Dry Ice Blasting Services in Minnesota: What It Is, How It Works, & Why Local Businesses Use It

Minnesota companies run on tight schedules and even tighter compliance standards. Whether you’re keeping a food plant audit-ready in Austin, degreasing presses in Minneapolis, or restoring municipal infrastructure in St. Paul, you need a cleaning method that’s fast, effective, and safe around sensitive equipment. 

That’s where our dry ice blasting services in Minnesota shine. In this guide, you’ll learn what dry ice blasting is, how it works, and why businesses across the state rely on it for cleaner operations and less downtime.

What you’ll take away:

• What dry ice blasting is and the science behind it.

• Where it outperforms traditional cleaning methods.

• Real-world uses for Minnesota industries like food processing, manufacturing, and municipal facilities.

• Practical tips for deciding if it fits your facility.

Let’s Get Technical: Dry Ice Blasting 101

Dry ice blasting is a non-abrasive cleaning process that uses solid CO₂ pellets as the blasting media. Pellets are propelled by compressed air to strike the contaminated surface. 

On contact, the pellets lift away contaminants and then sublimate — turning directly from solid to gas — leaving no secondary waste.

Key points:

• No water or chemicals
• No media residue (the CO₂ evaporates)
• Gentle on substrates compared to sand or soda blasting
• Safe for many sensitive components when applied correctly

For Minnesota teams juggling production demands and tight maintenance windows, the ability to clean in place, reduce teardown, and avoid wet cleanup is a game-changer.

How Dry Ice Blasting Works

Dry ice blasting cleans through three main actions working together:

1. Kinetic energy: Compressed air accelerates dry ice pellets to high speed. The impact helps break the bond between soils — like grease, soot, or adhesive — and the surface.

2. Thermal shock: The extreme temperature differential (dry ice is -109°F) makes many residues brittle. Oils, paints, and carbonized buildup contract and fracture, loosening their grip.

3. Sublimation: The pellet turns from solid to gas instantly on impact. The rapid expansion of CO₂ (up to 800x its volume) lifts the broken contaminants from the surface without leaving blasting media behind.

The result is fast, targeted cleaning with minimal disassembly, reduced downtime, and little to no secondary waste to collect.

Why Minnesota Businesses Choose Dry Ice Blasting

Think of it this way: your business, facility, or organization needs to keep operating, but it also needs regular maintenance. With the Clean ‘N Seal team and our dry ice cleaning service, you get both, plus: 

• No water, no residue: Essential for winter operations, electrical gear, and food-grade zones.

• Non-abrasive: Protects stainless steel, aluminum, wiring, sensors, seals, and bearings.

• Faster turnaround: Clean in place, shorten shutdowns, and get lines back up quickly.

• Compliance support: Helps meet USDA, FDA, and GMP expectations when combined with approved sanitizing protocols.

• Safer workplaces: Cuts solvent use, limits chemical exposure, and reduces slip hazards from wet cleaning.

• Lower disposal costs: With no blasting media to collect, you’re mostly removing the dislodged contaminant.

Dry Ice Blasting vs. Traditional Cleaning Methods

Dry ice blasting lands in the sweet spot: strong on soils like grease, soot, adhesive, and light paint or rust, with minimal risk to the substrate and less cleanup. Compared to other methods, it’s often the preferred alternative method. 

• Pressure washing: Adds moisture, can damage motors and controls, and extends dry time — especially tough in Minnesota winters.

• Solvents and scrubbing: Labor-intensive, inconsistent results, and higher worker exposure.

• Abrasive media blasting: Effective for heavy coatings but risks profile changes, residue cleanup, and masking needs.

Where Dry Ice Blasting Excels in Minnesota

There are numerous industries that rely on dry ice cleaning methods to enhance the cleaning process and enjoy less downtime. Here are some we work with frequently.

Food Processing & Beverage Facilities

From Worthington to Duluth, plants rely on spotless equipment and fast changeovers.

• Remove baked-on oils, sugars, proteins, and carbonized residues from ovens, conveyors, and mixers.

• Clean motors, electrical panels, and sensors without water.

