We routinely use ultrasonic cleaners to decontaminate all kinds of surfaces. A little solvent, some buzzing, and jewelry, electronic parts, and pen nibs get degunked effectively. Cavitation is responsible. It is also responsible for damaging surfaces such as ship propellers and pump impellers. The first video explains the physical chemistry behind the process and its (mostly) destructive effects. The second shows it applied to cleaning vegetables which, surprisingly, is a research problem funded by the National Science Foundation. Both videos show closeups of bubble collapse making the cleaning/damage mechanism much easier to understand.
Youtube Channel: IET Institute for Energy Technology
Youtube Channel: National Science Foundation
Addendum 7 April 2019: More detailed super-slowmo videos from the EPFL group featured in the first video.
Source: CAVITATION BUBBLES IN VARIABLE GRAVITY
Addendum 25 September 2020: EPFL has reorganized its webpages and the cavitation videos have disappeared. Here is an American Physical Society report on that research.
Youtube Channel: APS Physics