It is relatively easy to get rid of dirt deposits in the body, but cleaning the engine compartment is much more difficult. In this case, cryoblasting or cleaning the engine compartment with dry ice is considered an ideal option. Specialists from cleaning companies that offer the service claim that the process makes it possible to eliminate imprints of dirt, carbon deposits, heavy grease stains, including contamination from fuel oil.
Cleaning principle with dry ice
Cleaning a car engine with dry ice is an innovative process that has gained popularity in the car care services market. Dry ice is non-toxic and successfully removes dust, dirt, oil stains, as well as a large number of industrial liquids. It easily overcomes the most difficult contaminants. The result is an impeccably cleaned motor, as well as a guaranteed absence of problems with electrical circuits.
Materials used
Car cleaning involves the use of a cryoblaster, a compressor and dry ice pellets. Ice granules have a hard consistency, which is why cryogenic blasting resembles sandblasting. The device is connected to a compressor and ice is poured into it. The compressor capacity should be from 1000 l/min.
To clean the car, it is necessary to use granules up to 1.5 mm in size. Granules of this size are universal and perfectly remove oil stains and other contaminants.
Cleaning does not freeze the surfaces and elements of the car being cleaned at all and does not impair their quality.
Equipment
The device generates and supplies carbon dioxide pellets. The cleaning unit is called a cryoblaster. It can be easily moved, as it is equipped with wheels specifically for this purpose. In addition, the cryoblaster also has special handles that make transportation even more convenient.
The total weight of such blasters can reach up to one hundredweight, and the lightest dry ice cleaning equipment can weigh only 30 kg. With blasters, you must purchase a compressor that matches the specifications.
Washing process
When an engine is used for a long time, a layer of oil mixed with dust and dirt appears. It sticks to the elements due to high temperatures, and you won’t be able to clean the surfaces yourself. Thanks to the cryoblaster, the car achieves instant cleansing. The granules are poured into the blasting unit. Spraying with a cryoblaster is similar to using a spray bottle - it's very simple. The raw materials instantly harden and are cleaned upon contact with dirt. The surface must be treated completely from top to bottom and from right to left.
If dry ice accidentally gets on the paintwork, it will not be damaged or scratched.
If you use regular water, there is a risk of a short circuit. Dry ice is harmless and removes even the most complex stains.
A clean, tidy car: something about washing your car at special car washes
For many car enthusiasts, the topic of cleaning a car at a car wash is constantly relevant. It would seem that such a simple process, and there is nothing special to say here. However, so many contradictory words have already been said and various videos have been made on the topic of car washing that many are beginning to doubt whether they are doing the right thing. To understand how to wash, when, and how often, you need to familiarize yourself with all aspects of this simple process, and draw the right conclusions for yourself.
Why wash your car at a car wash?
Before moving directly to car washes, it should be said that washing a car at home has also attracted quite a lot of conflicting thoughts. However, they are in many ways similar to the topic under consideration, so they are not worth mentioning separately. For those who want to become more familiar with this issue, there are many videos on this topic on the Internet.
A very simple question that still causes difficulties for some. Indeed, why wash your car at a car wash if you can save a lot of money by doing it at home. The answer to this question is as simple as the question.
Firstly, a specialized car wash has equipment that can much more effectively clean the car of stubborn dirt. This is especially true for hard-to-reach places such as the bottom, arches and engine compartment. Professional equipment allows you to effortlessly cope with even those contaminants that are beyond the power of the most avid car enthusiast.
Secondly, specialized car washes are staffed by experienced personnel. Workers who work at a car wash wash so many cars in one working day that they certainly accumulate a huge store of knowledge about how to do it correctly. They also often listen to the special wishes of car enthusiasts, which each have their own. This makes it possible to apply the experience gained on each subsequent machine, constantly improving the quality of work.
In addition to all this, not every car enthusiast can afford to buy quality car care products. And not because they are quite expensive. But because they simply don’t know which is the best and which is not worth buying. Professionals are more familiar with these nuances, again due to their experience.
Types of specialized car washes
Before washing your car at a professional car wash, you should decide for yourself what type of service you prefer. All sinks can be divided into two types. Some will be able to provide you with high-quality equipment, highly effective chemicals and an experienced cleaner. Others provide the same thing, only without a washer.
Usually, if a car enthusiast has a limited budget or great confidence in his abilities, then he chooses the second type of car wash. Here you can, for little money, clean your car of dirt yourself and put it in order exactly the way the owner likes it.
The disadvantage of such a car wash is obvious - inexperience and lack of knowledge cannot guarantee the same quality that is possible at a car wash with staff.
How often should you wash your car at a car wash?
Another question that misleads many, despite its simplicity. There are only two answers to this. Is the car dirty? You need to wash, and not pay attention to how many hours or days have passed since the last wash.
