Chemical Customization Positively Impacts Carwashes

They say it’s all about good chemistry, and nowhere is this more true than in modern car washes. From soap, chemicals, and the right equipment, the interaction of these elements determines how clean a vehicle will look after it leaves the carwash. Knowing the science behind the chemistry allows carwash owners to make informed product and equipment decisions that can enhance wash results and garner impressive cost savings.

Soap On, Dirt Off

Today’s carwash soaps outperform older offerings in many ways. The advanced chemicals used deliver superior cleansing effectiveness with tailored ingredients that better penetrate and lift dirt, removing various soils, contaminants, and environmental oxidation from vehicle surfaces. Further, concentrated chemistries in smaller, recyclable packaging maximize the number of vehicles that can be washed per container while reducing transportation, storage, and carbon footprints. Moreover, their greater penetrating and unbinding capabilities allow carwash operators to use less water per vehicle.

Once the soap cycle is complete, the surface is ready for a protectant. These protectant formulations––such as self-curing polymers––provide maximum lubrication and protection, creating a sacrificial barrier that prevents subsequent environmental damage to the vehicle’s finish.

Customizing the Chemistry

Soap is no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. Deciding on the best presoak, tire & wheel cleaner, detergents & soaps, and waxes & protectants are vital to maintaining your carwash at peak performance.

Presoaks, along with other chemicals, come in low-pH and high-pH variations. A high-pH presoak is an alkaline product formulated to remove oily and greasy compounds, while a low-pH presoak is an acidic product formulated to remove dirt and dust. Understanding the common soil type in your geographic region will help you decide which pH will be more successful in your carwash.

Tire and wheel cleaner come in both alkaline and acidic variations and remove both organic and inorganic soils from brake pads, abraded rubber and more. Many drivers have custom wheels on their vehicles, so it’s important to use products that are safe for both OEM wheels and aftermarket wheels.

Available in either standard red, gold, and blue or custom colors, triple foam products come as conditioners or polishes. Conditioners help clean the car, but polishes also apply a layer of wax, with most carwashes typically running the conditioner first followed by the polishing wax. These neutral or acidic products condition and prepare the vehicle’s clear-coat to accept sealant and protectant products while also expediting the drying process.

Injector and tip sizes are integral in determining the chemical to water ratio. These components can be modified to achieve the proper titration and dispense of chemicals and water, as well as color vibrancy.

Cutting Costs

Chemicals are a significant reoccurring expense for operators, so effective utilization—using the appropriate ratios of cleaning and finishing products during the proper phases of the process—can provide greater output and increased savings. But beware—even small changes in chemical dosing can create issues, preventing a car wash from achieving clean, dry, and shiny vehicles. By maintaining the right chemistry balance, you can ensure cost-efficient, peak performance every time.

Water usage can also be costly. As nozzles wear, water flow increases, pressure decreases, and chemical concentrations degrade, resulting in an inferior clean and higher water use. Installing water reclamation systems that recycle and purify wastewater for reuse can reduce both water consumption and sewer costs. However, it’s essential to incorporate reclaim-friendly cleaning products—which can alleviate foul odors, bacteria growth, and clogging—to ensure the system’s performance is not affected.

Operators should also establish weekly checks of all chemical metering equipment to ensure injection equipment is properly functioning. Simply marking container levels on a weekly basis will alert the operator of unexpected changes in dosing, allowing for the resolution of any chemistry issues while ensuring inventory is on hand when needed.

Iron Fox focuses exclusively on helping investors, entrepreneurs, and existing operators in the conveyor carwash segment. Our Senior Consultants have extensive experience with retail real estate site selection, accurate proprietary volume estimating tools, project development, and all aspects of car wash operations. With an experienced equipment installation team and responsive service crew, Iron Fox not only gets you up and running, we keep you that way! To learn more about our services, click here.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

payments
Revolutionizing Payments: Discover the Power of PayPal for Your Business
June 24, 2025

Unlock seamless transactions and elevate your business operations with PayPal’s innovative payment solutions. Harness the platform trusted by millions to drive financial efficiency, streamline processes, and enhance security. What You’ll Learn Why PayPal is the Go-to Solution for Small Businesses Leveraging PayPal and Venmo for Multi-Channel Capability Enabling Seamless Integration with PayPal’s Tools Essential…

Read More
Customer Experience
Why Customer Experience Is Your Most Powerful Growth Lever—and How to Use It to Drive Referrals, Retention, and Revenue
June 24, 2025

In an era where marketing is shifting faster than most can keep up with, staying informed is a challenge for even the most seasoned revenue leaders. From AI upending traditional search to MarTech tools bloating underused tech stacks, the ground beneath B2B marketers is shifting. According to McKinsey, companies leading in customer experience are…

Read More
last mile optimization
Supply Chain Leaders Must Abandon Outdated Routing and Embrace Last Mile Optimization Through Modeling and AI
June 24, 2025

As geopolitical tensions disrupt global shipping and tariffs create fresh uncertainty in international trade, companies are being forced to reexamine their most vulnerable supply chain segment—the last mile . While upstream operations get the spotlight during crises, the final leg of delivery remains a persistent blind spot. That oversight has consequences: empty trucks, fragmented delivery…

Read More
patient financial journey
RevSpring Uses Data, Automation and Empathy to Improve the Patient Financial Journey – Better Outcomes for Patients, Less Burden for Providers
June 24, 2025

Healthcare providers are under increasing pressure to meet consumer expectations without adding an administrative burden. According to a survey conducted by The Harris Poll in June 2024, 18% of the 2,092 American adults who were surveyed had received an unexpected medical bill of $1,000 or more in the past year, and 50% said they would…

Read More