• Reduce allergens and harborage points by removing residue that traps contaminants.

• Support audit readiness with faster, more consistent cleaning outcomes.

Pro Tip: Pair dry ice cleaning with approved sanitizers to meet specific microbial reduction targets.

Manufacturing & Industrial

Twin Cities manufacturers and Greater Minnesota plants depend on uptime.

• Degrease presses, gearboxes, robotics, and production lines without disassembly.

• Strip adhesive overspray, release agents, and weld spatter from fixtures and molds.

• Feather or remove certain paints and light rust to prep for coatings.

• Clean electrical cabinets and control panels using non-conductive best practices.

Impact: More predictable maintenance windows and fewer line interruptions.

Municipal & Public Works

City and county teams need reliable, low-disruption cleaning.

• Remove soot and smoke residue in facilities after small fires.

• Clean pump rooms, lift stations, and treatment equipment without introducing water.

• Restore public spaces, statues, and masonry by lifting grime and graffiti while protecting substrates.

• Support transit maintenance by cleaning electrical housings and equipment safely.

Benefit: Lower cleanup burden and faster return to service for critical infrastructure.

Utilities & Power Generation

• Clean turbines, generators, and switchgear without moisture risk.

• Remove carbon deposits from insulators and housings.

• Reduce forced outages by handling buildup during planned maintenance.

Restoration: Fire, Smoke, & Mold

• Strip soot and char from structural wood, brick, and stone.

• Reach into pores and profiles that hand scraping misses.

• Remove mold from framing and sheathing to prep for remediation steps and encapsulants.

• Minimize odors by lifting residues at the source.

How to Tell If Dry Ice Blasting Fits Your Facility

Ask these questions:

• Do you need to avoid water or chemicals around equipment?

• Is residue buildup causing heat, wear, or quality issues?

• Are audit deadlines or inspections driving faster, verifiable cleaning?

• Do you have sensitive substrates or electronics nearby?

• Is media cleanup a hassle in your space?

If you answered yes to two or more, dry ice blast cleaning services are likely a strong match. Request a site assessment and a small test patch to confirm results before full rollout.

What It Removes Well (& Where It’s Limited)

Strong candidates:

• Grease, oils, and cutting fluids

• Soot, char, and smoke film

• Adhesives, tapes, labels, and overspray

• Baked-on food residues and sugars

• Light paint and light surface rust

• Release agents and production buildup

Limitations:

• Thick, elastomeric, or multi-layer industrial coatings

• Heavy, scaly rust or deeply pitted corrosion

Workaround: For heavy coatings or scale, use a hybrid approach — mechanical prep or a different blasting media for bulk removal, then dry ice blasting for fine cleaning and detail work.

Safety, Compliance, & Environmental Considerations

Worker safety is enhanced through reduced solvent exposure and less manual scraping, minimizing risks during the process. CO₂ awareness is prioritized with proper ventilation and air monitoring to maintain safe levels. 

The process is also electrically safe when applied correctly, as it is non-conductive, though masking and lockout/tagout best practices should still be followed. In terms of food safety, it effectively removes residue and can be combined with approved sanitizers to meet microbial standards. 

Additionally, waste handling is simplified since no media is left behind, allowing disposal to focus solely on the dislodged contaminants.

Cost & Downtime Considerations

While hourly rates can be higher than manual cleaning, the total project cost often drops because:

• Less teardown and reassembly

• Shorter shutdown windows

• Minimal cleanup and disposal

• Better protection of equipment surfaces

For Minnesota operations that can’t afford extended downtime — like 24/7 processors, packaging lines, or municipal facilities — those savings add up.

Get a Smart Clean for Your Minnesota Operations

Clean ‘N Seal’s dry ice blasting services deliver fast, residue-free cleaning that protects your equipment and shortens downtime. For food processing, manufacturing, and municipal teams across the state, it’s a practical way to raise quality, support compliance, and keep production moving — no water, no harsh chemicals, and far less mess.

Schedule a site walkthrough with us today to identify high-impact targets and get a free estimate. Call us at 952.393.9588 or fill out our contact form to send us a message directly.