understanding of the invention reference is made to the following description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the figure which is a schematic diagram of a system in which the process of the invention may be used a system for washing strip material in accordance with the invention is shown in the figure in which wash tank 1 is provided with plates 8 9 10 and 11 of progressively decreasing height thus separating the tank into cascaded washing zones 3 4 5 6 and 7 the tank is provided with fluid inlet 15 and fluid outlet 12 leading to a liquid collection vessel 13 guide means 20 through 30 are provided to guide strip material 14 into the wash tank 1 through the wash zones 3 7 and out of the tank pump 14 removes liquid from tank 13 through pipe 15 for recycling through outlet 16 upper guide means 21 22 23 and 24 are disposed far enough above the surface of the liquid within the respective wash zones so that liquid carried upwardly on the strip as it is moving from one zone to the next will drain back into the zone from which it is carried a vertical draining distance of from about one to about three feet or over may be provided distances greater than about three feet have little additional effect although they may be used the preferred distance is from aout one to about two feet in a process of washing strip material using this invention strip material 14 is passed over guide.