Environmentally Friendly Cleaning with Dry Ice Blasting

Environmentally Friendly Cleaning with Dry Ice Blasting

Dry ice blasting as a form of cleaning is quickly becoming the preferred method of cleaning large areas with dirt and grime. It is replacing sandblasting, steam or water blasting, and even other products that are harmful to the environment. The dry ice blasting process works very similarly to other blasting processes, in that it uses the power of the blasting to help clean the intended surface. The part that sets dry ice blasting apart from the rest is that when the freezing temperature hits the surface, it shrinks and loosens the dirt, oil, and grease.

The dry ice also has the capability of penetrating the warmer surface of the material that is being cleaned. Once in contact with that material, the dry ice is released into the atmosphere are carbon dioxide gases. This means that the dry ice does not have to be cleaned up because it does not leave any evidence behind. The only thing that needs to be picked up and disposed of is anything that came off due to the cleaning. A few other examples of substances that dry ice blasting can be used to clean include paint, ink, decals, adhesives, asphalt, and tar. A few places and the substances that dry ice blasting can be used are discussed below.

Food Serving Businesses

Dry ice is biodegradable and harmless to humans, animals, and marine life. Dry ice has also been USDA approved and proven to be 100% ecologically safe. These factors point to dry ice being safe to use in places where food is being served. Not only will the living inhabitants not be harmed, the dry ice specifically targets the bacteria that may be in the air or on surfaces causing odors. Dry ice blasting heads straight for the source where the bacteria live and completely eliminate it, as opposed to covering it up or masking it.

Mold Removal

Mold is an issue that no family or business ever wants to have. Mold can prove to be dangerous to anyone around it. Using a dry ice blaster will not only target the mold but can also thoroughly clean the surface it is attached to. The dry ice will blast away a thin layer of the surface material in order to ensure that the mold is no longer growing and no longer able to grow. This is especially true when dry ice blasting wood. The mold and the top layer is blasted away, ensuring that no mold particles are leftover.

Adhesives

When it comes to adhesives, dry ice blasting is going to provide the best result. The lowered temperature of the dry ice sinks into the adhesive and weakens the bond that it has to the surface it is attached to. The quick results that the dry ice blasting process in regards to adhesives is going to quicken the process of removing any adhesives. This is beneficial to any company trying to remove labels from containers so they can be recycled and reused. The company will then pay less in cleanup because all that will need to be disposed of is the adhesives. There will be nothing to clean up from the dry ice itself.