Soda Blasting for Degreasing

Degreasing complex mechanical assemblies such as engines, transmissions, carburetors or even entire engine compartments typically requires the use of a degreasing solvent, brushing and/or pressure-washing. These methods can be messy and time-consuming. Removing carbon and combustion deposits from internal components represents an even greater challenge.

There is another alternative rapidly increasing in popularity: bicarbonate of soda, or more commonly known as soda blasting. The technology is fairly new, having been developed in the mid-1980s primarily for the purpose of cleaning the Statue of Liberty inside and out, a delicate task requiring effectiveness without damage. This same method allows the user to gently and quickly strip away thick grease accumulations, carbon and fuel deposits, old paint and more without damage to precision mechanical assemblies, seals, wiring, and electrical components. It is completely harmless on aluminum components such as pistons and intake manifolds. In fact, we blasted the printing ink from a soda can, leaving the bare aluminum surface like it was never even coated!

Perhaps the best feature of soda is the fact that it is completely inert and water-soluble, saving you a great deal of clean-up time when the job is done. Of course the proper steps should be taken to recover removed paint or grease before blowing or washing the dust away.

Soda as a blasting media has many other uses as well. It is widely used in auto restoration to strip paint from metal and fiberglass car bodies while leaving trim glass and rubber in place, all without harm. It is also used for mold remediation, cleaning stains from concrete, fire damage removal, cleaning years of tarnish from copper and brass fixtures.

The Eastwood Company offers lightweight, portable equipment to help you easily strip heavy grease deposits, paint, fuel stains and more from fully assembled underhood areas or disassembled parts. We now have several soda-blasting units to choose from, and a selection of bicarbonate of soda medias available. Plus, our Universal Soda Blasting Retrofit Kit allows you to convert either a 3/8" or 1/2" pressure blaster into a soda blaster.