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Water Quality: It is imperative to have high quality water, as no other factor of cleaning can truly offset poor water quality. This is the most important chemical as it is guaranteed to be used in every wash package regardless of geographic location.
Temperature: Temperature can be broken into three parts: ambient, vehicle and solution (ready-to-use chemical). Ambient temperature is very difficult to control unless the wash bay is completely indoors and temperature-controlled. A vehicle’s temperature can be very hot, so a “cool down” application may help ensure that all chemicals are applied to the surface within a safe temperature range. The solution temperature is very important in some carwash models and less important in others. Most friction carwashes apply the ready-to-use solution at room temperature, but some touchless carwashes use heated water to help the chemistry work more efficiently due to less mechanical action being available. In addition, extreme cold water will decrease the foaming action of cleaning solutions.
Mechanical Action: Mechanical action is any object or force that is used to remove soil from the vehicle’s surface. In modern carwashes, there are two types of mechanical action: friction (prep brushes, wraps, mitters, top brushes, etc.) and high-pressure water (high-pressure rinses between 1,000 to 1,200 psi).
Time: Dwell time is critical, particularly when utilizing touch-free washing or when cleaning organic matter, such as bugs and tree sap, in any carwash model. In general, dwell time increases detergent efficiency and cleaning ability, whereas too little time will diminish efficiency. The timing of your equipment is imperative as well. It needs to work in synergy with the detergent, sealant and drying chemical solutions. This ensures the optimal kinetic interaction between the chemical solution and the soil being removed from the vehicle.
Chemistry: Chemistry cleaning is the reaction between the solution and soils and the ability of the solution to remove them. Alkaline cleaners are cleaners with a pH over 7, and acidic cleaners are cleaners with a pH below 7. It is imperative to use the correct cleaner at the correct dilution ratio. Always consult with our <a target="_self" href="https://mothersautomatedsolutions.com/pages/sds-tech-sheets">Technical Bulletins</a> to ensure the chemicals are being applied at the correct ratio.
Pre-Soaks
Pre-soaks serve as the initial step in every car wash, aiming to effectively dislodge dirt, grime and accumulated residues from the vehicle's surface. They are offered with both high pH (alkaline) and low pH (acidic) formulas to target the different types of organic and inorganic soils that we face in car washing. By removing these soils, pre-soaks significantly enhance the efficacy of subsequent chemical treatments. This effect is particularly noticeable when applying surface modification products like our ceramic waxes, protectants and sealers.
Wheel & Tire Cleaners
Wheel and tire cleaners are available in both acidic and alkaline variations, and as you might anticipate, their purpose is to cleanse a vehicle's wheels and tires. More precisely, these cleaners excel at removing dirt, grime and brake dust from the vehicle's wheels, tires, and brakes.
Wheels frequently harbor the most substantial dirt accumulation on a vehicle, and coincidently have the least amount of time to be cleaned in a car wash. As a result, it is imperative for car wash establishments to address them with the highest level of precision and efficiency.
Triple Foam Polishes
Triple foams tend to be neutral or acidic formulations that serve to condition and/or polish the vehicle.
Numerous car wash establishments make use of some variant of a triple foam, although it often necessitates a customer upgrade to have it applied to their vehicle. These foams are particularly favored by customers due to their visually appealing tricolor effects, which also serve as the origin of the product's name.
Moreover, the triple foam bolsters the overall efficacy of the washing procedure. Not only does it extend the cleaning action, but it also readies the vehicle for protective treatments and aids in the subsequent drying phase.
Waxes, Protectants and Sealers
Various forms of protectants are available, each offering distinct advantages. Today, they are sometimes infused with ceramic technology that layers to form a shield between the vehicle and external elements. This coating bestows protection against environmental factors and UV rays, along with hydrophobic properties and a brilliant shine.
Traditional wax primarily aims to deliver a dazzling shine, albeit with a level of protection that falls short of what modern ceramic sealants can offer. Waxes typically consist of natural ingredients, with carnauba wax being a favored choice due to it being one of the naturally hardest substances that you can put on your vehicle.
