Test of contactless washing products: only hands-free!

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On a dirty car you just want to write: “Wash me!” - which is what many do. How to wash it? Water alone is not enough. And even if you pour car shampoo on your car and then wash off the foam, the dirt will still remain. You need to help with your hands. But washing with sponges, rags and brushes is fraught with microdamage to the paintwork due to the abrasive effect of dirt and sand particles.

Car shampoo: percentage composition and role of components

Pollutant particles (bird droppings, tar, soot) are often of a fatty nature. At the moment of applying the detergent, the hydrophobic part of the surfactant molecules binds dirt particles into insoluble emulsions, and the hydrophilic radical remains outside. As a result, the resulting aggregates are removed from the surface along with water.

The cleaning effect of a contactless car shampoo is carried out thanks to the components described below.

• Surfactants

Chemical compounds, detergents that reduce surface tension. The main cleaning component of car shampoo for contactless washing. They are salts, sulfates or phosphates of higher fatty alcohols, less often - carboxylic acids. In automotive detailing, a mixture of nonionic (5–15%) and anionic (less than 5%) surfactants is used for mutual reinforcement. The former bind dirt particles, the latter provide foaming for effective removal of contaminants.

• Complexing agents

Complexons bind metal salts into insoluble chelate complexes. As a result, water hardness is reduced, the cleaning effect of shampoo and foaming are improved. Content - up to 0.5–1%.

• Foaming agent

The mechanism for separating polluting particles from the surface occurs at the interface between the liquid, solid and gaseous phases (water, car body and air). To obtain maximum surface area, foaming agents are used - alkyl sulfates, fatty alcohol polyphosphates and other anionic surfactants.

• pH Regulators

If hair shampoo has an acid-base index of 4–5.5, then car shampoo is a strongly alkaline solution with a pH of 10-11. To keep the pH index normal, buffer regulators are introduced - amphoteric substances that neutralize excess acids or alkalis.

• Dispersant

Glycol ethers, which in amounts up to 5% prevent sticking (aggregation) of components in the mixture.

• Anti-corrosion agents and wax

Protect metal surfaces from corrosion. The wax forms a thin oleophobic layer, giving a mirror shine and chemical protection to the coating.

• Dyes

They are used to separate the anionic and nonionic phases of surfactants, as well as to impart a marketable appearance.

• Fragrances

Perfume additives neutralize unpleasant odors.

• Water

Car shampoo base. Purified and softened water with a pH level of 7 is used. Content - up to 70%.

Based on the strength of action, non-contact car shampoo, or “active foam,” comes in 3 types: light, concentrated, and superconcentrate. Depending on the degree of contamination, the required type of detergent is selected.

We compare products for contactless washing. Eight samples are being tested.

Test of contactless washing products: only hands-free!

Life hacks

• You can enhance the effect of a summer car wash by cooling the body. This will prevent the foam applied to the paintwork from drying out.
• Before starting contactless washing in winter, the car body must be washed with warm water. You cannot wash a car with ice.

• Washing off the foam begins from the same place from which it was applied in the first place.
• The maximum washing effect can be achieved if the nozzle is held at a distance of 20-40 cm from the body, at an angle of 70-90 degrees.

Calculate shampoo consumption per wash

Example: on contactless shampoo “REIN AGENT” worth 270 rubles. for a 1 liter canister. Note: buying shampoo in larger canisters is much more profitable!

In the instructions, the manufacturer indicates the proportions for dilution - 1:12.

• At car washes they prefer to dilute shampoo in a canister. And only then pour the prepared solution into the foam kit. A concentration of 1:12 is ideal in most cases. To get it, take 1 part shampoo to 12 parts water. You get 1 part + 12 parts = 13 parts. Total, 13 liters of prepared solution.
• Fill the foam kit with 1 liter of solution. Let's calculate how much solution we poured (270 rubles: 13 liters = 21 rubles). So, the finished solution in the foam kit for one refill cost us 21 rubles.
• How many cars can we wash with one refill of the foam kit? Let's count for 3, although experienced car washers wash up to 5 cars. So, 21 rubles: 3 cars = 7 rubles. This is how much it will cost to wash 1 car with shampoo.

Thus, when purchasing REIN AGENT shampoo in liter canisters, the cost of shampoo consumption for 1 car will be more than 7 rubles.

Here is a calculation table for commercial washers for 20 liters of ready-made foam for 20-liter REIN AGENT canisters. A 20-liter canister costs 2,937 rubles, which means 1 liter costs 147 rubles. (2937:20).

Sum of parts	How much in ml. chemistry will go into a 20 liter canister.	Cost 20 l. canisters of ready-made solution	Cost of 1 liter in foam kit	Number of cars washed per 1 filling of foam kit	Cost of consumption per 1 car
1+12= 13	20l./13h.= 1540ml.	1.54 l. x 147 rub. = 226 rub.	226 rub./20l.= 11.3 rub.	3	11.3 rub./3m.= 3.77 rub.

Features of car shampoos

The use of a low-quality product or one that does not meet the washing conditions can lead to negative effects, the main of which are:

• clouding of body paint and glass;
• incompletely washed away dirt and grease stains;
• the presence of stripes and stains on uniformly painted surfaces.

In addition, incorrectly selected car cosmetics can lead to more serious consequences - damage to the body paint.