If you delve deeper into this issue, you can come across opinions that if you wash your car too often, its paintwork will quickly come to an end. In part, there is some truth here. However, this truth most likely refers to outdated concepts about car washing. Nowadays, modern equipment is used for washing cars, which does not particularly affect the paint of the car.
The same applies to body care chemicals. Modern chemical formulas are much different from those that existed before. The chemical carefully removes dirt and other deposits from the car. But she doesn’t touch the paint. Naturally, all this applies only to those car washes where they choose the right chemicals and use the equipment correctly. More about this.
How to choose the right car wash?
To achieve the maximum effect from visiting a car wash, you need to choose it correctly. This is quite easy to do. The first thing you should do is ask your friends and acquaintances. Listen to their opinions on this or that issue about each car wash they visited. Preference should be given to those services that your friends have visited repeatedly. Repeated visits to the same car wash says a lot.
The same can be done directly at the car wash. If there is a long queue and you need to sign up in advance, then this indicates regular customers who trust the service. You can also watch the car wash from the side. Pay attention to what cars drive there. Expensive foreign cars? Cheap and rusty scrap metal piles? Draw conclusions.
And finally, you will have the opportunity to verify the quality of the wash yourself. No one will forbid you to stop washing if you see that your car is being treated like a tin can. At professional car washes, the workers treat someone else's car as if it were their own. You can verify this by at least watching several videos on this topic.
The nuances of washing a car in winter
Washing a car in winter is a separate issue that requires a few words. There are also a lot of opinions and disagreements here. However, most are inclined to the following general advice:
- It is necessary to wash your car in winter as often as in summer;
- Do not use hot water for washing;
- Before washing, you should take care of the locks and seals. If water gets there, and it does, you may not be able to get into your car in the morning;
- After washing, be sure to wipe the body dry. Some car washes use compressed air to dry the car, and such services should be given priority.
In winter, washing your car is simply necessary, since the road is full of substances that have a detrimental effect on the paintwork. And these substances are much more aggressive than the cheapest car wash shampoo.
And it is in winter that it is important to visit professional car washes, since washing a car at home in the cold is a rather difficult task that not everyone can do.
What can be cleaned with frozen CO2
When sprayed, the layer of dirt cools and becomes brittle. Small pieces of ice heat up, pass into the smallest cracks and destroy the structure of mud deposits.
You can start cleaning the engine with dry ice after it has completely cooled down, since due to temperature fluctuations there is a risk of defects.
- Ice can be sprayed onto electrical elements, coils, spark plugs in cylinders - it does not damage the surfaces being cleaned.
- Cleaning the car interior is done by pouring granules whose diameter is no more than 0.03 mm. When cleaning the interior, its elements are not damaged, since the ice instantly evaporates. Under pressure, dirt is effectively cleaned from various hard-to-reach areas.
Cleaning the engine compartment of a car, depending on the size of the engine and the level of contamination, will require from 7 to 15 kg of ice. All separated dirt falls under the car and does not cause problems in cleaning.
Dirt in the engine compartment prevents problems from being recognized in a timely manner, it looks unsightly, and the presence of oil stains sometimes leads to a fire. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean the engine compartment.
Cryogenic cleaning is a procedure that uses innovative, high-tech equipment. Therefore, it is available only in specialized services.
Advantages and disadvantages of cryogenic blasting
Car dry cleaning has many advantages:
- There is no need to disassemble car parts. After processing, no additional drying or cooling is needed. Cleaning can be carried out even with the equipment running, without the risk of damaging the electronics.
- The time required to clean a car from dirt is about 3 hours.
- This method allows you to eliminate microorganisms invisible to the eye.
- Dry ice is not considered an abrasive substance and will not damage the coating.
- Cleaning with this method is highly effective, allowing particles to seep into the most difficult to reach areas.
Of the minuses:
- The gun nozzle cannot be directed into closed cavities.
- If the size of the granules and the air pressure do not match, there is a risk of damaging the car’s components.
When cleaning the engine, there is a small risk of damage to the paintwork. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to select the size of the granules and the pressure under which they will be supplied.
Useful tips: do-it-yourself high-quality car body washing
The appearance of the car worries every owner, so car washing is an important procedure that absolutely all fans of four-wheeled vehicles face. Today there are many services that provide similar services. However, they are not cheap, so most owners carry out this process with their own hands at home.
Frequency of washing the car
This procedure is very simple and does not require much time, but still some points should be taken into account if washing is done with your own hands. Not only the appearance of the car, but also the durability of the paintwork depends on this. Improper washing with your own hands can not only ruin the appearance of the car, but also reduce the time until the next body repair.
Separately, it is worth saying a few words about the frequency of washing the car, since some attach great importance to this issue. Basically, the opinions of car enthusiasts here are divided into two sides. One of the parties follows a simple rule: if you get dirty, wash yourself. Others believe that excessively frequent car washing is harmful to the paintwork.
