Wet chemical etching of GaN, InN, AlN, InAlN and InGaN was investigated in various acid and base solutions at temperatures up to 75 degrees C. Only KOH-based solutions were found to etch AlN and InAlN. No etchants were found for the other nitrides, emphasizing their extreme lack of chemical reactivity. The native oxide on most of the nitrides could be removed in potassium tetraborate at 75 degrees C, or HCl/H2O at 25 degrees C.