Dry ice cleaning holds many advantages over "conventional" cleaning methods. 

Non abrasive- It does not involve the use of hard materials. Instead dry ice cleaning simply uses dry ice pellets which sublimate on impact, turning into CO2 gas. This process results in a gentle but effective cleaning that removes contaminants, residue and surface coatings without causing damage to the underlying structure. This soft and flexible method ensures that sensitive surfaces remain unharmed during the cleaning process.

Chemical Free- Unlike some other cleaning methods that involve the use of chemical cleaning agents or solvents to remove contaminants, dry ice cleaning relies solely on the kinetic energy of the accelerated dry ice pellets to clean surfaces. Because there are no chemicals involved it has the advantage of reducing the environmental impact, elimination of chemical handling and disposal and the ability to clean surfaces without the risk of chemical damage.

Waterless- Dry ice cleaning does not require the use of water as a cleaning agent. More traditional cleaning methods rely on water or steam to remove contaminants but dry ice cleaning uses solid CO2 pellets as the blasting media. Since there is no water in any part the process and the dry ice does not turn into a liquid, there will be no moisture contamination in whatever you are cleaning. 

Non Conductive- The dry ice pellets used are solid and do not conduct electricity, therefore they do not pose a risk of an electrical hazard. This property makes it particularly useful for cleaning delicate electronics (e.g engine bay electronics) where avoiding electrical conductivity is crucial. 

Precision- Dry ice cleaning is known for its precision. It allows for selective cleaning meaning the operator can target specific areas or contaminants without affecting surrounding surfaces. Our dry ice equipment comes with adjustable pressure settings and interchangeable nozzles allowing us to customise the cleaning process based on the surface material to be cleaned and the level of precision required. 

Yes, Car Dry Ice Cleaning is safe for all car surfaces - including plastics, glass, metal and carbon fibre. 

A surprising and interesting fact is dry ice cleaning can even be used to clean the upholstery of the vehicle - velour has never looked or felt so good!

The duration of a Dry Ice Cleaning session depends on the size and condition of what needs to be cleaned.

Typically, cleaning a wheel well as an example (so this includes the plastic wheel arch lining, the suspension coil, shock absorber, suspension arms, track rod end and wheel hubs) will take around 2 hours to clean. 

An engine bay clean can be done in around 4 hours

The entire car (so this would usually encompass all 4 wheel wells, engine bay and the underside of the vehicle will take 2-3 days to do properly.

Yes, Dry Ice Cleaning is environmentally friendly as it does not use water or chemicals and produces no additional carbon emissions.

No, Dry Ice Cleaning is safe for electronic components and does not damage car paint (as long as there are no surface blisters on the paint).

No vehicle is perfect, so an inspection of what is to be cleaned is done beforehand which allows us to highlight any areas of concern before proceeding.

Areas where issues are commonly found are typically -

-alloy wheels - where the lacquer has lifted or the paint has partially flaked away from the wheel - dry ice cleaning of these areas would exacerbate this.

-rust bubbles on the chassis or paint - the dry ice cleaning process will remove the surface rust or bubble and could then leave an "uneven" texture which might then require remedial attention afterwards.  

-serious corrosion - if a part of the vehicle is seriously corroded and very little "strong metal" exists then the dry ice process will remove the surface rust leading to a potentially unsafe structure if the bare metal does not have enough remaining strength or surface area.

The frequency of Dry Ice Cleaning depends on individual needs and the condition of the car.

It can be scheduled as needed or as part of regular car maintenance if the owner is particularly keen.

No, Dry Ice Cleaning is simply a process to remove contaminants from the main structure of your car, leaving the area cleaned, as bare as possible. 

However, we do offer an additional service whereby we apply a clear-coat spray wax onto the cleaned areas which will offer protection against moisture and dirt. Ask our staff about this to give you total protection once your vehicle has been dry iced. 

No - the production of dry ice is a very complex process, involving super-cooling the gas under extreme pressures. 

Ice-Gleam have to order the dry ice in advance from a supplier. 

The shelf life of dry ice is also very short (lasting a maximum of 48 hrs). This is because when exposed to the open air around it, the air is considerably warmer than the actual dry ice itself (anything warmer that -75 degrees centigrade and the dry ice will start to sublimate) so the product literally disappears before your very eyes!

For these reasons, Ice-Gleam is best operating on a booking only system, as the correct quantities and the freshest ice are then ordered for when the work is needed.