Abstract: A process for treating the surface of material composed of high-grade steel, particularly strip-shaped material, wherein the material is treated with a pickling solution in a least one container and is subsequently rinsed. The solution used as the pickling solution contains a hydrochloric acid as the only acid and the material to be treated is subjected in at least one container to a least one spray treatment with the pickling solution containing the hydrochloric acid.

Abstract: A method of producing a cold-rolled strip from a stainless, ferretic or austenitic high-grade steel or a titanium alloy, wherein the strip which has been wound into a coil and has been manufactured by a hot-rolling or casting process is subjected in one pass to the steps of unwinding the coil, mechanically descaling the strip if required, subsequently chemically and/or electrochemically first or black pickling of the strip, then cold-rolling the strip to finished dimensions, degreasing the strip as required, annealing the strip, finish-pickling the strip and, if necessary, passivating, dressing and stretcher-leveling the strip. The pickling step is carried out in a pickling solution which contains hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and/or nitric acid.