Make cleaning a blast

Green, clean and mess-free, it is little wonder dry ice cleaning is fast becoming one of the most popular industrial cleaning solutions

Cleaning machinery is no straightforward task. Using water is dangerous due to the likelihood of it interfering with electrical elements and the risk of leftover liquid stagnating and harbouring germs.

Let it snow
Companies are now quickly catching on to the vast benefits that dry ice cleaning can bring them. The process works on the principle of 3mm pellets of dry ice (CO2) being propelled at great speed onto a contaminated surface. The pellets are made through a process of taking liquid CO2 and expanding it to produce a snow like substance.

The pellets are then propelled by a compressed air gun at the contaminated surface. The speed and the extreme cold temperature (-79 º C) causes a micro-thermal shock which breaks the bond between the coating and the substrate. The dirty layer then freezes so rapidly that it weakens and breaks away from the surface, leaving a clean finish. The dry ice immediately vapourises, leaving only the coating which can be easily swept away.

Established in early 2009, dry ice cleaning company, Ice Edge, is a forerunner in the industry and run by experienced dry ice blasting professionals.
Although the company has worked with a variety of clients including town councils and heritage societies, Ice Edge is quickly gaining a strong name for industrial cleaning This has the benefit that there is no need to dismantle any machinery or equipment while the process is being undertaken, allowing the businesses to be fully functional keeping downtime to a minimum; virtually impossible to do with alternative methods of machinery cleaning.

There's no limits
"There are no limits with dry ice cleaning, says Ice Edge Operations director,Tremain Jones. "The equipment is portable, the procedure safe and quick and the applications manifold.The process is inexpensive, quick, easy and most importantly does not pose any threat to revenue loss,which is by far the biggest plus." "Sanitation is critical for industrial cleaning," adds Tremain. "Dry ice cleaning is the ideal method as it's much safer than conventional water cleaning which can compromise safety and damage machinery. Dry ice blasting on the other hand cleans around wiring and all plumbing without damage or safety fears. There's no cool down or dry off time and using ice blasting gives such a thorough clean that there is a much longer period between cleans."

Reaching the parts others can't reach
Due to the standard of cleaning achieved by the dry ice process, it is not necessary to repeat the procedure for a number of years. With the majority of industrial cleaning methods, it is often difficult to reach awkward crevices of machinery, meaning that parts of the equipment are often missed. With Ice Edge's procedure 100% of the equipment is reached and cleaned.

But it's not only a thorough clean that will be achieved with dry ice according to the company. Ice Edge's cleaning process does not produce or release additional harmful gasses and therefore does not directly contribute to the greenhouse effect.

"With concerns for the environment at an all time high it is inevitable that companies want to ensure they are being responsible when it comes to essential processes such as cleaning," comments Tremain. "Our intention is to provide a second-to-none service which has minimum impact on the environment, allowing companies to satisfy their CSR requirements."