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In the heart of Salzburg, Leikermoser Energiehandel GmbH took over an established gas station with a car wash and modernized it extensively within a few months. The medium-sized company, which operates 35 gas stations and car washes in western Austria, has equipped this location—like many others recently—with a 45-meter-long car wash using the latest Christ washing technology.
The site, featuring a gas station, shop, central vacuum system, mat cleaner, and tire shiner, has been designed with maximum efficiency in mind. To use the 38-meter-long drag chain, drivers must navigate a 90-degree turn. To meet the high cleaning standards of the operators, Gerhard Schäfer GmbH was commissioned to supply the washing chemicals and ensure the best possible results.
Manual Pre-Washing Relief
The Otto Christ AG was tasked with designing a special pre-wash and soaking station. This system focuses on thoroughly soaking heavily soiled areas of the vehicles, such as the front, sides, sills, and rims, which are typically covered in dirt and insects. The goal is to reduce the effort in the pre-wash area while achieving excellent cleaning results. A pleasant fragrance and visually impressive foam are intended to delight car wash customers even as they enter the car wash. To meet these requirements, Schäfer tailored the product selection specifically to this site. It was important for the operator and staff that the product works quickly and without unwanted side effects. This includes preventing an excessively high pH level in the recycled water system and effectively avoiding foam overflow in the car wash tanks. The foam must quickly break down in the treatment plant. As is typical, the system has no recycling tank; the pre-wash flows into the recycled water system.
Monitoring pH Levels
The “drive-through pre-wash” operates with a pH level of 10 at the nozzles, mildly alkaline. This allows excellent cleaning, especially for protein and fat-based dirt, thanks to the high-quality surfactants in the 101|EXPRESS Insect Remover, even at a lower pH level. The Foam Splash uses 210|Lava Foam, which has a pH level of 8.5 at the arch. This foam not only provides an impressive visual effect but also enhances cleaning performance with its mildly alkaline pH, supporting the pre-wash from the “drive-through station.” After the 210|Lava Foam, 277|Foam Cleaner PRO CLEAN is used, which has a mildly acidic pH level of about 5 during application. This cleaner adds further cleaning power, particularly supporting textile washing in the car wash. Another advantage of the 277 is that the surfactants, in combination with the pH, help keep the wash materials, filtration system, and equipment cleaner for longer, reducing the need for hall and textile cleaning. This also positively affects the quality of the recycled water.
Conclusion
The technical features of the installed pre-wash and soaking station from Christ allow the use of low-foam 101|EXPRESS Insect Remover. Thanks to the system’s technical design, this product can provide a visually appealing yet highly effective coverage of the vehicle surfaces. The precise selection of the products used, based on an initial technical analysis, effectively prevents foam overflow in the recycling tanks. The formulations are based on high-quality surfactants, which ensure strong dirt removal even at lower pH levels. Overall, this leads to a significant reduction in the burden on the recycled water system while maintaining high cleaning performance.
Source: Roland Wunder, Carwashinfo