Infrared analyses of surface species have provided a new insight into the optimisation of contaminant removal from InP substrates which are treated by conventional cleaning/degreasing techniques in the initial stages of a multi-stage procedure prior to device fabrication. In this comparative study it has been shown quantitatively that one method is markedly superior in its ability to remove contaminants. Also these studies have indicated the damage to surfaces that can be caused by heat-degraded chemical solutions.