Seeking: Anti-fouling and detritus-removal technologies for a variety of hard surfaces

We need components to make up one or more systems that can remove surface contamination (biofilms), lime scum, lime scale buildup, ameliorate water hardness, remove mold, mildew, and similar spores, handle soap scum, and remove surface detritus from a variety of materials. We are not currently looking for a “cleaning spray” (although that may form part of the solution), but rather for components that can contribute to a complete cleaning system that can work autonomously or semi-autonomously on a selection of surfaces, some horizontal, some vertical, some in complex shapes.

The materials we need to treat are both synthetic and natural. They include stone, fiberglass gel coat, plastic and other long-chain molecule materials, steel, concrete (sealed), glass, enamel, and china. Such materials occur in many industries, such as marine construction and maintenance, masonry, medical equipment, lapidary work, industrial plants, and a host of others.

The materials vary in surface characteristics such as porosity, density, texture, flexibility/brittleness, and depth. Some materials adhere to substrates, some are consistent throughout, and some have surface finishes that must not be damaged (for example, gel coat).

The process of cleaning such surfaces likewise varies by industry and may be known by several names: polishing, anti-fouling, anti-soiling, sterilization, anti-bacterial, and anti-mold/mildew are a few.

We’re looking to assemble complete systems — a system is a device and a consumable stream — that can clean, polish, scrub (or whatever) such materials, remove dirt and biofilm, and render them clean enough for use in a home.

Ideally, we’d find a system in use in an industry such as marine hull maintenance (fiber glass hulls, for example) that we could adapt to our own industry. Or perhaps a stone mason uses a system for cleaning his natural surfaces before installing them in a home, and we could adapt his methods. Or a system used by hospitals to disinfect MRI tunnels might be what we need.

We’re open to your proposals.

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