Successive anti-corrosive treatment of metal surfaces in a multistage process

The present invention relates to a method for optimizing the anti-corrosive treatment of metal surfaces and for resource efficient use of wash water in such an anticorrosive pretreatment comprising a conversion treatment step with an aqueous composition containing at least 50 ppm of the elements B, Si, Ti, Zr and / or Hf in the form of water soluble compounds at a pH value of 3 to 5.5, with a minimum proportion of 10 ppm of the elements B, Si, Ti, Zr and / or Hf is present in the form of water-soluble compounds in the final prewash stage and a portion of the aqueous composition the conversion treatment step is included in the first Nachspulstufe. The resource-saving use of the rinsing water is according to the invention realized by a cascading recirculation of rinse water from the last rinsing into the first rinsing stage. Furthermore, the present invention includes a metallic component which has been treated according to the method and its use in a process for applying a multilayer system, in particular a paint system containing an organic binder, in the industrial production.