Now that you soda blasted your project, what is the next step?
Clearing the air of myths and misinformation.
I get this question almost daily and, in the beginning, I did not have the correct answers. In the past, I was told many things; from "just don't worry about it" to, "just plain water" or "vinegar and water" (nobody knew the correct ratio) and even alcohol and water. I now know that there isn't a single stock answer to this question as there are many different kinds of substrates that we encounter with soda blasting and each one has its own treatment.
The main question to ask - is a coating going to be re-applied? If so, some sort of neutralizing and cleaning of the surface needs to be done. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) has a higher than neutral pH and contains some degree of salt (chlorides). You must have a clean, oil free and pH neutral surface to ensure that you won't have a coatings failure after any type of media blasting. Coating failures after soda blasting can usually be traced back to no pre-paint preparation, poor preparation or incorrect preparation. Baking soda is a wonderful media that allows you to do things that no other media will accomplish, but you need to educate yourself about the media and follow a few simple steps after blasting.
Consulting with coatings manufacturers before application can reveal a wealth of valuable information and help insure a positive outcome to your project.
Here is a sampling of substrates and
what we have found that works after soda blasting:Metals - Hold Tight 102 is the best all around product that we have found. AquaKlean by KBS Coatings might also work.
Fiberglass - Hold Tight 102 or for use on boat bottoms, Fiberglass Surface Prep #YMA601 by Interlux.
Wood - Sun Brite Wood Brightener - a citrus based wood bleach. Can be also used to brighten wood and remove rust stains.
Concrete - Hold Tight 102 or Sun Brite Wood Brightener.
Brick, block & mortar - Sun Brite Wood Brightener.
Links to the products mentioned can be found on our "links" page. Additional products that can be identified may be used. Please check with the product manufacturer regarding the proper use and application of other products.
Chesapeake Soda Clean, Inc. is now an official dealer/distributor for Hold Tight Solutions in the mid-Atlantic region. We stock 1 gallon, 4 -1 gallon master packs and 5 gallon pails and all are UPS shippable. In addition, we can drop ship 55 gallon drums to your business or job site. Car guys, Hold Tight 102 is the best product we've found to remove soda blast residue, cleanse the surface, and remove contaminates. Hold Tight 102 leaves no residue to interfere with new coatings and has a rust inhibitor built in. Hold Tight Solutions has been recommended by most major coatings manufacturers.
1- HoldTight 102 will eliminate all Salts, Chlorides and Contaminants (which cause flash rusting and coating failures) on metal.
2- HoldTight 102 will delay flash rusting for a 48 to 96 hours, allowing ample time to apply primer or coating of your choice.
3- HoldTight 102 will increase primer adhesion by up to 70%.
HoldTight 102 Application
When a client is going to be applying HoldTight 102 after we are done with soda blasting, we make sure they have a copy of the proper application instructions.
HoldTight 102 product data sheet
A bit more information is never a bad thing. We always like to hand out a Product Data Sheet to clients who will be using HoldTight 102 after we have left the site.
Cleaning and Salt* Removal with Hand / Power Tools and Hand Washing.
HoldTight Retail Price List.
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