# Soda blasting

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Abrasive blasting technique using sodium bicarbonate

Soda blasting a radio dish at [Hat Creek Radio Observatory](/source/Hat_Creek_Radio_Observatory)

Soda blasting

**Soda blasting** is a mild form of [abrasive blasting](/source/Abrasive_blasting) in which [sodium bicarbonate](/source/Sodium_bicarbonate) particles are blasted against a surface using [compressed air](/source/Compressed_air). It has a much milder abrasive effect than [sandblasting](/source/Sandblasting). An early use was in the [conservation-restoration of the Statue of Liberty](/source/Conservation-restoration_of_the_Statue_of_Liberty) in the 1980s.[1]

Soda blasting is a non-destructive method for many applications in cleaning, paint and varnish [stripping](/source/Paint_stripper), [automotive restoration](/source/Automotive_restoration), industrial equipment maintenance, [rust](/source/Rust) removal, [graffiti](/source/Graffiti) removal, molecular steel [passivation](/source/Passivation_(chemistry)) against [rust](/source/Rust), oil removal by [saponification](/source/Saponification) and translocation, [masonry](/source/Masonry) cleaning and restoration, soot remediation, boat hull cleaning and for food processing facilities and equipment and tooth cleaning at the dental laboratory.

## Applications

Soda blasting can be used for cleaning timber, wood, oak beams, oak floors, doors, stairs & banisters, cars, boat hulls, masonry, and food processing equipment. Soda blasting can also be used to remove [graffiti](/source/Graffiti)[2] and to clean [structural steel](/source/Structural_steel). Soda blasting is very effective for mold and fire/smoke damage cleanup as it cleans and deodorizes.

## Equipment

A **soda blaster** is a self-contained system that includes a blast generator, high pressure compressed air, moisture decontamination system, blast hose, and a blast nozzle. The blasting material consists of formulated [sodium bicarbonate](/source/Sodium_bicarbonate) (also known as baking soda). Blasting soda is an extremely [friable](/source/Friable) material that undergoes micro fragmentation on impact, literally exploding away surface materials without damage to the substrate. Since sodium bicarbonate is much softer than the [silicon carbide](/source/Silicon_carbide) or [aluminium oxide](/source/Aluminium_oxide) used in sandblasting, the blast nozzle used for soda blasting applications can be made of soft metals such as brass or steel. The pressures used are very low compared to those used in sandblasting, e.g., 20psi as opposed to 120psi.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Brian Waple (June 19, 2017). ["Sodium Bicarbonate: The User-Friendly Blasting Abrasive"](https://www.randrmagonline.com/articles/87459-sodium-bicarbonate-the-user-friendly-blasting-abrasive). *Restoration & Remediation*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*In the coronavirus-era, removing graffiti along public roadways is a low priority*](https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article243722187.html), retrieved 2021-02-01.

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