In soldering metals, flux serves a threefold purpose: it removes any oxidized metal from the surfaces to be soldered, seals out air thus preventing further oxidation, and improves the wetting characteristics of the liquid solder. Some fluxes are corrosive, so the parts have to be cleaned with a damp sponge or other absorbent material after soldering to prevent damage. Several types of flux are used in electronics.
A number of standards exist to define the various flux types. The principal standard is J-STD-004.
Various tests, including the ROSE test, may be used after soldering to check for the presence of ionic or other contaminants that could cause short circuits or other problems.