CO2 Cleaning / Dry Ice Cleaning Services

CO2 Cleaning

For over 15 years, dry ice blasting has been a typical cleaning method in the US and, to a lesser extent, in continental Europe. Only now, with the arrival of the first European-based hire and service business dedicated to dry ice blasting, is awareness beginning to grow both in the UK and France. A dry ice blaster can remove contaminants without causing mechanical damage to the item being cleaned. Still, it can leave no chemical residue and create no hazardous waste, transforming the cleaning process. The range of applications for dry ice blasting is broad. It includes surface preparation before priming or painting, removing inks and other coatings from printing, hot plate and rotary screens, removing adhered waste products, and cleaning expensive toolings such as injection moulds and other industrial items.

Dry ice blasting is an aggressive yet entirely non-abrasive cleaning method in which dry ice, in pellet form, is propelled at supersonic speeds onto a surface to remove most contaminants and debond coatings. The frigid temperature of the dry ice causes the bonding between the contaminant and the substrate to fail. The dry ice pellets are made from carbon dioxide, an inert and non-flammable gas that is a by-product of existing industrial processes. Its unique properties permit thorough and effective cleaning without abrasion, explosive solvents, or hazardous chemicals.