Sodablasting FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

Before Soda blasting arrived on the scene the only way you could remove paint, remove rust or some other unsightly material from a contaminated surface, was to either chip it off, sand it, use harsh chemicals or sand blast it. Now there is SODA BLASTING. Soda Blasting is a process that can strip almost any surface in an efficient and safe manner. Although it is similar to traditional sandblasting, it has the significant advantage of cleaning the surface without causing harm to the substrate or the environment. Soda Blasting easily removes paint, coatings, carbon, grease, oils, gasket material and surface corrosion from a variety of metals, alloys, plastics and composites without substrate damage or distortion. Soda Blasting leaves hard anodized coatings intact.

Soda blasting is the latest, greenest technology to safely strip paint and/or clean nearly any surface. The Soda Blasting machine uses compressed air to deliver bicarbonate of soda-based media ( baking soda) onto the surface to be cleaned. Similar in concept to sand blasting, Soda Blasting is much kinder and gentler to the underlying surface and the environment.

The process is gentle enough to remove the coating without harming the substrate. Virtually any coating can be removed from most any surface. Soda blast media is FDA approved, non-toxic, and contains no free silica: it is non-sparking, non-flammable, non-hazardous, and environmentally safe.

Yes! Sodablasting is a great solution for residential and commercial fire and smoke remediation.

Soda Blasting will remove smoke damage on Brick,, Stone, Ceramic, Glass, Mortar, Concrete and Wood without damage. Also, baking soda will help absorb the smoke odor while it is cleaning.

We currently provide fire and smoke remediation services in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Check out our video page for an actual demonstration of fire and smoke restoration with sodablasting.

Contact us today to request a quote for your fire or smoke restoration needs.

YES, we use a FOOD GRADE baking soda which has a PH of 8.4. We use no solvents or strippers in the coating removal process. The only protection gear needed for the process is a respirator which is used for protection from breathing the dust generated by the process and hearing protection for the noise.

Please check out the MSDS sheet under Natrium Soda Product section of our web site. For outside work the 8.4 ph can damage plants or shrubbery, care has to be taken to protect any concerns. As far as the coatings being removed proper precautions have to be observed if you are removing lead based products. Normal paints not containing lead is considered inert material of no known hazard as long as the parts per million are under EPA guidelines. Unless you are completing a tremendous amount of work in one location you should never reach these levels.

Sodablasting will remove light surface rust only. We normally remove all the Paint, body filler and undercoating by sodablasting. Then in areas that are rusted we will use a very fine abrasive to remove the embedded rust. With this procedure we spend very little time with the abrasive. Removing all the coatings prior to using the abrasive dictates that we spend less time on the surface removing rust. This limited time allows us to safely remove the rust without damaging or warping the metal.

Check out the Gallery for more pictures and information.

That really depends on the project and how much paint, what kind of paint and how much body filler to be removed. Body filler can either be removed or left intact, depending on the customer’s preference. Normally a medium sized car (i.e. Chevelle) EXTERIOR only would take anywhere form 4 to 6 hours. A full Rotisserie which would include the interior, underside, inside and outside of all fenders, hood and deck lid, engine compartment and truck compartment could take as long as 10 to 14 hours.

We have stripped $100,000.00 cars, drive in and drive out with no problems.We use a special rubberized tape to seal all the door seams, trunk seams, hood seams and anywhere that can allow soda into the interior.In the engine compartment, we use a plastic bag to cover the intake and pack wool blankets (wool traps soda particles and stops their egression into protected area) around the engine and engine components for their protection. When we have completed the project we use high volume dry air pressure to blow down the car removing all signs of the soda. Once we remove the protection we do another blow down and detail out the interior in the event that any soda managed to get inside. When a car leaves our facility the only evidence that it has been soda blasted is that the paint has been removed. Understand that completing a car this way will leave a ½ inch painted area around anywhere that was protected with the protective tape. This will have to be removed by conventional methods.

You can see pictures on the photo page as an example.

Soda blasting will not harm glass, rubber, chromed metal or polished stainless steel. It can dull the finish on polished aluminum automotive trim and should not be used unless it is protected or a dull finish is acceptable.

This Maserati was hand made aluminium and one of 12 made that year. This was a driver in which we protected the interior and the engine compartment. When completed there was no soda residue anywhere inside or outside of the car. Also, there was no damage to the glass or trim. Per customer request we did tape up the stainless steel trim just for his peace of mind, but the blasting process will not harm the trim.

A through pressure washing is necessary to remove the soda residue before ANY coatings are applied.

This is very important; WATER is the only way to remove the baking soda. Do not try to remove it any other way, it will not work and you may experience a coating failure. We recommend a chemical called HoldTight 102 which when used properly will remove all Salts, Chlorides and Contaminates on the metal. Even though pressure washing with clean water works fine to remove the residue, we recommend the use of this chemical due to the added benefits. HoldTight 102 will give a window of 48 to 96 hours that will help prevent flash rusting. Also when used properly it can increase the adhesion of you coatings by as much a 70%. HoldTight 102 changes the surface tension of the water allowing it to flush out areas that normal pressure washing MAY not get into. HoldTight works on most substrates; however on wood surfaces we recommend a citric acid or 1 part vinegar to 3 part water solution wash before applying any coatings.

Yes, SodaBlasting is the safest blasting media for fiberglass. Due to the softness of the media, when applied properly, you can remove coatings without damage to the fiberglass leaving a very smooth finish. You can check out a video example at the web address below. This is a 1958 Corvette that has been removed from the frame for a complete stripping ( inside, outside and underneath). At NuTech Refinishing, we can strip the cars for you or we can sell you the equipment, help set up your business and train you to perform these services in a very expediant and professional manner.

You can see several examples on the photo section of our web site.

Soda Bicarbonate is a natural RUST INHIBITOR, when using it as a blast media it will leave a coating on the metal that will inhibit rust for a long period of time. It is necessary to keep the project stored in a dry area. We have had cars go longer than 6 months without any signs of rust. However, we do recommend that the project get a primer coat on as quickly as possible.

Soda Bicarbonate is an extremely soft media (2.4 on a Mohs scale). All other products (Media) remove coatings by friction, which causes heat to be generated. Baking Soda explodes upon contact with the surface to be removed. The release of this explosive energy basically blasts off the coating without generating enough heat to cause even extremely thin metals to warp. You can safely strip a soft drink can without distortion. You can successfully strip automobiles without removing the glass, chrome or rubber as the soda blasting will not harm any of these surfaces.

Click here to see a thin-skinned aluminum pontoon boat that has been stripped without any damage.

Yes! Sodablasting is an effective, eco friendly solution for complete mold removal.

Baking Soda Blasting actually kills mold spores and removes mold growth from virtually any substrate. As in smoke removal, the soda absorbs the odor during the process.

Sodablasting for mold removal does not damage the surfaces, walls, wood etc. Sodablasting simply removes the mold leaving you with fresh, clean safe surfaces.

Check out our video page for an actual demonstration of mold removal with sodablasting.