Stone Cleaning Methods

Stone Cleaning Methods

Choosing the best stone cleaning methods when you decide to clean your buildings exterior stone façade, is very important when choosing a stone cleaning contractor. You need to make sure they understand the many different stone cleaning methods used out there, to get the very best results for your building.

There are many different types of machinery manufactured and available for stone cleaning use in the UK. Some of which are briefly described below.

Understanding the different stone cleaning methods out there is essential for your building to avoid stone damage occurring whilst undertaking the stone cleaning project.

Doff Steam Cleaning

Purple Rhino has a strong long history with the Doff, we use this stone cleaning method above all others. Our fleet of vans each have their own Doff stone cleaning machine to ensure the very best stone cleaning methods are used.

We also from time to time use many different types of other exterior façade cleaning machines, depending on the substrate type, age, condition and location.

Torc

Gentle, yet remarkably powerful stone cleaning method.

For the gentle removal of carbon sulphation, brittle paints, limescale and other contaminants which require removing from stone.

The TORC System is a complete stone cleaning system designed to be portable enough to use on stone cleaning projects. It’s an evolution of the Jos system that we first introduced to the market over twenty years ago.

SoftWashing

When stone is covered in all types of organic matter, such as moulds, moss, lichens and cyanobacteria’s, SoftWashing will be one of the very best stone cleaning methods to use. The equipment makes it easy for the operator to gently clean and treat the infestation from the stones surface, ensuring that it is totally removed from your building giving it a long lasting result. Purple Rhino has more SoftWashing vans on the road than any other company. Softwashing is ideal for K Rend Cleaning Companies

Thermatech

ThermaTech is a modular range of equipment producing superheated water at temperatures up to 150ᵒC, for the purpose of masonry cleaning and paint/coatings removal on heritage and other structures. Another great stone cleaning method.

Vortech

Different types of stone require different methods to clean them. VorTech is a ‘swirl-abrasive’ system, borne out of the “Jos” technology, which was developed in Germany, during the 1980’s. The system uses an environmentally selected abrasive carried by a flow of compressed air to a nozzle, and mixed with a small amount of water . The mixture then passes through the nozzle and creates a vortex, which is aimed at the substrate to be cleaned.

Torik

TORIK’s controllable stream of high pressure superheated water and steam quickly removes grime, moss, algae, fungi and many other types of soiling.  Combine with TAVEC 201 for a complete paint removal solution.

Ibix

New on the UK market, the IBIX looks impressive. Purple Rhino have had demonstrations on this great portable piece of equipment and the stone cleaning methods are remarkable. Each of our vans will soon be fitted with one of these systems.

Dry Ice

A new stone cleaning method in the UK are dry ice blasting machines, turning carbon dioxide into pellets of ice via easily portable machines makes this method user friendly and a no mess solution for cleaning stone buildings, Purple Rhino have been extensively testing these over tha past two years with great results.

Nebulous

The nebulous stone cleaning method creates a micro-fine mist of water that gently cleans sensitive stone surfaces, removing; grime, pollutants and many other types of water-soluble soiling.  Articulated nozzles ensure that the mist is directed exactly where it is needed.

Poultice

The poultice stone cleaning method is often used where certain types of staining have soaked into the stone, copper, lead is common on listed buildings for example. The use of a poultice will “draw out” the contaminant slowly over a few days and treatments and will not cause any damage when used correctly for stone cleaning services.

I look forward to helping you get your building super clean,

Yours sincerely

Darran Smith