Methods & technology
Dry ice (cryogenic) blasting: how it works
How dry ice blasting works, why it's used for soot, smoke and mould contamination, and where it applies across different surfaces and buildings.
Published 7 February 2024
How it works
Dry ice (cryogenic) blasting uses a high-pressure air stream to propel dry ice pellets at a surface. The pellets sublimate to carbon dioxide on contact, creating a micro thermal shock that breaks down the bond between a contaminant layer and the substrate beneath it. The contaminant is then removed by the air stream, while the dry ice itself leaves no secondary residue to clean up.
Key benefits
- The dry ice never touches the surface being cleaned, which is why it’s used on ornate stone and architectural features in historic buildings.
- It’s non-conductive, so it can be used to remove contaminants from delicate electrical equipment; surfaces remain dry throughout.
- It has less environmental impact than solvent cleaning when removing dirt, soot and smoke odour.
Applications
- Fire damage restoration on brick and wood
- Mould remediation
- Historic and heritage buildings
- Graffiti removal
- Electrical equipment
- Food, drink, print and production equipment
- Hospitals and public buildings
- Hotels and restaurant equipment
See our dry ice blasting service page for more on how this fits into a full remediation project.