Written by: Haley Luke

Sometimes things go wrong when running a car wash business.

Here are three of the most common carwash issues and their solutions to help your business run smoothly.

1. Not Knowing What Chemicals to Use

Having a noticeable variance of quality from wash to wash is most likely an issue of chemical choice. It’s important to consider: Am I using the right tools for the job? Different chemicals are best used to resolve different problems.

Just like you wouldn’t use a window cleaner to clean your counters, you wouldn’t use a presoak when you need a drying agent. Even the time of year may impact what chemicals you will need. Summer brings bugs and that means you need a chemical to remove residue from windshields. Winter brings snow and salted roads, so find a chemical that can handle the job of getting rid of the remnants of road salt from surfaces.

It’s important that you know exactly which chemicals you need to use and when to use them. Putting in the time to research which chemicals are appropriate for each season can really payoff in the long run. Here are a few important chemicals to get you started:

  • Presoaks
    • Presoaks are used to remove any dirt or grime from the surface of the car before the full wash. These are separated into different pH scales, with higher pH being good to remove organic materials and lower pH being used for inorganic debris.
  • Protectants
    • Protectants do a lot of different things. They protect the paint from UV damage and give the car a glossy finish. They can also act as a barrier to harmful debris and residue that might damage the paint job on the car.
  • Drying Agents
    • These help water evaporate more quickly. This prevents water spots and reduces the amount of water left after the drying process.

2. Water Pressure Fluctuations

It’s important to remember that you share water with the rest of the city. This is why sometimes you may notice changes in your water pressure throughout the day. As the day goes on, it may fluctuate, causing a change in the quality of the wash.

Keeping this in mind will help you narrow down any issues regarding water pressure if you carefully track the fluctuation every day. By doing so, you can note any irregularities that crop up and quickly determine if they might have a larger cause, or if they are just a part of the normal fluctuation.

The best solution for this is the addition of a booster pump. Booster pumps are useful for keeping the water pressure at a regular setting even when the local water pressure goes up or down.

3. Ventilation For Electrical Components

Water and humidity are just part of the job when you run a carwash. Humidity can affect wiring and other electrical parts if it gets into places where it shouldn’t. Wiring itself needs to be done properly to keep the workplace safe. Bad wiring could lead to issues with performance or in worse cases it may cause harm.

Proper ventilation is a must for solving these problems. That and adding a dehumidifier can help reduce the amount of water and humidity that may damage your electrical components. It is also important to make sure that all wiring is done properly and safely. Scheduled preventative maintenance should also be a priority as natural events like changes in the weather could affect the humidity in the air.

Running a carwash is difficult. Let us help you succeed.

Visit C K Car Care and find both the chemicals and the equipment to help your business thrive.