Will Dry Ice Blasting Remove Rust?

Dry ice blasting is not a new thing, it has been used in various industries for many years and is a useful way of cleaning many different materials.

As the name suggests, you simply use dry ice, directed through a specially designed hose, to clean a surface. Dry ice is actually a solid form of carbon dioxide which is directed through a nozzle at high pressure. The machine is a specialist piece of equipment and should never be tampered with as it can cause freezing chemical burns. It can actually be used for a wide variety of cleaning jobs, including dry ice mold removal.

The good thing is that dry ice blasting is non-abrasive, non-toxic, non-inflammable, and non-conductive. In short, it’s a safe way to clean any surface, providing you follow the instructions.

It’s also worth noting that this type of cleaning is listed as environmentally responsible. It uses reclaimed carbon dioxide which means it is not contributing to greenhouse gas increase in the atmosphere.

But, Can It Remove Rust

The short answer is yes. 

Rust occurs when there is metal, oxygen, and moisture. In fact, this reaction with oxygen can be categorized as fire, as would any reaction between oxygen and another substances that causes heat and light.

However, when the metal reacts to oxygen i=the combustion s is slow and spread out, it’s not a visible fire but the combustion process is still happening. It cools as quickly as it happens, creating an oxide in the process, that oxide is known as rust.

Carbon dioxide has the opposite effect, it deprives the metal of oxygen, stopping the combustion reaction and eliminating the ‘fire’. Blasting rust with carbon dioxide will remove the rust because it is cooled and can literally fall off. 

However, it is important to note that when rust is removed the metal left behind will be pitted, this can’t be removed by dry ice blasting, the metal itself is damaged.

Preventing Rust

In order to keep your metal in pristine condition, it is better to ensure the combustion reaction never happens, eliminating the opportunity for rust to become established and the need for dry ice blasting to remove it.

To prevent rust from forming you need to ensure one of the key ingredients is not present, that’s metal, oxygen, and moisture. The metal has to be present and it is difficult to keep it forever in a vacuum deprived of air that has oxygen in it. The easiest solution is to ensure there is no moisture present, this will prevent the rust from starting to form.

Other Uses

In fact, dry ice blasting can be a very useful tool for a variety of different options, including cleaning delicate wiring in machinery and creating the perfect finish on a polished material.

You can rent a machine and do the work yourself or you can get the professionals to do it for you. But, whichever option you choose, you need to remember the rust, or other contaminant doesn’t disappear. It will be blown off one surface and you’ll need to make sure it doesn’t simply settle on another.