DOFF Cleaning
A Gentle Way to Clean Sandstone!
Edinburgh is a city that is built of sandstone. Everywhere you look whether it’s in the old town with its narrow winding streets and tenements built around the Castle and Royal Mile, or the New Town which takes in Princes Street and the many squares and terraces off it, you will find that a lot of the buildings are made of sandstone. Even some of the most iconic features in the city are built using sandstone such as the Scott Monument which was built using mainly Binny Sandstone.
While there is no doubt that any building constructed using sandstone can look beautiful, over time it can become discoloured and stained. That’s because it is a particularly porous stone and so will quickly soak up pollutants that are in the air. In a city this can be an ongoing problem. Add in the fact that sandstone is a soft stone, and it becomes apparent that a lot of care and attention needs to be given to sandstone buildings, and a gentler form of cleaning is required. DOFF cleaning is the perfect solution.
What is DOFF cleaning?
It is a gentle form of steam cleaning can be used on a whole range of surfaces. It is far more gentle than comparatively damaging pressure washing and is an particularly effective way to remove moss, algae and fungi from the stone, killing re growth for up to 6 months due to the heat. It will also clean away other marks and stains. In addition, it is an appropriate cleaning option for use on soft stones such as sandstone that are found in Scotland. DOFF cleaning is a cleaning method that can also be used to gently remove graffiti from delicate surfaces. It is fast becoming industry standard for cleaning brick work on new construction sites, or on historic restoration sites.
How does DOFF cleaning work?
DOFF cleaning is a high temperature steam cleaning method for gentle cleaning of delicate surfaces. It combines pressures below 1000psi (pressure cleaners work around 3000psi and above) and temperatures that up to 150 degrees Celsius. While the temperature might be high, the pressure on the surface being cleaned is gentle and the volume of water is low. In turn that means that the surface is not saturated and will dries very quickly!
It is the water vapor that is created that is used to remove marks, dirt, paint, algae and numerous other substances from the surface. The good news is that there is no need for the use of harmful chemicals, making it eco-friendly.
EdinburghClean.co.uk and DOFF Restoration
At Edinburghclean.co.uk we have experience of DOFF restoration on historic and protected buildings that need an extra level of care and attention. The gentle cleaning process means that we can ensure the integrity of the building is maintained and not damaged by the use of other harsher cleaning methods and products restoring it to its former glory. DOFF restoration can be used on even the most delicate and sensitive materials.
EdinburghClean.co.uk have invested in a DOFF super-heated steam cleaner in order to carry out DOFF restoration. The machine produces very little noise so we can clean a surface without intrusion.
To find out more call us today on 0131 285 2890.
