What Is Soda Blasting (And How To Use It When Cleaning Your Home)

Cleaning exterior areas of your home can be nerve-wracking if you're worried about damaging delicate surfaces. If you want to avoid highly abrasive cleaning methods, Peter Hansen, co-owner and managing member of Sparrow Estate Management, suggests a great alternative. Hansen spoke exclusively with House Digest about soda blasting to shed some light on this unique cleaning method. Basically, baking soda particles are used to remove contaminants from the surface through a blasting process.

Hansen tells us that "it's commonly used on surfaces that need gentle treatment," which means you would want to soda blast brick, wood, and similar exterior materials. There are many reasons why you'd want to use soda blasting over a different method, according to Hansen. "It could be to strip paint, remove mildew, clean up smoke damage, or refresh the appearance of outdoor surfaces" without causing damage. Soda blasting offers a soft-washing type of process because "soda particles are soft enough to not scratch or pit surfaces." You also can try it as a genius way to remove paint from your concrete floors or an option to get rid of mildew from a wood deck.

While it might seem like something that anyone can do, soda blasting is best left to the professionals, as recommended by Hansen. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, Hansen shared that soda blasting requires specialized equipment and knowledge "to ensure that the pressure settings are correct and the job is done safely." If a technician isn't careful and uses too much pressure, they can actually damage older surfaces, says Hansen. Just like an expert pressure washer understands best the things you should never clean with a pressure washer, a professional soda blaster knows what to do and what not to do to protect your exterior surfaces.

He also mentions that containment is a big priority for a soda blasting expert. Someone without prior training may not know how to manage the subsequent debris the process creates. Hansen suggests that "having a professional who knows how to manage and clean up properly is essential." You don't want to be stuck with a mess that you have no idea how to clean up or letting it run off into your yard or neighborhood.

With any cleaning method, there will be benefits and disadvantages you should consider beforehand. Peter Hansen, in an exclusive interview with House Digest, broke down the pros and cons of soda blasting for homeowners. When it comes to the negatives, this cleaning process requires special equipment and expertise that makes it more expensive than other traditional options. Hansen also mentions that soda blasting requires spot testing, because "while gentle, it's not ideal for very soft materials or delicate finishes." And as far as cleanup goes, he further explained, "Soda blasting produces a lot of dust and debris that needs to be carefully cleaned up. If containment isn't done right, it can affect surrounding areas."

However, Hansen shares several advantages to using soda blasting to clean exteriors. For example, he shares that the process can be ideal for older homes, including historic residences. He also says that the baking soda "is biodegradable and non-toxic" and is great for "wood, brick, concrete, and more without leaving scratches or damage." He emphasizes that soda blasting "is a very cool way to clean wood, glass, chrome and sheet metals." If you try it out, it might become your go-to alternative to easily clean your exterior windows.