Honestly I started looking into this dry ice washing thing 'cause my truck got coated in some nasty gunk last winter. Road salt, brake dust, god knows what else. Regular car washes just smeared it around like peanut butter on toast. Saw a YouTube short showing this magical machine blasting dirt away with what looked like smoke – had to try it myself.

First Steps Into Madness

Went down the rabbit hole researching machines. Website specs made my eyes cross. PSI? CFM? Nozzle types? Sounded like alphabet soup. Called three different dealers pretending I knew stuff. Biggest rookie mistake? Almost bought based on tank size alone. Turns out bigger ain’t better if your compressor can’t keep up.

Key things I tested hands-on:

• Checked my air compressor first – old garage unit choked at 90 PSI. Learned quick: machine needs MORE airflow than compressor max. Found one needing 110 PSI minimum? Pass.
• Hosed myself twice testing nozzle attachments. That ice fog bites! Settled on a rotating turbo nozzle – sprays wider but uses less pellets.
• Practiced on junk parts before touching paint. Plastic trim got frost-burned real bad with close blasting. Lesson: keep that nozzle dancing, don't hover!

Deal-Breakers They Don't Tell You

That shiny stainless steel unit? Sales guy swore it was "pro grade." Glad I asked to test. Hose kinked worse than a garden hose within minutes. Swapped for fabric-reinforced one immediately. Weight matters too – dragged a 50lb beast around the hood. My arms were jelly after 1 wheel well. Ended up with lighter aluminum frame.

Real talk about cost: nearly choked seeing prices. Almost cheaped out on a "refurbished" model till I peeked inside. Corrosion everywhere like a shipwreck. Buddy warned me: "Buy once, cry once." Saved extra months for one with replaceable seals and warranty.

Does This Thing Actually Work?

First real test on my truck’s grille. Holy crap. Years of dead bugs vanished like Thanos snapped 'em. No water, no chemicals – just pffft and gone. Undercarriage cleanup was scary though. Ice pellets bouncing off exhaust made loud pops like gunfire! Neighbors peeked over fences. Embarrassing but effective.

Aftermath thoughts? Wish I knew about moisture traps sooner. Frozen air lines stopped me dead twice first week. Pellet crushers? Total scam – blocky pellets jammed less than "optimized" crushed ice. And cleaning up afterward? Slipped on melt puddles twice. Rubber mats mandatory!

Still cheaper than paying detail shops monthly. That baked-on brake dust? Gone in two passes. Just wish pellets weren't so dang expensive. Feels like blasting away dollar bills sometimes. But watching dirt literally disappear? Priceless.