics, composites | Removes surface layers |
| High pressure water jetting | Metal and concrete | Pressures up to 400 MPa; effective for stubborn contamination |
| Grinding | Floors and walls | Removes contaminated surface layer |
| Scarifying / scabbling | Concrete surfaces | Mechanical removal of the top layer of concrete |