Keeping your car clean requires a careful combination of cleaning techniques and products. These chemicals can be harsh and dangerous if they come in contact with your skin.
Fortunately, there are plenty of safe ways to wash your car. From the two-bucket handwash to high-tech foam cannons, we’ve run down all the popular methods and distilled their pros and cons.
Cleanliness
For many people, a car is their second largest investment, so keeping it clean is important. It is also a reflection of their personal style and image. Some enjoy the ritual of pulling out a hose and wash mitt to give their “baby” a personalized shine, while others take advantage of the convenience of carwashes.
While automatic carwashes use brushes to get into the crevices of a vehicle and provide an excellen 방문운전연수 t cleaning, they can also damage antennas, side-view mirrors, windshield wipers and other delicate parts of a car. Some autowashes offer soft-touch options, which have less force and can be used on a car to gently massage it. However, even these types of brushes can leave latent abrasive particles behind on the paint.
The best way to avoid these issues is to wash in the shade and rinse thoroughly. This will prevent the soap from drying on your vehicle and causing water spots. Also, if your bucket of soapy water starts looking dirty or gritty, dump it out and refill with fresh clean water.
In addition, invest in a good rinseless carwash kit that eliminates the final rinsing, saving time and water. The Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine is one highly recommended product, especially for those with hard water in their area. Also consider using a chemical rim and tire cleaner that provides a lustrous shine and resists corrosion on aluminum, chrome and painted surfaces.
Convenience
Many c-store owners are able t 방문운전연수 o generate four dollars or more in profit per vehicle washed by adding an In-Bay Automatic (IBA) car wash to their business. This is the highest gross margin of all c-store categories, so upgrading your convenience store and car wash can be a smart investment.
Whether you use a tunnel, an in-bay automatic or a self-serve wash, modern professional car washing systems utilize safe cleaning solutions, including detergents and high-pressure sprayers, which remove dirt and grime from the surface of vehicles and loosen it from paint, tires and bumpers, as well as rinsing to leave vehicles shiny and dry. Some older car washes used hydrofluoric acid as a cleaning solution, but thankfully these dangerous chemicals have been replaced by safer, environmentally friendly options. Likewise, most car wash facilities are required to treat and recycle their water and may be required to maintain wastewater discharge permits.
A full service car wash is similar to the express and flex serve washes in that customers select their desired automated wash package, drive into a bay and glide through the cleaning tunnel while trained staff performs the detailing services of their choice. However, this type of wash generally takes 30 minutes or more and requires waiting in a carwash queue. Another disadvantage is the fact that a full service car wash is more expensive than an express or flex serve wash.
Safety
Car wash owners and employees should always make safety a forefront thought. Many of the chemicals used at a car wash are toxic and can cause health issues if not handled properly. Safety goggles and masks should be worn when handling these materials, and a thorough washing should take place after working with any type of chemical. It is also important to store any chemicals in a well-ventilated room and to not over stack them. Many chemicals can interact with each other and combust if stored close together.
Another risk associated with car washes is the potential for an accident to occur due to slippery surfaces or equipment. It is critical to have good housekeeping procedures in place to prevent slips and falls, especially since the majority of a car wash’s work takes place outdoors. Keeping floors dry is a key to this, and it is also important to use mats around any areas that are known to be particularly wet or slippery.
Mechanized car wash operations may run the risk of damaging a vehicle’s exterior finish or paint job, but this is less of an issue at modern facilities. A balance must be struck between protecting vehicles and providing effective cleaning power, and this is often achieved by utilizing advanced processes such as an RO system, which uses a pump to increase pressure and then sends water through one or more semipermeable membranes that remove 96 to 99 percent of the total dissolved solids from the water.
Value
While starting a car wash may seem difficult, there are several opportunities to make this business venture a profitable one. Investors can either seek out an existing location that has been for sale or build a new car wash from the ground up. Purchasing an existing location can be less expensive and also provides the added benefit of inheriting most needed equipment, especially with conveyor or in-bay automatic (IBA) car washes.
As with any investment, a car wash owner must carefully examine all the potential risks involved. Among these are funding, construction and initial operating expenses. In addition, it is important to understand that a car wash requires a significant upfront investment to get off the ground. Therefore, investors should take the time to do heavy financial analysis and market research to determine if this type of venture is worthwhile.
Lastly, an experienced and knowledgeable team is vital to running a successful car wash. Employees must be dedicated to providing a positive customer experience. To do so, they must ensure that their daily operations are running smoothly. They should also maintain a resilient culture and high morale.
Finally, an established and efficient marketing/advertising campaign is necessary to drive traffic and increase sales. Regardless of the car wash type, a strong advertising campaign will help owners maximize profit margins.