Many car enthusiasts, convinced that a car shop can offer them an ineffective product for considerable money, prefer to use various recipes that allow them to prepare car shampoo with their own hands. However, before presenting a specific formulation of the detergent composition and the technology for its preparation, it is necessary to better understand the features of washing a vehicle using the most advanced technological techniques and modern car cosmetics.

Consequences of improper use of auto chemicals

You already know what you can use to replace factory car shampoo at home. But the preparation of auto chemicals should be approached very responsibly, choosing the appropriate ingredients and observing certain proportions when combining them.

Practice shows that quite often, in pursuit of a desire to save money, motorists buy very cheap chemicals of dubious quality and origin, or wash their cars with compounds that are not intended for this purpose. Some of them can cope with their tasks without harming the car. But this is always a potential risk that is important to remember.

If we talk about the possible consequences of such decisions, then we can highlight the following:

• improper use can lead to difficult removal of chemicals from surfaces;
• stains and stains may remain after washing;
• the products react with the paintwork, worsening its condition;
• constant use of harmful chemicals leads to the destruction of the paint layer;
• such washing methods can cause corrosion;
• If you wash your car incorrectly, a large amount of moisture often remains, which is harmful.
• electrical wiring and accelerates the formation of rust.

The main threat lies precisely in the deterioration of the coating on the car, which will then have to be restored and repainted. The worst-case scenario is the destruction of the varnish and paint layer, followed by the formation of rust. Moreover, this can happen in hard-to-reach and barely noticeable places, from which it was not possible to fully remove the remnants of shampoo, whose components have reacted.

High-quality auto chemicals fully justify the investment in them. Modern preparations are not at all a simple soap solution, which is needed solely to remove contaminants. Indeed, in theory, you can get rid of them with ordinary warm water. These are car shampoos with a multi-component composition that efficiently remove dirt, protect the body, maintain the paint layer in perfect condition, maintaining shine and density.

Preparation and use of I Can car shampoo solution

The first use of any product should be done without undue haste. To begin with, you should familiarize yourself with the information indicated on the packaging, find out the recommended dosage of the concentrate and the rules for its safe use.

The instructions, written in detail on the packaging, allow you to understand how to properly dilute car shampoo and in what quantities it should be used to achieve a high-quality result. It is worth noting that the minimum recommended dosage is suitable for washing passenger cars with not very complex stains. When it comes to cleaning a very dirty car body or washing large-sized special equipment, it is better to double the amount of car shampoo.

So, having decided on the dosage of the concentrate, you need to properly prepare the solution. For this purpose, it is better to measure the required amount of shampoo using a measuring cup. We do not recommend pouring the product into the foam kit tank by eye, as this may negatively affect the quality of the wash.

Pour the required amount of shampoo into the foam kit tank and dilute with water. To obtain a homogeneous consistency, carefully stir the solution with a stick or plastic spoon. Immediately after this, the shampoo is immediately ready to use in a pressure washer.

If you do everything correctly, then when working, the car shampoo will produce a thick, persistent foam similar to large snow flakes. Such foam “lays down” evenly on all surfaces and does not flow down.

To effectively combat dirt deposits, it is better to leave the shampoo on the body of the vehicle for just a couple of minutes, then rinse it thoroughly with water.

Errors during use

The peculiarity of a touchless car wash is that the diluted detergent is enough to dissolve the dirt. It is also important to correctly calculate the concentration in order to completely wash off the solution at one time. If necessary, repeat the rinsing procedure.

• a lack of concentrate will not remove build-up and complex stains and will leave a residue;
• too much foam leaves marks with white streaks, which make it difficult to see on the glass and make it look sloppy;
• Do not overexpose the foam layer;
• unwashed and dried chemicals harden and then must be carefully removed; if you use scrapers, you can only scratch the paintwork.

It is better to rinse off the shampoo with a solution of cold wax after the main cleaning stage; it will polish the surface and smooth out any existing scratches, adding shine. It is also antistatic, preventing dust from sticking for a long time.

You should also pay attention to the composition of the water. It is better if it is cleaned with a reverse osmosis filter, this will prevent the formation of whitish sediment - limescale during drying. To avoid all the problems and difficulties with washing, it is better to take your car to a specialized car wash in a timely manner, where the entire process is programmed and there are no errors. It also significantly saves the time and effort of the car owner.

Source: leisuwash.ru

Tips for use from experts

Before purchasing a detergent, be sure to read its composition and instructions for use. The low price of a product does not always lead to savings. The consumption of cheap car shampoos is much higher than that of expensive concentrated products.

When preparing the working solution, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the dosage specified by the manufacturer. Detergent is added to water, not the other way around. The solution is carefully mixed before washing.

Recommendations for selection

In order to choose a good car shampoo that will cope with its main functions, you need to adhere to the following rules:

• To effectively remove oil and gasoline stains, as well as other substances, the detergent should be based on the use of up to 6–30% surfactants.
• To save money, it is better to use shampoos with anti-corrosion and polishing additives.
• The hand washing shampoo should foam well and have a neutral pH.
• Choose packaging with the correct labeling.
• Use only in accordance with the expiration dates indicated on the packaging.
• When you shake the package with the product, rising bubbles should appear. If this does not happen, the product is diluted.

Car shampoo with wax “Ultra”

• Gel-like detergents are used to wash glass.

Be sure to look at the bottle for instructions on how to dilute the car shampoo for touchless washing. Don't buy a large package right away. Try it and see the quality by purchasing a small one.

Source: 1000sovetov.ru