History of Soda Blasting
The origin of soda blasting can be traced back to the year 1972. This was discovered by Engineers in the United States who wanted to clean the Statue of Liberty. The people who came up with this idea were looking for a cleaning process that would allow them to clean up the statue without damaging it.
They also needed a process that would function without damaging the environment around the statue in terms of disposed materials. They were looking to come up with a cleaning process that would be used without damaging the water in the harbour that surrounds the statue. This is how the process of soda blasting was eventually started.
Benefits of Soda Blasting
- Won't Damage Glass
- Remove Paint from Fibreglass
- Won't Damage Chrome
- Water Soluable
- No Pitting
- Works Quickly
- No Warping
- Non Toxic
- Removes Grease
- Non-Hazardous
- Neutralises Surface Rust
Facts About Soda Blasting
This process is done using bicarbonate soda also known as sodium bicarbonate. This is made out of larger particles than the baking soda which is used in most households. When it comes to purity, the two substances are both similar. The sodium bicarbonate particles are directed towards a surface under high pressure created by compressed air. The particles explode as they hit a surface and they blast away the dirt or uneven coating found on the surface. The blasting is directed at the rust or uneven coating while the surface is left intact. The force used ranges in between 20 to 150 pounds per square inch.
The amount of pressure used depends on the contaminant being cleaned off the surface. It also factors in the surface that is being cleaned with most of the focus being on ensuring that the surface does not get damaged. This stands out as one of the most efficient as well as environmentally friendly cleaning processes out there.
So what benefits are associated with soda blasting? As far as the environment is concerned, soda blasting is one of the most friendly processes out there.
Environmentally Friendly
The bicarbonate used for cleaning is a natural substance which is quite safe to the surrounding environment. However, there is a need to rinse the vegetation around the area being cleaned by soda blasting. This is because the process may contaminate them as it splashes out impurities from the area being cleaned. As soon as the blasting process is completed, one needs to rinse the vegetation immediately.
This process is so safe that it has been approved by several respectable bodies in the United States such as Kosher, US Food and Drug Administration as well as United States Department of Agriculture.
This process has been in use for many years in the United States and as far as it is involved, no major negatives have been reported during that period. It is also preferred because of how quickly it delivers good results without damaging the surfaces. The cleaning process is also easy since you only need to have water for rinsing the surface once the blasting has been done. This process is not only convenient for large projects but can also be used to clean up wooden surfaces as well as cars. It can also be used to remove graffiti off walls.
Soda blasting is growing in popularity in Australia mainly due to how environmentally friendly it is.
