How do you shine up your stainless steel vacs?

[Ric]

Any tips for shining up stainless steel vacs, changers, etc.?

 

[Parker]

i use satin-shine its a stainless steel cleaner I get it from sysco

 

[MEP001]

It depends on how dirty they are. Ours are far enough away from bay overspray that just wiping them down with a damp cloth keeps them looking good, but I've seen some that were so bad the owner considered replacing them. A spray with Klean Wall made them look good as new again.

I have used Sheila Shine on stainless, but it doesn't do as much cleaning as a damp cloth. It just leaves an oily shine, like Armor-All on vinyl, and it attracts dust. There are aerosol stainless cleaners that are without the oil, but they tend to streak and will even leech behind the decal and turn it brown.

I wipe down two vacs every couple of days, which takes less than five minutes.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

For a while I was just using wd-40 and it worked pretty well if you just used a light coat. Last time I cleaned them, a buddy gave me some chrome shine that they use at his diesel garage and now they look brand new. Like Mep said, you have to be really careful around your decals or it will mess them up pretty bad.

 

[Waxman]

ACE Brand Stainless steel cleaner.

 

[DavidM]

We use 3M Stainless Steel Polish. It puts a really nice shine on without being oily or damaging decals. We use it on the decals, it makes them look good too.

David

 

[mac]

An option most don't get when buying a vac is to get the polished version. It cost about 300 more, but in the long run is worth it. Instead of the brushed finish, the surface is polished to a mirror finish. I have some by the coast in south FL and after 7 years, they still look new.

 

[MEP001]

How does the polished finish keep them looking like new?

 

[Twodose]

Any tips for shining up stainless steel vacs, changers, etc.?

Last year I did 2 D/H SS Oval Vacs, (not the glossy mirror like finish), I used scotch brite pads,they come in black, white, brown, green, I used the brown first then the white one's, I got them at a local chemical store where they sell janitorial products, chemicals, etc, I used bon-ami, and stainless steel cleanser that you can buy in a supermarket, it took allot of elbow grease but they came out like new, I was really surprised how well it worked, rub with the grain of the stainless.

Also I replaced the decals so there were none on the vacs when they were cleaned.

I wouldn't use it on any mirror like finish like the change machines.

 

[Kevin James]

I never do anything to my vac?s, other than pick up the money every few days. I do clean them out every now and then and replace a motor when they go bad. Does a super shiny vac bring in more customers?

 

[Twodose]

People do come there to clean there car so...The overall appearance of the Carwash and the condition of the equipment in general play a major roll in what attracts people to your location.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I have an 18 year old wash. If I didn't keep the curb appeal I have up to 'snuff', then I don't think I would have nearly the amount of traffic I do. Mine is the oldest wash in town, but by far the nicest and busiest in town. To each his own.

 

[MEP001]

Does a super shiny vac bring in more customers?

Probably not, but some people like to keep a clean wash. If your vacs are uncovered and not close enough to the bays that they get overspray they probably stay pretty clean, but we have 8 that are under a canopy. They get really dusty, birds stand on the domes and poop on them, customers beat their mats on them, kids climb on the islands and fingerprint them, and they look really bad if they aren't wiped down regularly.

Some of us, including myself, are meticulous about keeping a clean wash. I've seen some really disgusting places that could be turned around easily with a little TLC, but the operator would rather just "pick up the money every few days."