FAQ

Q:  What is dry ice blasting? 

A:  Dry ice blasting, or dry ice cleaning, is an environmentally sustainable cleaning and surface preparation technique.  It is similar to sand, bead and soda blasting in that it prepares and cleans surfaces using a media accelerated in a pressurized air stream. It differs in that dry ice cleaning uses recycled solid carbon dioxide (CO2) pellets, which are blasted at supersonic speeds and sublimate on impact, lifting dirt and contaminants off the underlying substrate.  The process is non-abrasive, non-conductive, non-flammable, and non-toxic. It is also chemical free, water free and does not create secondary waste streams. The dry ice sublimates, or phase transitions from solid CO2 to gaseous CO2, when it impacts the surface being cleaned.

Q:  How does dry ice blasting work?

A:  There are three primary factors that contribute to the dry ice cleaning process. The factors are Pellet Kinetic Energy, the Thermal Shock Effect, and the Thermal-Kinetic Effect. In order to more easily explain the process, we have created the following acronym (ICE). 

• Impact – Impact of pellets creates a Kinetic Energy Effect. The soft dry ice is accelerated by compressed air through specially designed nozzles at supersonic speeds.  
• Cold – Cold temperature of dry ice pellets creates a Thermal Effect. The temperature of dry ice (-109°F / -78.9°C) causes the contaminant to embrittle. This helps break the bond between the substrate and the contaminant.  
• Expansion – Expansion of the dry ice pellets. Dry ice pellets sublimate upon impact, volumetrically expanding in size, removing the contaminant.

Q:  Will this harm my vehicle?

A:  Simple answer is no.  Dry ice blasting is not an abrasive process like sand blasting, vapor blasting or even high-pressure water blasting.  The equipment we use can be viewed as precision equipment as we can dial down the air pressure as low as 15psi to clean certain delicate surfaces (like leather, soft rubber, etc.).  Of course, we can turn it up on the steel/aluminum portions of the vehicle to show the dirt and grim who is the real boss!

Q:  Will it take off my paint?

A:  The specialty of dry ice blasting is not on painted surfaces but rather the areas where normal detailing cannot reach or requiring disassembly.  The simple rule is if it can be seen it can be cleaned!  With the variety of different nozzles, specific areas can be reached on the vehicle.

Q:  Will dry ice blasting remove rust? 

A:  Dry ice blasting alone will remove any loosely adhered rust, surface rust, oxidation, and salts (SP 6), but it will not remove the deeply adhered or pitted oxidation. Due to the non-abrasive characteristics of dry ice, it is not aggressive enough to create a profile or a white metal finish.  Our new dry ice blasting + abrasive solution, the E-CO2 150, adds an abrasive to the dry ice blasting stream. The solution boosts its’ aggression and effectively removes deeply pitted rust and corrosion, while eliminating the issues with traditional methods of removal, such as excessive dust and waste. The solution achieves a white metal finish (SP 10 / SA 2.5 / NA 2).

Q.  What happens to the grease, oil, dirt during the cleaning?

A:  Most dirt and dry debris will fall to the floor where it can be swept or vacuumed up for proper disposal.  The dry ice blast-cleaning process doesn’t rely on chemicals or harsh cleaning solvents to remove the filth.  The blasting process takes care of even the most stubborn, stuck-on grime rather quickly and easily.  Heavily soiled, wet, and oily areas are typically mopped up prior to dry ice blast cleaning.  But generally, most all grease and oils are ‘pushed’ or corralled towards a specific area where they can be swept up after everything has been thoroughly cleaned.

Q:  What are the benefits of dry ice blasting?

A:  There are quite a few...

• No Water
• No Grit
• No Chemicals 
• Non-conducive (safe around electrical connections) 
• Reduces downtime for maintenance 
• Reduces lost production (maint) 
• Cleaning can be done with minimal disassembly 
• Ecologically friendly 
• Saves money, time, labor, and materials 
• No exposure to corrosive solvents 
• Eliminates secondary waste 
• Cleans without etching or damaging surfaces 
• NO damage to sensitive machinery 
• NO drying time

Q:  How much can be done on the car in 8 hours?

A:  Generally speaking, doing an underside of a vehicle can take 8 hours by itself.  With the materials needed to do so, there would not be enough time or consumables during this 8-hour period to take the wheels off to do all four wheel wells at once.