Protectants and sealants establish a bond with the vehicle's surface, filling minor blemishes and providing protection against weather and harsh UV light. These benefits are often accompanied by a degree of luster.
Mothers Automated Solutions™ chemistry may look expensive when you compare prices on a cost per gallon model, however our high efficiency formulas can wash far more cars than other brands! In most cases this means our chemistry is more cost effective than competitors on a cost per car basis. Check out our Cost Per Car Calculator to see just how much!
Water hardness is the amount of calcium and magnesium salts in the water, and it plays a critical role in achieving a clean, dry and shiny vehicle. As a rule, each grain of hardness diminishes the effect of detergents by 5%. Hard water is measured by parts per million (PPM) or grains per gallon (GPG).
Organic: originates from living source such as vegetation, animal matter, fossil fuels, and are typically removed with an alkaline or high pH product.
Inorganic: originates from a man-made or synthetic source such as brake dust, road salt, and mineral deposits and are typically removed with an acidic or low pH product.
Surfactants, otherwise knows as Surface Active Agents, are liquid agents that are used to lower surface tension and help liquid spread to better cover a surface for improved performance and cleaning.
Surfactants are made up of molecules with a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. The hydrophobic end is attracted to the dirt, oil, or grease while the hydrophilic part of the molecule is attracted to water. This causes the surfactant to encapsulate and suspend the soils thus allowing them to be more easily rinsed away from the vehicle’s surface.
Surfactants are crucial to all cleaning products and are what largely separates different car wash chemical providers.
Emulsifies: surfactants allow the stable suspension of soil in water
Acts as wetting agent: reduces surface free energy and tension to allow water to better penetrate soils
Lubricates: keeps wash media slick
Creates detergency: cleans the entirety of the surface by suspending and removing contaminants
Creates dispersion: suspension of soils allows them to be freely removed
Hydrophobic surfaces have a high contact angle and thus create poor adhesiveness and wettability for water. This makes a vehicle’s surface easier to remove water from.
Hydrophilic surfaces have a low contact angle creating better adhesiveness and wettability thus covering more of the surface which helps to better encapsulate and suspends soils.
Anionic: Anionic surfactants have a negative charge on their hydrophilic end. The negative charge helps the surfactant molecules lift and suspend soils in micelles. Because they are able to attack a broad range of soils, anionic surfactants are used frequently in soaps and detergents. Anionic surfactants create a lot of foam when mixed. While anionic surfactants are excellent for lifting and suspending particulate soils, they are not as good at emulsifying oily soils.
Nonionic: Nonionic surfactants are neutral, they do not have any charge on their hydrophilic end. Nonionic surfactants are very good at emulsifying oils and are better than anionic surfactants at removing organic soils. Additionally, they are the best for reclaim compatibility and are extremely hard water tolerant.
Cationic: Cationic surfactants have a positive charge on their hydrophilic end. Cationic surfactants cannot be used with anionic surfactants. If positively charged cationic surfactants are mixed with negatively charged anionic surfactants, they will fall out of solution and no longer be effective. Cationic and nonionic surfactants, however, are compatible.
Amphoteric: Amphoteric surfactants have a dual charge on their hydrophilic end, both positive and negative. The dual charges cancel each other out creating a net charge of zero, referred to as zwitterionic. The pH of any given solution will determine how the amphoteric surfactants react. In acidic solutions, the amphoteric surfactants become positively charged and behave similarly to cationic surfactants. In alkaline solutions, they develop a negative charge, similar to anionic surfactants.
Mothers® Automated Solutions™ is operated under license from Mothers® Polishes • Waxes • Cleaners, Inc. Mothers® Automated Solutions™ deals specifically with commercial car wash chemicals that are found in tunnels, in-bay automatics and self serve car washes.
You can qualify for free shipping on chemistry by placing a full pallet order. A full pallet consists of 32 or more items.
