Non-reactive surface treatments are primarily used in the field of metal wire drawing to modify the surface of the metal prior to drawing in order to improve the soap's adhesion to the wire.

These products are supplied in power form but are intended to be diluted in water prior to use.

Their formulation is a relatively complex mixture of products, mainly of mineral origin.

There is no chemical reaction with the metal, although, a physico-chemical transformation of the product results in a more or less rough and adhesive crystal structure on the surface of the metal, which improves the subsequent pickup of the wire drawing soap on the wire.

In powder form, the product must be:

- non toxic,
- harmless to man,
- environmentally friendly,
- stable in storage (no agglomeration),
- easy to handle, and
- easy to place in suspension and/or solution in water.

In liquid suspension, it must be:

- stable at the working temperature (around 80 to 90°C),
- easy to control,
- resistant to external pollution,
- non-corrosive,
- non-abrasive for pumps, and
- usable over a wide range of concentrations.

Finally, the deposit formed must be:

- as rough as possible,
- regular,
- adhesive,
- the least hygroscopic as possible,
- non-corrosive,
- compatible with the subsequent soap, and
- easy to clean.

Self-lubricating surface treatments are mixtures in powder form, dry lubricants (soaps) with adhesion promoters that form a lubricating film with adhesion and plasticity characteristics. They offer the same advantage of being easy to use by dispersion or dissolution in water, and are often used on phosphatized metals.