Self Serve chemicals

[lighthousecarwash]

I've been doing some research on self serve chemicals. I know no 2 are a like, but wanted to get some opinions on the Kleen Rite brand of chemicals. I'm looking for some more cost effective selections on my self serve bays but will not sacrifice cleaning ability. My questions are only regarding HP Soap, Foam Brush, Presoak, and bug remover (IBA). My current products for HP Soap, Foam Brush, and Presoak are all high PH products. Kleen Rite advertises that they are all PH Neutral for these same products. How does this stuff clean if it's PH Neutral? I have always been taught that the High PH is what cleans the film, bugs, etc off the car. What am I missing because the Kleen Rite products are a very significant savings over what I'm using now.

Thanks,
Lighthouse

 

[tdlconceptsllc]

Type in kleenrite chemicals in the search on the form this topic has been talked about to death almost monthly. Kleen rite is a very weak and has to be to get into the price range there selling it at. If your looking for true cleaning and support its not going to happen with them. Your correct about High Ph alk is what cleans. Kleenrite is your run of the mill mail order catalog soap. What brand are you running now?

 

[Waxman]

I use a mix of Simoniz correct powder with Simoniz foam additive and hot water. There are several threads on this already and it shouldn't be tough to find them. I use this mix as my high-pressure soap and my foam brush in the warm months. In the winter months I switch to antifreeze foam brush by Autowash Maintenance.

 

[Randy]

Most of the KR concentrated soap products are made by Simoniz. They almost all have neutral PH. We used to use KR chemicals but had so many problems with them separating that we got rid of them and went to JBS Fonic Wash and have been very happy with the product, we use it in both the Foam brush and HP soap. We use Simoniz Correct powder as a Presoak and we inject a small amount of Correct in with the Fonic wash to give it a little more bite. It all works for us.

 

[Keno]

We use KR Bubble up for foam brush, it smells good and foams good - customers love it - doesn't do any cleaning by itself, but that is what the brush is for.

We use KR wheel and tire - it foams good, has a bright green color, and a pleasant spearmint scent - again customers love it - cleaning ability is so-so, but I wouldn't put a Tire cleaner that will "brown out" a tire in the hands of a SS customer.

KR SS presoak is worthless - we use a simoniz correct powder mix - and make sure it foams good.

For HP soap, we use KR orange HP soap as a surfactant with our correct mix - KR HP soap foams good alone, but doesn't clean.

SS customers want to see foam and products that smell good, that's when they think its "working". We make sure everything foams good and smells good! The Simoniz correct provides the cleaning power.

I haven't tried the KR Bug for IBA, we just run our Simonize mix pretty hot with a surfactant as the IBA bug chemical

 

[Earl Weiss]

Since the customer has the ability to apply the cleaning solutions in the SS they need to be as fool proof as possible which means safe use concerns may take precedence over cleaning ability. Gave up on KR Pre Soak and HP Soap due to gelling issues. In place of those items I use the KR Low PH items.. Just Peachy Sealer Wax and Cherry Blossom FB . Kleen White fore engine and wheels. I am happy with those.

 

[cbchevy4x4]

We have used Simoniz orange slice for tc for years. We also used the KR Summer Rain for ps. McClean convinced me to try their SS Chemicals. I did and I do not regret in any way trying it. We now use MCclean on our ps and tc. KR Bubble up on FB, kr orange cream for hp soap. and Jbs rinse aid for hp wax.

 

[Greg Pack]

Neutral is working through surfactants and solvency and isn't going to do a great job cleaning tough soils. I haven't had any issues here with product strength. I often use IBA chemicals at a slightly weaker strength for my self serve presoak and tire cleaner. My HP soap is often neutral and the only "show" product I have. Even when I test wash my touch free IBA with stout chemicals, I often stop the machine and let the chemicals dry on my paint. There's been no damage to paint, glass, of metal surfaces. Admittedly some of my black plastic is fading but that truck is parked outside and has probably been washed at least 500 times in the five years I've owned it.

How many people here in the last ten years had a damage complaint from self serve chemicals? I could see it before the advent of clear coat technology but that's been around since the 90s. The only self serve related complaint I've had is a few incidents of triple foam dye staining on old white cars, which sunlight takes care of in one or two days.