LOOKING FOR SOAPS

[brewer40312]

Im looking for soaps that are comparable to these. I just opened a WW Razor in March. and between the price of soaps and the Water and Sewer bill I just don't see how I can keep it going. These are the Lustra Products I am using now. I am in Eastern Ky.

My Wash packages are $8, $10, $12 and $15, I have 1 IBA and 4 SS Bays.

These are the rates Im paying for my water:

First 2,000 gal.........$33.61 min.
Per additional 1,000 gal $14.27

Sewer:

First 2,000 gal...... $38.50 min
Per additional 1,000 gal $20.52

There is one other person that uses more water than I do in my township, and they are a concrete company and they do not pay sewer I was told.

The next town over which is the county seat.. There are two washes there, both are less than three miles from me. Their rates are:

First 2,ooo gal $19.60
Per additional 1,000 gal $6.71

Sewer:

First 2,000 gal$23.41
Per additional 1,000 gal $13.48

Month of May:

Water usage: 74,200 gallon $693.64
Sewer usage: 74,200 gallon $1208.95

after garbage and all the taxes the total for May was $2,194.19

The Install of my IBA started in Nov. of 2022 and finished in March of 2023. The water company had a rate increase in Jan. I really didn't pay attention until the Razor got started. My Wash World installer from E. Ky set me up with all Kleen Rite products. He had me set up with Purple Power as my two soap passes and I gave away about 15 washes until I noticed the cars were coming out as dirty as they were going in. That whole experience was something I do not wish on anyone. I had Lustra Rep. reach out to me and came and let me try the Lustra products, which are super and I am still usin along with the Kleen right products as well, with the exception of the "Purple Power" that my WW salesman said he used in all his washes. But between the cost of my water, sewer and soaps for the IBA, I just don't see it working. I've inherited this wash from my parents. If anyone has any tips or solutions I would appreciate it.


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[brewer40312]

 

[sparkey]

Check out warsaw chemical. They are the cheapest I have found and they do a good job,

 

[washnshine]

Whatever you try, be sure to do a cost per car analysis, not a cost per drum comparison. A lot of the Lustra products are ultra concentrates and will last much longer than conventional concentrates. Only you can see how much of each product you are using per car - that truly determines what you are paying. Also- the high end waxes and sealants are going to be pricey, but they should only be on top packages that yield $16-$20 per car anyway.

 

[OurTown]

What percentage of your gross revenue is going to chemicals? Do you have a rep that can help you adjust everything well?

 

[Monte]

Generally, all your prices seem similar to mine. How many cars/day in best month and in worst month??? Not sure of your margin/car...but it seems you need to be pushing for more cars per day, not pinching costs. Wish you the best in this crazy game.

 

[PEI]

If you aren't already, you should be running the high pressure pump at 1100 - 1200 psi for the undercarriage and first rinse pass after the soaps only. All other passes that use the high pressure pump should use the conservation valve to reduce the pressure to as close to 400 psi as you can get without causing the high pressure pump to cavitate. This will generate the fastest savings in water and sewer. Going forward your site would benefit from a water reclaim system. If used properly it can generate a reduction in water use of 75% to 80%. If you don't already have one it will be very expensive to add.

On the soap side you are running some of the best chemistry on the market, but it was designed to provide cleaning at a faster rate than you need. You can save $0.20 - $0.40 per car by switching to JBS's Action Line or Turtle Waxes Auto Lux Line and maintain the same level of cleaning. You will need more dwell time, but you aren't currently having a throughput problem.

The solution to your throughput problem is going to require outreach into the community to get them to select your wash. That's going to take a significant investment of time and money.

 

[wash4me]

We use simoniz correct powder soap from kleenrite for both passes on the high velocity. Add about half a gallon of foamed per 50 gallon drum. Cleans well.