high pressure water car wash

[enlightenment]

Originally Posted by GeorgeT

I don't mean to get personal but this sounds as if you are either in selling or supplying carwash equipment or products or you are a left wing environmental radical. And actually, I think that 80% of the world's fresh water supply is an Antartica.

If you read the whole thread you would see that he owns a carwash. I think that would give him a little more experience on the matter that you or I have. Actually, I own a carwash myself, but it's an automatic drive through bay wash (PDQ Laswerwash G5s). I take my cars through it every other day with no ill effects. To add to the water recycling topic, all carwashes are required to have a multi-stage clarifier and water reclamation system, at least in my area. Reclaimed water goes through a multistage clarifier where particles are separated. Fresh de-ionized water is normally used just for the spot free rinse cycle.

Question for BigLeo, any recommendations for chemicals or dwell times to help get bird crap off? They keep nailing my car and my wash won't fully remove it. Also, I find that if i don't handwash my car every few months there is a little soap residue that builds up on the car. Can that be prevented? All of our products are Blue Coral. I can find out the exact products if that will help.

[BigLeo48]

I'll send you a PM...BigLeo

[soeharyo]

Originally Posted by BigLeo48

Applying the correct soaps for the soil (alkaline and acidic presoaks) will loosen this dirt so it can be removed with high pressure/volume water impact. Then waxing the car will prevent the paint from getting damaged.
BigLeo

BigLeo, thanks for the help so far.

I have further questions for you:

I was wondering what soaps do you usually use and where i can buy them...

and

Is it advisable to wax the car on a weekly or bi-weekly basis?

Thanks!

[pvr]

What is the max pressure you should use the washer at? Mine can be regulated from 40 bar to 160 bar.

[ATX750i]

I now use DIY car washes regularly, about once a week and it keeps my car looking fine. I get so many complements about how clean my car always looks, and oddly enough, its always right before I wash it, while its still dirty. It may just be the wax. BigLeo, what is a good all-around general-purpose soap that you would personally recomend? TIA

[BigLeo48]

Carwash waxes are typically drying agents that don't offer much protection, they just help get the car dry. Some clear coat protectants and total surface protectants (like RainX) can last several weeks. It's an easy test to see if you have wax on the car...just pour some water on it and see if it beads. No beading, no wax.

Spray on waxes from major brands like Mothers and Turtle I find last a few months depending on your location.

Max pressure depends on the nozzle and amount pumped. But if you use a good detergent, you don't need that much pressure to get it rinsed.

BigLeo

[ATX750i]

Thanks. I use a pre-soak to blow most of the loose dirt off the car, and then the high pressure soap and let that sit for about 30 seconds and blow that off with the spot free rinse, I dont think that its really spot free, and then shammy dry. I use a combination of ICE and TURTLE waxes, both are made by TURTLE.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by JHastings0826

I now use DIY car washes regularly, about once a week and it keeps my car looking fine. I get so many complements about how clean my car always looks, and oddly enough, its always right before I wash it, while its still dirty. It may just be the wax. BigLeo, what is a good all-around general-purpose soap that you would personally recomend? TIA

I use the bays and their water bt I bring my own bucket and soap. I rinse the car and then fill my bucket, soap and wipe down with a mitt then rinse and spot free rinse. then I use a water blade and finish it off with microfibre towels.

I wash my car about once a week as well.

[BigLeo48]

Originally Posted by JHastings0826

Thanks. I use a pre-soak to blow most of the loose dirt off the car, and then the high pressure soap and let that sit for about 30 seconds and blow that off with the spot free rinse, I dont think that its really spot free, and then shammy dry. I use a combination of ICE and TURTLE waxes, both are made by TURTLE.

J,

Let the presoak sit for 30 or 40 seconds. You really need the high pressure after that to get the water impact on the soil to get it off. Going to the High pressure soap may hurt your effectiveness as HP soap is usually pH neutral and so it will kill the work in progress by the alkaline (high pH) of the presoak.

Spot free rinse water is a typically made by the reverse osmosis process (filtering every mineral out of the water). It is spot free as there are no minerals left to spot once the water dries. However, one thing that typically happens is that people drive off and the water droplets on the car pick up stuff in the air, like dust, pollen and other pollutants. Then when the water dries off, that stuff remains.


BigLeo

[BigLeo48]

Originally Posted by Hawkeye

I use the bays and their water bt I bring my own bucket and soap. I rinse the car and then fill my bucket, soap and wipe down with a mitt then rinse and spot free rinse. then I use a water blade and finish it off with microfibre towels.

I wash my car about once a week as well.

Hawkeye,

I would fill the bucket with their presoak instead of bringing your own. That stuff will be more effective as the vast majority of off the shelf car soaps (even the good brands) are neutral pH. They're Jack-of-all-trades soaps but not particularly effective. I suspect your mitt is getting the soil off and not the soap. The problem with that is the cleaning is more superficial. If you use the presoak, mitt then HP rinse it will be a better overall clean. But presonally, I don't like using a mitt on a nice car.

BigLeo

[ATX750i]

Ok, thanks BigLeo. I will start keeping a chamois in my car to help soak up most of the spot free water, so I can truly call my car clean when I get done with it. Thanks for all the help, and I hope this helps every one else with cleaning their Z.