Ordering soap online

[Faceonglass]

I have been looking around at soap purchases online.

Specifically I looked at windtrax. The problem I see is that by the time you pay $100+ in shipping how can you possibly get a better deal ordering soap online?

Am I missing something?

 

[MEP001]

Kleen-Rite ships full pallets of soap for free.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

I use to buy from Arcadia (nice people).
I think if you bought 4 or 5 5 gallon pails they shipped free.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

Now is buy 3 get 1 free from KR as well. Pay for 27, get 36 and shipping is paid.

 

[Randy]

I use Kleen-Rite Vanilla Cream soap for both the High pressure soap and Foam brush soap. I buy it when it?s on sale, buy 3 get 1 Free and buy it when they have the free shipping offer. The last time I bought it it came out to $47 a pail delivered. I mix it with 10 gallons of water to a 5 gallon pail of soap, like the directions on the side of the container tell you to. That comes to $3.13 a gallon before it goes into the Hyrdominder. I use a Turtle wax dual tip metering block on the Hydrominder, this cuts it down even further. It works great, lots of suds and it smells good.

 

[bigleo48]

I use Kleen-Rite Vanilla Cream soap for both the High pressure soap and Foam brush soap. I buy it when it’s on sale, buy 3 get 1 Free and buy it when they have the free shipping offer. The last time I bought it it came out to $47 a pail delivered. I mix it with 10 gallons of water to a 5 gallon pail of soap, like the directions on the side of the container tell you to. That comes to $3.13 a gallon before it goes into the Hyrdominder. I use a Turtle wax dual tip metering block on the Hydrominder, this cuts it down even further. It works great, lots of suds and it smells good.

Randy,

I found that mixing it down that far reduced the smell to nothing. Also, it's a neutral pH detergent and so does not clean very well at all. I have since changed to Kleen-Track 2A (Simoniz Low pH). It's about $33 for 5 gallons, foams well and has a clean scent. As a low pH detergent, it also does a good job on windows and chrome. I always suggest to my customers to use the Alkaline presoak first and the combo of both will work on both organic and inorganic soils. Not to mention that they neutralize each in the pits and that's environmently friendly. This has worked well for me.

Big Leo

 

[Waxman]

What about Sonny's? Does anyone have anyone have experience ordering regularly from them? I like their selection in the catalog and pricing seems good.

I also like that they'll give you an account. The minimum order is $50, but that's usually not an issue unless ordering a small part I don't stock and not needing any magic trees at that time.

 

[Ben's Car Wash]

What about Sonny's? Does anyone have anyone have experience ordering regularly from them? I like their selection in the catalog and pricing seems good.

I also like that they'll give you an account. The minimum order is $50, but that's usually not an issue unless ordering a small part I don't stock and not needing any magic trees at that time.

I have been ordering from Sonny's for the past 6 years. I have never had a bad experance. Only at one time (about a year or more ago) did I notice a drop in customer service, but that seems to have been resolved (I don't recall the specific... I think I didn't get return phone calls on equipment questions when Wade was leaving). This was a minor issue. Only other issue was trying to find out a specific part or spec when converting the conveyor to the air take up system... because this was all so new at the time. But this is what is great about Sonny's... you can talk to the people who thought of the idea, planned it, built it or go look at the piece of equipment in the wearhouse to help solve your problem. When I needed to I was able to speak to Paul Fazio or Anthony Anneleto or even Sonny himself.

Shipping to me is next day. To you in Mass would likely be 3 days via ground. Likewise Kleen-rite to Mass from PA is only next day. So I value Sonny's because I get my parts quickly. You have to weigh this and take it into consideration from whom ever you order along with "excelent customer service" and low prices.

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Randy,

I found that mixing it down that far reduced the smell to nothing. Also, it's a neutral pH detergent and so does not clean very well at all. I have since changed to Kleen-Track 2A (Simoniz Low pH). It's about $33 for 5 gallons, foams well and has a clean scent. As a low pH detergent, it also does a good job on windows and chrome. I always suggest to my customers to use the Alkaline presoak first and the combo of both will work on both organic and inorganic soils. Not to mention that they neutralize each in the pits and that's environmently friendly. This has worked well for me.

Big Leo

Big Leo do you use the Kleen-Track-2A for your high pressure soap in the self service? Does it mix 10 gals. water to 5 gals. soap?
What tip do you use with it?
I love the vanilla cream smell and suds but I do believe it doesn't clean as well as some others I've had in the past. I'm do to order again and am thinking that the Track 2 might be the way to go.

 

[Kevin James]

Shortly after I bought my wash the hydrominder stuck open and I lost 5 gallons of high pressure and foam brush soap. It couldn?t have happened at a worse time, it was a Friday night, the night before I left to go on vacation. I tried in vain to get my distributor to get me some more soap, no dice he wouldn?t help me, we no longer speak to one another. My girlfriend suggested that we go to the Dollar Store and buy some cheap dishwashing soap to get by until we could get some more car wash soap. That?s when I figured out that it all show at a self serve carwash. The customers don?t know what kind of soap they are getting and most don?t care. It doesn?t have to clean, just be soapy and smell good and are happy. $5 of Dollar Store dishwashing soap lasted us almost a month.

