deadlock32 said:
the carwash soap itself isnt going to strip wax but the presoaks WILL. The presoaks are actually a more dullited wheel cleaner. If you dont believe that I'll can prove it w/ pictures of the solutions some time.
It was the presoaks that led me to talk to that rep in the first place. Which in turn led me to some review of what chemicals go into car washes. Below is a snippet of an article I was reading.
After reading that article I came away with the conclusion that it may not be the pre-soak that is stripping the panels perse, but the chemical not being mixed in the proper ratio's prior to being dispensed.
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One-step versus two-step cleaning. Many carwashes provide the option to apply more than one presoak solution. In a one-step wash, only one cleaning chemical is applied to the vehicle, usually a high-pH (alkaline) product, either a non-caustic or caustic containing sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) or potassium hydroxide (caustic potash). A one-step high-pH product is usually applied as a low-pressure aspirated or foaming presoak, then removed by the high-pressure wash following dwell time. Two applications of the same or similar chemical solutions would be considered a one-step process, but with the benefit of more dwell time than a single application.
A two-step wash typically involves separate low-pressure application of two different chemical solutions. The first product applied is normally a low-pH (acidic) presoak, followed by a high-pH presoak. The low-pH product is considered more effective in cleaning glass and chrome surfaces, and attacking inorganic soils, while the high-pH product is more effective in cleaning painted surfaces and removing organic soils. The two-step process is often employed in an attempt to remove the "mask" or "eyebrow" created by windshield wipers.
In a typical two-step process, the low-pH chemical solution is applied and allowed dwell time on the surface. Then the high-pH chemical solution is applied without a rinse between applications. The high-pH solution should be applied at sufficient strength to neutralize the low-pH presoak, and still have sufficient high-pH cleaning power for additional cleaning.
Caustic and Non-Caustic Alkaline Cleaners. The high-pH application, either as a one-step or second step of a two-step process, presents many choices. Alkaline products are effective in removing organic soils such as insects, bird droppings and garden-variety soils and are effective in cleaning painted surfaces. The aggressive strength of these cleaning agents has proven valuable and cost-effective in meeting the cleaning challenge presented in frictionless washing. Products containing caustics require proper dilution and application, as these chemicals can, under certain conditions, cause streaking of oxidized vehicle paint and clouding of aluminum or chrome-look plastic trim.
To avoid customer complaints and waxing of marred finishes, care should be taken to ensure that products containing caustics are properly diluted to achieve the proper balance between cleaning strength and aggressiveness on vehicle finishes, especially in consideration of changing temperatures. There are high-pH cleaners that do not contain caustics. These non-corrosive cleaners use alkalinity sources such as sodium metasilicates or other alkalinity builders, and are less likely to cause concerns for vehicle finishes, but may strip wax and dull finishes if improperly applied.
Low-pH (acidic) cleaners. Low-pH presoak products applied as the first step of a two-step process comprise a number of different types of active ingredients. Low-pH products effectively clean and shine glass and chrome surfaces. They remove inorganic soils such as oils and road film. The active ingredients can range from a low concentration of a mild, harmless acid such as citric acid, to products containing a relatively high concentration of hydrofluoric acid or ammonium bifluoride. Hydrofluoric or ammonium bifluoride products create serious health and safety concerns requiring strict handling procedures to avoid dangerous exposure. These acids are poisons that are very aggressive and can cause damage to equipment and parts. Several equipment manufacturers strongly recommend these products not be used. Introduction of these products into the equipment may void the equipment warranty.
Low-pH products containing citric, sulfamic or phosphoric acids are often utilized as the low-pH first step in the two-step process. The results obtained when using these acids are typically less effective and more costly to apply than hydrofluoric or ammonium bifluoride acid products. However, excellent cleaning can be achieved with proper application of safer low-pH products without creating health and safety issues and significantly shortening the life of equipment and parts.
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