What dry ice cleaning changes for the environment, and what it does not
No water, no detergents, and less to pour down the drain. What dry ice does and does not change for the environment.
Water and detergents
A conventional car wash uses between 150 and 600 litres of water per vehicle, and the detergents go into the drains. Dry ice blasting is a different way to do the same job. Here is what changes, and what does not.
No water
Dry ice cleaning uses none. For a deep clean of an engine or an underbody, that saves the hundreds of litres a wash would use.
No detergents
Car wash detergents carry phosphates, surfactants and other compounds that end up in water and soil. Dry ice is solid CO2, the same gas we breathe out. Ours is industrial-grade CO2 supplied by Air Liquide Romania. We make the pellets ourselves from liquid CO2, in the machine.
No wastewater
Washing produces dirty water that has to be treated. Dry ice does not. What is left is the dirt that came off the car, which we collect and dispose of.
No pressure lance
Cleaning without detergents and without a pressure lance means no water forced into seals, hoses and connectors. That is part of why we use it on engine bays.
What it does not change
Dry ice is made with energy, and the CO2 returns to the air as gas when it sublimates. It is a better choice for a deep clean than a water-and-detergent wash. It does not replace one for the monthly rinse.
Arctic Works is part of the BetterQA group.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't all car washes use dry ice?
The equipment is specialised, and dry ice as a material costs more than water and detergent. That is why it suits a periodic deep clean rather than routine washing.
Sources and references:
- International Carwash Association: average water consumption per wash (150-600 litres)
- Cold Jet LLC: technical data on dry ice production