What to do about soaps?

[newtothis]

hi all
I have not been at this very long so please pardon my inexperence,
I was thinking of switching from Blendco to Kleen-rite as a soap and chem supplier, Is it a bad idea? Will there have to be a lot of changes done to make this work?

 

[DiamondWash]

What problems are you experiencing with Blendco? I switched to Blendco and have been very happy with it.

 

[Kevin James]

I can relate to what you’re saying about Blendco. One of the washes we took over was using Blendco as soon as we found out how overpriced it is we pulled it out. We tried a pail of Kleen-Rite soap and at the urging from someone here on the Forum we tried JBS Fonic P-100 and couldn’t be happier now, nice smell and good show. Call the chemical guy at Kleen-Rite, I think his name was Doug.

 

[mac]

Another nail in the coffin for Blendco. RIP

 

[car washing systems inc]

hi all
I have not been at this very long so please pardon my inexperence,
I was thinking of switching from Blendco to Kleen-rite as a soap and chem supplier, Is it a bad idea? Will there have to be a lot of changes done to make this work?

You should check and see if your Blendco Rep has the new Super Blend line of chemicals. If you are new you may want to hove someone local to help you.

 

[Greg Pack]

what type of wash:SS, IBA?

 

[newtothis]

We have a washworld touchless auto and four self bays,
having only one local distributer is not to good, if his busy or if you make them mad,,, well then like a Sheinfeld episode, No Soup For you or in my case no soap for me. Thanks for the advice, glad to hear someone had good results with kleenrites products. I have not heard of JBS Fonic P-100. Whats it all about?

Thanks again

 

[Earl Weiss]

Can't speak for your auto. Use KR in my SS and also lots of stuff, the low PH now in the tunnels.

You would need hydrominders and ultra lean tip kits available thru Kleen rite for the SS so you don't have to mix by hand.

Tried Blendco. did not like it. Had issues with the mixing system.

 

[lighthousecarwash]

I have not had any problems with Blendco. I actually switched my pre-soak and tire cleaner a couple years ago and the difference was amazing. I have tried every car wash in town and nobody's pre-soak gets the bugs like my Blendco does. I think you may want to start with a Blendco rep and make sure your current setup is correct. Switching can be difficult and in the long run, may not be any better. Make sure you are comparing actual dilution rates and not just the cost of 5 gallons. Some soaps use a little and some use a lot.

Thanks,
Lighthouse.

 

[mac]

One of the reasons I stopped selling Blendco was because of the complexity of the system. It is not a set it and forget it system. It needs attention at least every quarter to make sure things are as they should be. To complicat things many, if not the majority than a big percentage, of their reps don't know how to set it up. They should be able to tell you to the penny what the cost per wash or minute is.

 

[Waxman]

I use Kleen Rite's In-Bay presoak, which I believe is a JBS product. It is high ph and I use 2 passes. It works very well and is cost effective for me.

 

[DiamondWash]

One of the reasons I stopped selling Blendco was because of the complexity of the system. It is not a set it and forget it system. It needs attention at least every quarter to make sure things are as they should be. To complicat things many, if not the majority than a big percentage, of their reps don't know how to set it up. They should be able to tell you to the penny what the cost per wash or minute is.

With ANY chemical it shouldn't be a "Set in and forget about it" that's when operators get lazy and the only time they stop at the wash is to collect the Money or pick up trash. I constantly check Ph levels usage, strength, etc overall it will make money when people keep watch over there investment rather then set it and forget it.

 

[Earl Weiss]

With ANY chemical it shouldn't be a "Set in and forget about it" that's when operators get lazy and the only time they stop at the wash is to collect the Money or pick up trash. I constantly check Ph levels usage, strength, etc overall it will make money when people keep watch over there investment rather then set it and forget it.

I believe it should be set and forget. I do check to make sure stuff works. Can tell by sight and smell. Never test PH.

 

[MEP001]

I believe it should be set and forget. I do check to make sure stuff works. Can tell by sight and smell. Never test PH.

Same here, but the chemicals I use are very uncomplicated.

 

[rph9168]

Some of the chemical companies out there want to make it appear to be rocket science to get good results. The reality is that regardless of the delivery system, the chemistry behind it is not all that complicated. Some companies use more sophisticated blends and surfactants and their own delivery or blending system but the bottom line is getting good results from whatever you choose to use. What often increases product costs are fragrances and dyes. Costs of fragrances and dyes can vary widely depending on their quality and the amount used in the formulation.

If you are getting the results you want your next concern should be use cost over drum cost. While some products appear to be less expensive, their use cost can be more than products that cost more per gallon. You should learn how costs are calculated to make sure you are achieving the costs you have been told you are. There are simple methods that can give you general information all the way to actually doing a step by step process to get a more exact figure. While generally the "set it and forget it" rule is acceptable, it is wise to observe results daily to make sure that your delivery system is working properly.

 

[gearhead]

For what its worth

To "newtothis",
Which ever chemical you decide to go with, I would learn how to titrate if you havent yet. Most chem reps I have delt with have given me a test kit. They had no problem showing me how. Your rep should set you up like this from the start using their recomendated dilution ratios. This will be your base line. You can go up and down from there accordingly. If your not sure what you are looking for in the bay, I would titrate on a regular basis until you are familiar with the chemical used. It is very simple even for the most non mechanical of persons. You can also use this baseline to check chemical delivery after a repair to insure that it is the same. It is also a good diagnostic tool. I would leave the sight and smell method to only the most seasoned veterens of the business.