Dry Ice Blasting Cleaning Comparisons

How does your current cleaning process compare

Dry ice blasting is a safe and efficient alternative to other methods of industrial cleaning. The liquid carbon dioxide that is used in dry ice blasting is a byproduct of other materials, meaning it has almost no impact on the environment. The CO2 pellets are non-liquid making it safe for use on electrical equipment. The dry ice pellets evaporate on impact, making it non-abrasive. The supersonic explosion created by the impact of the dry ice pellets on the surface of the machinery eliminates any secondary waste that is common with other cleaning methods.

Cleaning Methods Compared
Cleaning Method Secondary Waste
Electrically Conductive
Abrasive Toxic Effectiveness
Dry Ice No No No No Excellent
Sand Blasting Yes No Yes * Good
Soda Blasting Yes No Yes * Good
Water Blasting Yes Yes No * OK
Solvents/Chemicals Yes N/A No Yes Limited
Power Tools No N/A Yes N/A Limited
Hand Tools No N/A Yes N/A Limited

* Upon contact, traditional blasting materials become contaminated when used to clean hazardous substances and objects. These blasting materials are also then classified as toxic waste and require appropriate safe disposal.

Dry Ice Blasting is an environmentally-, employee-, and equipment-friendly alternative to most conventional surface preparation and cleaning methods. Compare your current cleaning process to the dry ice blast cleaning process and see how Midwest Dry Ice Blasting can add value to your business through improved productivity, reduced waste and lower costs.

Top 10 Reasons Dry Ice Blasting is superior

  1. We Get the Job Done Right: No time lost due to insufficient cleaning or having to re-do our work.
  2. Minimal Disassembly Required: Our dry ice pellets can reach places that other cleaning methods cannot, therefore eliminating the need for machines to be disassembled and put back together.
  3. Dry Ice Blasting is Quick & Efficient: Because the dry ice pellets evaporate on impact, the time needed to dry the machinery after cleaning is significantly reduced, meaning your machines are operational in the shortest possible time.
  4. Safe for All Surfaces: The Liquid CO2 used in our dry ice blasting processes is non-conductive, non-flammable, and non-abrasive making it safe for all surfaces and even electrical components.
  5. Minimal Cleanup Costs: The liquid CO2 used in our cleaning services does not become contaminated with the buildup from your machines, meaning we avoid cleanup fees associated with toxic waste.
  6. Dry Ice Blasting is Versatile: Our dry ice pellets can reach cracks and corners that other methods cannot, ensuring that your job is done thoroughly and efficiently.
  7. Environmentally friendly: Our liquid CO2 is a byproduct of other processes, minimizing the impact our services have on the environment. Dry ice blasting complies with FDA, USDA and EPA guidelines.
  8. Employee Safe: Dry ice blasting does not expose your employees to toxic or harmful chemicals. Our cleaning methods also reduce the amount of grit and shrapnel created as a result of the blasting process.
  9. Efficient Use of Resources: Dry ice blasting efficiently uses both environmental and human resources. The creation of the dry ice blasting pellets is environmentally friendly, and the man-hours required to thoroughly clean equipment are significantly fewer than other methods.
  10. Sanitary, Industrial Strength Cleaning: Our cleaning methods are strong enough to remove the grittiest buildup in your machines and equipment, yet sanitary enough to be used in the food packaging and pharmaceutical industry.

It’s important to remember that dry ice blasting doesn’t use abrasion to clean. See the details in: What is Dry Ice Blasting?

Dry Ice Blasting vs the others

Abrasive Blasting

The most common method of abrasive blasting is sand blasting. Although effective at cleaning tough to reach areas, the abrasive nature of the sand can leave equipment damaged, shortening the life cycle of your valuable machinery. The materials used in abrasive blasting, often become contaminated after use, leading to costly cleanup and disposal fees. Dry ice blasting uses CO2 pellets that are non-abrasive and evaporate on contact, leaving behind no toxic residue to clean up and ensuring that all machine parts are clean and protected. Dry ice blasting is just as effective as sand blasting in cleaning hard to reach areas, thereby eliminating the need for time consuming disassembly of machine parts.

Soda Blasting

Soda blasting is another common method of industrial cleaning, but is often one of the least effective. The residue left behind after soda blasting can take hours to clean up, and often times adheres to nearby surfaces, increasing the chance that you will have to clean again in a short period of time. Dry ice blasting is just as effective as soda blasting, but friendlier on the environment. The dry ice pellets used to remove the buildup from the substrate are evaporated on contact, leaving virtually no cleanup once the job is done. With no harmful residue or over spray, the effects of dry ice blasting on the environment are virtually non-existent.

(Ultra-)High Pressure Water Blasting

Although fast, high pressure water blasting is one of the least efficient methods of cleaning when it comes to natural resources. The amount of waste water generated from this industrial cleaning method is extremely high and in areas where industrial water use is regulated, it can lead to massive revenue loss from having to pay overage fees. Furthermore, high pressure water blasting is not friendly to all surfaces and apparatus that might need regular cleaning. Often times the water blasting leads to the rusting of certain surfaces, and the cleaning of electrical equipment and circuitry is impossible using this method. Dry ice blasting is an effective method of cleaning any surface, including the electrical components. Because the dry ice evaporates on contact, the waste generated from dry ice blasting is minimal.

Solvent Cleaning

Solvent cleaning is perhaps one of the least efficient methods of cleaning machinery or other industrial equipment. The chemical solutions in the solvents are harmful to the environment, harmful to your employees and harmful to the very machines they are used to clean. The amount of time spent cleaning up the area after using solvents renders this method inefficient and the fees required to properly dispose of the waste can be astronomical. Solvents also require the time consuming disassembly of machinery, further reducing its cost and time effectiveness. The pellets used in dry ice blasting are small enough to reach into nearly every crack and crevice that needs cleaning. This virtually eliminates the need to disassemble any machinery prior to cleaning. The CO2 pellets are not harmful to the environment and there are no disposal fees associated with this method of cleaning.

Power Tool Cleaning

Power tool cleaning is effective only on flat surfaces that will not be negatively affected by abrasion. If your machinery consists of odd angles or if you require your machines to have unblemished surfaces, you will need to consider another method of cleaning your equipment. Dry ice blasting is a cost efficient alternative to power tool cleaning while providing many added benefits. Dry ice blasting is effective on all surfaces, including machines with odd angles or hard to reach surfaces.

Hand Tool Cleaning

The use of hand tools to clean your machinery may seem cost efficient if done perfectly. However, the risk associated with potential damage caused by these hand tools or employee negligence is too great to overlook. Dry ice blasting eliminates the risk of damaging your valuable machinery and in many cases, can reduce the man hours spent cleaning a machine by 80-90%.