Pre-soak high or low PH?

[Knight01]

What is your preference and why? I've been using JBS Fonic which I think is a low PH. But wondering if that is my best choice.

 

[MEP001]

For self serve? I wouldn't put low pH in the hands of customers, too much risk of someone damaging their car or getting hurt.

 

[OurTown]

What is your preference and why? I've been using JBS Fonic which I think is a low PH. But wondering if that is my best choice.

It is a high pH. We are using Fonic pH Plus for high pressure soap but Action high for presoak. Low pH presoak should be used for automatics when you have a high pH product to compensate. It is not intended for self serve.

 

[Knight01]

It is a high pH. We are using Fonic pH Plus for high pressure soap but Action high for presoak. Low pH presoak should be used for automatics when you have a high pH product to compensate. It is not intended for self serve.

Thank you, I have a 4 Bay self serve. So, high PH it is.

I found some Fresh and Clean that is alkaline that has been hidden behind stuff for who knows how long. Do these chemicals go bad?

 

[Roz]

we use a HP soap (Florida Citrus) that has an aroma. Most SS HP soaps are the same (although I am sure some here may differ in that opinion). Probably more of a difference if you use warm-hot water for the soap. SS customers will get a better outcome if they use the foam brush as water power and Chemcials alone have a limited cleaning ability. No substitute for elbow grease.

 

[washnshine]

Thank you, I have a 4 Bay self serve. So, high PH it is.

I found some Fresh and Clean that is alkaline that has been hidden behind stuff for who knows how long. Do these chemicals go bad?

They do have a shelf life, and most will say it is between 1-2 years, but honestly, I have never seen a product spoil. I think it would also make a difference if it is still sealed in its original container. Once it is open and mixed, etc., I think you can begin to see degradation.

 

[Randy]

We use Simoniz high ph Correct as a S/S presoak, it works well. We used to use kleen-rite supper wash but they changed the vendor and it diosesn't work as well as it did before they changed vendors.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I use KR Low PH for Pre Soak and HP. IMO the dilution level makes it safe for retail use.

 

[Greg Pack]

I use KR Low PH for Pre Soak and HP. IMO the dilution level makes it safe for retail use.

Earl does that remove road film better than a nuetral product? I've never seen a low do anything much to clean a painted surface unless it has HF, but I'm not dealing with road salt either.

 

[Roz]

Chemicals alone will not remove anything in a touch free wash. They loosen the dirt. The distance of the HP arm to the car and the speed the arm travels is what can make a difference in the outcome of a TF wash.

for self service cleaning it is the pressure and the way a customer uses the wand (distance from car).

 

[washnshine]

Chemicals alone will not remove anything in a touch free wash. They loosen the dirt. The distance of the HP arm to the car and the speed the arm travels is what can make a difference in the outcome of a TF wash.

for self service cleaning it is the pressure and the way a customer uses the wand (distance from car).

That’s also why you can get away with a lower strength chemical in a self serve than a touchfree IBA. You can hold the wand closer, go over troubled areas more than once, let a spot dwell for an extended time, re apply, etc.

 

[Greg Pack]

You need both high ph and high pressure, in my area anyway. Even scalding hot water at high pressure won't remove road film.

 

[washnshine]

You need both high ph and high pressure, in my area anyway. Even scalding hot water at high pressure won't remove road film.

Yes that’s true in any area. I think Roz was commenting that both are necessary and in an IBA, the impact, caused by distance of the arm, and speed of the arm play a big part in removing the soil that the presoak has loosened. That’s why some of those older fixed track machines were not great on back ends of cars - even with good high pH presoak and hot water, the high pressure was just too far away to effectively remove soil.