Category: Soda Cleaning Advantages

Don’t replace a stained concrete driveway; clean it with soda blasting

Driveway partially blasted
A car caught fire on this driveway; the intense heat left extensive discoloring. The rear half of the drive has been blasted; the front half has not yet been treated. The driveway’s appearance is much improved, but because discoloration caused by heat penetrates below the concrete’s surface, some staining is left behind after blasting. It can be completely removed only by removing a small amount (perhaps 1/16″ – 1/8″) of the concrete’s surface. At this point, it is up to the customer whether or not we take this next step.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before you go to the expense and trouble of removing a damaged concrete driveway, consider soda blasting instead. Soda blasting effectively removes oil, grease, rust, sealer and heat discoloration from concrete driveways.

If a driveway’s sealant is worn away in spots and needs to be re-applied, soda blasting can remove the remaining sealant so that re-sealing can be done without the discoloration that can occur if new sealer is applied over old.

Most stains—such as oil, grease and rust—are on the concrete’s surface and can be removed without damage to the concrete. However, the intense heat from a fire can cause discoloration to penetrate below the surface. Removing this discoloration requires removing the stained concrete.

The photo above shows a driveway on which a car caught fire.  Soda blasting is underway. Compare the blackened untreated area with the completed area closer to the house. The appearance is much improved, but there is still a “shadow” on the surface.

If the customer wishes, the driveway can be blasted again to remove about 1/16″ to 1/8″ of the concrete’s surface and the remainder of the staining.  The driveway below is undergoing that process. The right side is complete.

After soda blasting removed most discoloration from this driveway after a vehicle fire (see left side of driveway), the customer decided to remove the remaining discoloration that had penetrated the concrete’s surface. We are in the process of blasting the entire drive so it will have a uniform appearance. The right side of the drive is complete.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Soda Clean of Ohio for more information:  614-781-9667 or [email protected].

How soda blasting works to restore buildings after fire

Soda Clean technician removes smoke residue from barn rafters after a fire.
Soda Clean technician removes smoke residue from barn rafters after a fire.

Once a burned building has been cleared of salvageable possessions and ruined drywall, carpet and furnishings, it’s time to remove fire and smoke residue from the building’s remaining structure. It’s time for soda cleaning.

Soda cleaning–also called soda blasting–removes the greasy smoke residue, char and the fire’s unpleasant odor from walls, ceilings, floors and substructure. It is effective without damage to a wide variety of surfaces:

•  wood
•  stone
•  brick
•  concrete
•  ceramic tile
•  metal

Soda is the only media that can remove the odor left behind after a fire.

Baking soda is environmentally friendly.  It can be dissolved in fresh water, leaving only the contaminants for disposal.  In most non-hazardous applications, the residue from soda cleaning can be rinsed into sanitary drains or sewers. Soda is an excellent de-greasing media that eliminates the use of solvents in most cleaning processes.  It does not “dissolve” grease and oil but coats the particles, causing them to release from the surface.

Soda cleaning is most effective when all unsalvageable materials, including most duct work and wiring, have been removed so that we have the best possible access to the surfaces that will remain.

When the soda cleaning process is complete and the remaining soda has been removed, clean surfaces are ready for new paint, drywall, flooring, etc.

Soda Clean of Ohio has 14 years of experience working with fire restoration professionals to provide expert cleaning of a building’s salvageable materials so that restoration can begin.  Contact us today for a free estimate:  614-781-9667 or [email protected].