Dry ice cleaning science, how does it work?

Dry ice cleaning is a “green” eco-friendly process using small pellets of recycled solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) to clean a surface. However, unlike sandblasting, when pellets hit the surface, dry ice sublimates, turning from solid directly into a gas. This rapid change in state, from solid to gas, also causes microscopic shock waves, which assist removing contaminants. During the sublimation, dry ice expands 800x it’s volume. That, in combination with kinetic energy and the frigid temperature of the dry ice (-109.3°F or -78.5°C), plus the instantaneous sublimation, causes undesired materials to shrink and lose adhesion from the substrate surface, thus releasing the dirt and not harming the surface below.

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Why is dry ice cleaning considered a green eco friendly process?

Dry ice cleaning is an green eco-friendly method made of reclaimed carbon dioxide produced from other industrial processes. This cleaning method is approved by the EPA, FDA and USDA. It also reduces or eliminates employee exposure to the use of any harsh, chemical cleaning agents.

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The environmentally-friendly advantage is no environmental impact associated with the process: no wasted water like pressure washing, and no wasted sand like in media blasting. Even the liquid C02 used to make the dry ice pellets is typically collected as industry waste, meaning the carbon impact is zero. The only energy consumed is the electricity needed to power the cleaning machine and the air compressor.

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What happens to the dirt and grime?

The majority of the unwanted contaminate (dirt and grime) fall to the floor. Then particles on the floor can be collected and disposed of in the appropriate manner. 

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Is dry ice detailing safe to clean all the surfaces, coatings, materials, and components of my car?

Dry ice cleaning is safe to use on most all the surfaces, coatings, materials, and components of your car accept the real leather. The process can clean delicate chrome or nickel plated parts, soft aluminum or brass alloys, wire insulation, and even circuit boards without causing damage. Below is a list of acceptable and unacceptable materials to clean with dry ice:

 

• Metals, Aluminum, Steel, Stainless, Brass, Bronze

• Painted surfaces, body and other painted or powder coated surfaces

• Wiring / Electronics

• Rubber parts, hoses, belts, wiper blades, gaskets, tires, CV boots

• Plastic Parts: most; some plastics which are oxidized

• Interior, vents, carpets, vinyl, Alcantara, nylon​

• Fabrics

• Covertable tops

• LCDs​

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Will dry ice cleaning remove rust?

Dry ice cleaning is a non-abrasive process, and as such, will not help with penetraded rust areas of heavy rust, but surface rust will be gone.

Can dry ice remove undercoatings?

Most all undercoatings can be removed through the use of dry ice cleaning, but the process will require more dry ice and more time, which equates to more expense.   

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Our Approach:

Our recommendation is to put the car up on the lift to inspect the area of undercoating which needs to be removed. We may request to do a test trials to better gauge the estimate of time to remove it

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How long does it take to dry ice detail an undercarriage?

Total time spent will depend on many factors: e.g., the age of the vehicle, the environment the underbody was exposed to, undercoating you may want removed, would you like the exhaust system cleaned and treated to restore it, underbody panels you would like removed to clean additional hidden areas. These are just a few factors that come into play when providing the estimate. Each car is unique - from its make and model and the dirt it has been carrying around. Therefore, total dry ice cleaning time is not a templated answer. PS. Remember the origin of the car as well, like GCC, EU, US and so on.

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Our Approach:

To give an accurate time/cost estimate, we'll need to put your car up on the lift to get a good view of the underbody. We'll discuss the unique cleaning challenges of your car and present options. We can point out unique features and areas of concern and answer any questions you might have. We can then come up with a strategy to meet your goals and budget.

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Do different automobile makes clean up better than others?

German cars are typically covered in Cosmoline a wax coating. The positive is they are sealed and protected. The downside is the wax coating attracts dirt, so they turn black on the bottom. Dry Ice removes this coating to reveal an essentially new car underneath.

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Japanese cars typically have tar coatings in areas of the underbody. Similar to wax, tar preserves finishes and can be removed with dry ice.

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American cars are typically free of undercoating, but may have been coated early in their life by a dealer or aftermarket shop. They typically have more surface corrosion.