 

[rph9168]

Kevin, I hope you only did that once. There is a reason they call it dish wash soap and a reason why they call it car wash soap. Dish wash soap is meant to clean organic soils like the wax and other products that people use to shine and protect the finish. Some body shops use dish wash soap to prep a car before they work on it because it strips off protection so well. While you felt they were getting a lot of foam they were actually in the process of stripping wax off the finish and potentially dulling the finish.

 

[bigleo48]

Big Leo do you use the Kleen-Track-2A for your high pressure soap in the self service? Does it mix 10 gals. water to 5 gals. soap?
What tip do you use with it?
I love the vanilla cream smell and suds but I do believe it doesn't clean as well as some others I've had in the past. I'm do to order again and am thinking that the Track 2 might be the way to go.

I never pre mix anything and I adjust based on show and performance. Since I switched I'm getting complements on the better cleaning performance. I too liked the vanilla smell, but it turns out not everyone does. In the end, the 2A is 40% cheaper and does a better job...I pass on some of the savings to my customers by bumping up the soap mix. Now everyone is happy!

BigLeo

 

[bigleo48]

The customers don’t know what kind of soap they are getting and most don’t care. It doesn’t have to clean, just be soapy and smell good and are happy. $5 of Dollar Store dishwashing soap lasted us almost a month.

OK...here goes. Cleaning is chemistry...to clean something you need to know the surface and the soil you want to remove. Case in point, car wash soaps don't remove algae on the bottom of boats (wrong detergent and different surface). Using dish soap on cars is the wrong soap for the wrong surface. If this was not so, then an entire industry would collapse.

If you just want show and no cleaning power, use a scented foamer.

BigLeo

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Bigleo I want to get this straight, you're usung Track 2A only for your high pressure soap in the self service bays?
Do you mix it with any other chemical?
What tip do you use?
Thanks

 

[TheDoc]

????

Shortly after I bought my wash the hydrominder stuck open and I lost 5 gallons of high pressure and foam brush soap. It couldn?t have happened at a worse time, it was a Friday night, the night before I left to go on vacation. I tried in vain to get my distributor to get me some more soap, no dice he wouldn?t help me, we no longer speak to one another. My girlfriend suggested that we go to the Dollar Store and buy some cheap dishwashing soap to get by until we could get some more car wash soap. That?s when I figured out that it all show at a self serve carwash. The customers don?t know what kind of soap they are getting and most don?t care. It doesn?t have to clean, just be soapy and smell good and are happy. $5 of Dollar Store dishwashing soap lasted us almost a month.

???? I guess you must also enjoy tasty hot dogs and hamburgers that are made in China!
Have pride in what you offer and know that your customers are smarter than you think they are or give them credit.
What a shame.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

You guys are acting like Kevin pumped his softener brine out to the bays. He was OUT of soap! What was he supposed to do, close for the weekend? It's a freaking self-serve for crying out loud! Most people use the brush anyway, the soap we use is mostly for show and lubrication, it don't clean squat IMO. He did what he had to do, maybe he should have put the CW soap online as soon as he got it instead of using the other stuff up, but hell I would have probably done just as he did. Hard times will make a monkey eat red pepper.

Kudos to Kevins girlfriend and her quick thinking.

 

[rph9168]

I did not mean to pass judgement on Kevin but I got the impression that he thought that dish washing soap was just as good as car wash detergent. There is no doubt that desparate times call for desparate measures. I was only trying to make sure that he understood the difference and potential issues should he continue using it. Sorry if I offended him.

 

[Danny]

another option

I like to encourage people to stay friendly with their local competitors. In an emergency like running out of soap or needing a part/hose, borrow it from your friend/competitor and replace it with a new one when it comes in. Just return the favor when its needed. Everyone knows what it is like to be between a rock and hard place.
In southern california there used (most died or retired) to be a group(20+) of owners and distributors that met for breakfast once and week (for nearly 20yrs). They would discuss the local industry and help each other on anything they needed help with (not limited to car washes). They could count on each other in a pinch.

Danny

 

[TheDoc]

You guys are acting like Kevin pumped his softener brine out to the bays. He was OUT of soap! What was he supposed to do, close for the weekend? It's a freaking self-serve for crying out loud! Most people use the brush anyway, the soap we use is mostly for show and lubrication, it don't clean squat IMO. He did what he had to do, maybe he should have put the CW soap online as soon as he got it instead of using the other stuff up, but hell I would have probably done just as he did. Hard times will make a monkey eat red pepper.

Kudos to Kevins girlfriend and her quick thinking.

My thoughts were similar to RPH's and not intended to hurt anyone's feelings, but the tought of washing ANY car with dish soap really boggle's my mind!
Kevin, where are you located?

 

[bighead]

Maybe if he used regular car wash soap from the dollar store?

I mean seriously guys, by the time you dilute any acid or alkaline presoak through a hydrominder, then dilute that mixture one more time when you siphon it into the CAT pump, you're not seeing much of anything besides foam out on the car. Most of the cleaning you're probably seeing is from 1200psi knocking dirt and particles off.

Someone should use litmus paper, or better yet titrate it, to see what level if any there is out in the bay...(at the risk of turning 2 threads into one....)