What is Doff Cleaning?
The DOFF cleaning system is a chemical-free, steam cleaning system designed to remove dirt and grime, including chewing gum, oil, mud, soot, paint, and bird mess etc., as well as bacterial and other biological growth, such as mould, algae, fungi and moss, from brickwork, stonework and other substrates.
The DOFF system works by super-heating water to up to 150°, creating a vapour which can be temperature and pressure controlled, allowing our operatives to clean fragile stonework, brickwork or other substrates on your London building, without the risk of saturation, surface damage, or structural damage.
DOFF Cleaning, London
At SMB Restoration, we use the DOFF steam cleaning system for a number of stone and brick cleaning projects all over London and the surrounding counties. DOFF cleaning is especially helpful on older buildings, as it’s the only deep cleaning system approved by English Heritage for the intense cleaning of listed and period stone or brick buildings.
DOFF is a Low Water Alternative
One of the other great benefits to the DOFF cleaning system, especially on stone and brickwork, is that it requires very little water to function. This helps in the cleaning process of your London building in two key ways, including:
Low saturation: Both stone and brick are naturally porous, therefore any water-based or steam-based cleaning method will cause damp, especially if used for a prolonged period. Over time this damp can encourage the growth of algae, moss or mould, and in cold spells turn to ice, which can promote cracking of the substrate.
By using the DOFF cleaning system however, the super-heated vapour created is almost dry, with most of it vanishing on contact, and any residue being easy to wipe away.
Low mess: Another side-effect of stone or brick cleaning with water or steam can be overspray or run-off. But, with DOFFs low water, super-heated vapour system, over-spray or run-off is substantially minimised, helping to protect neighbouring buildings, passers-by, and the ground below.
DOFF for the Removal of Biological Matter
One of the main problems buildings in London and elsewhere have, is the build-up of biological growth. Biological growth, can in many cases cause serious issues on stone and brickwork, including opening up joints and dislodging stones, or causing blockages in guttering and gullies, and preventing moisture from running off.
The superheated power of DOFF is the ideal way to remove most biological matter, including moss, algae and mould, as it provides a deep down clean that removes the remaining spores to prevent the matter re-establishing.
DOFF for Graffiti Removal
Graffiti, as well as looking unsightly, can also give off a negative impression of a property, and in some cases mean the difference between a customer entering your premises or not.
As a professional stone cleaning service, at SMB Restoration, we’re often hired to clean graffiti off the façade of many different types of buildings, including many retail premises.
Using the DOFF steam cleaning system, our skilled stone cleaning operatives will quickly remove any graffiti, from small patches to larger patches, whilst at the same time preserving any fragile brick or stone work.
