What to consider when choosing an active foam for contactless washing?

Contactless shampoo, or, as it is also called, active foam, has recently appeared on sale. Car wash owners have already managed to explore the capabilities of this tool, but car enthusiasts have many questions related to its use.

• Is active foam washing more effective?
• Is it safe to use for cars and humans?
• Do I need to buy additional equipment for contactless washing and do I need a high-pressure apparatus?
• How dangerous is this chemistry to the environment?
• What are the disadvantages of non-contact shampoo?
• Which manufacturer's contactless shampoo is better?

We’ll try to figure out what are the advantages of a contactless wash, which brands should be preferred and how to use active foam.

What is the difference between regular car shampoos and active foam?

The main difference between active foam for contactless washing and traditional car shampoos is the principle of operation. Conventional products provide softening and partial dissolution of the dirt layer and facilitate subsequent machining. It should be understood that solid particles of soil that have fallen on the car body, such as sand, act as an abrasive and scratch the paint during mechanical washing off.

Active substances in shampoos for contactless washing disrupt the adhesion (coupling) of dirt and paintwork (paintwork) of the car. Thus, there is no need for mechanical cleaning of dried up pieces of dirt. This advantage has led to the fact that active foam finds more and more fans.

Advantages and disadvantages of active foam

Besides the fact that non-contact shampoo prevents scratching the surface of the car, it has other advantages over traditional washing methods.

• The time it takes to wash a passenger car is reduced to 10 minutes.
• No physical effort is required, so any car enthusiast can handle the procedure.
• It removes persistent dirt without additional efforts: soot, adhering insects, stains from lubricants.
• High-quality active foam is environmentally friendly: after contact with water, it begins to decompose. As a result, the shampoo washed off from the car body in a few days turns into water and carbon dioxide, that is, there is a complete biodegradation of non-contact foam.

This chemistry also has its drawbacks. If the shampoo is improperly selected or the machine was treated with too concentrated a solution, this can lead to tarnishing of the paint, and in the worst case, damage to the paintwork. The same result can be obtained if the contact time of the foam and coatings is exceeded or if it is not thoroughly washed off. If the tool is selected correctly and the washing technology is not violated, then there are no such consequences.

Tip

A new tool should be tested in a small area of ​​the car. If, after washing and drying, paint fading or whitish coating is observed, you need to choose an active foam with a lower level of alkalinity.

Contactless washing equipment

Considering what equipment is necessary for a contactless washing, two concepts should be divided - professional washing and car cleaning at home.At the sinks - both tunnel and portal type - professional equipment is used for applying foam: foam generators and high-pressure apparatuses. This is fully consistent with the recommendations of manufacturers of non-contact shampoo.

Motorists do not make sense to purchase equipment of this class for cleaning one or two cars. However, one can not do without a foam generator. For domestic purposes, it is possible to use a gun for applying low pressure foam (spray). Of course, in this case, the quality of cleaning will be worse. Household foam generators and high-pressure apparatuses make it possible to approach professional washing standards and fully appreciate the effect of active foam.

The way to use active foam

Technologically, the process of contactless washing looks quite simple.

1. Breeding shampoo with water. Before dilution, shampoo the container with shampoo.
2. Application of active foam to the car body in horizontal movements. In this case, the application should be started not from above, but from below. First processed sidewalls, then the trunk and roof, and at the end of the front hood.
3. Next, the process of activating the foam. It lasts up to two minutes.
4. Flushing foam with water supplied by the high-pressure apparatus. The washing procedure is the same as applying the foam.
5. Removal of residual water with water flushing and drying.

In this case, you should know that the foam loses its qualities at high temperatures, so you can not apply it to a heated car. The diluted solution also loses its properties quite quickly (1-2 days), so it is better to dilute the amount required for one procedure. Dilution proportions depend on the concentration of shampoo. Manufacturers always indicate them. To underestimate or overestimate the indicated proportions is not recommended, as this can lead either to poor-quality washing or to a violation of the aesthetic qualities of the paint.

Tip

You can not extend the activation period. After drying, the foam turns into whitish stubborn stains. If for some reason this happened, the stains can be removed with a liquid polish.

Seasonal Features

In the summer, the task is to wash off mostly dry dirt. In winter, the structure of the mud is different - it contains a lot of moisture. Therefore, in winter it is recommended to first “knock down” the surface layer of dirt with a jet from a high-pressure apparatus, and only then apply active foam. In the summer, if the car is in the shade (not heated), you can immediately spray the foam - it will cope with all layers of dirt. If the machine is hot, it must be preliminarily cooled by dousing with water.

Precautionary measures

The concentrate or diluted liquid should not be allowed to reach the hands, face or eyes, as well as foam (when sprayed) into the respiratory tract. If such a contact occurs, flush skin or eyes. If foam enters the lungs - contact a medical institution.

There are precautions for cars. Do not wash non-contact foam machines that were painted less than 3 months ago. They have not yet fully completed the process of adhesion of paintwork materials and metal cars.

Types of Contactless Shampoos

Shampoo for contactless washing may differ in the following ways:

• concentration;
• pH level
• level of foaming;
• combination of surfactants.

Since surfactants are the main active substance of non-contact shampoo, it is precisely the right combination that leads to high-quality car cleaning. However, the consumer cannot see on the packaging which surfactants — of animal origin, synthetic or their combination — are used in a particular shampoo. This is the manufacturer’s trade secret, and here you have to act by trial and error when choosing a brand.

The level of foaming can also be checked only by buying shampoo. It is worth saying here that the more dense and lush foam is applied to the car, the more dirt it can “pick up” from its surface.According to advertising statements, all means for contactless washing form foam coats for cars. In practice, this can only be determined by applying foam using professional equipment.

But the consumer can learn the concentration by reading the recommendations for breeding shampoo. The higher the concentration, the less means you need to add to the water. The pH level can determine the alkalinity of car chemistry. If the manufacturer claims that the pH is 7, this is a neutral foam, if this indicator is within 10, this is a low alkaline product, 11 and higher is highly alkaline, and therefore more aggressive.

Manufacturers

As mentioned above, the combination of active surfactant components is a manufacturer’s development, so the brand is of great importance here. Let's see who today trusted by Russian motorists. If you study the reviews of car wash owners, then there is no leader among brand brands of the premium segment - both domestic and foreign manufacturers. All of them give a good result, and the specific choice depends on the composition of the water used.

The most famous manufacturers of professional active foam:

• Atas;
• Dannev;
• Ekokemika;
• GraSS
• Nerta;
• Sonax;

When used for domestic purposes, it is also not worth buying chemistry of unknown origin. As a rule, cheap car cosmetics has a low concentration. Even adding it in larger quantities is unlikely to achieve good cleaning of the machine.

How to choose active foam?

When choosing auto chemicals for a car wash, it is advisable to contact a supplier who has not only sales consultants, but also technologists. They will help you choose the right tools and give recommendations on setting up equipment. If you need a shampoo to wash your car, you have to choose it yourself.

When buying active foam, you should carefully familiarize yourself with what it is intended for. After all, the same manufacturer has different lines of car chemistry. Professional chemistry is offered in large cans, and it is there in a more concentrated form than in liter bottles. For the first time, in order to decide which brand to buy, it is worth taking a small bottle. If the result of use is satisfactory, in the future you can buy a large canister, taking into account the expiration date.

Focusing on cost, the following should be taken into account: the lower price of domestic shampoo is the result of a lack of transportation from abroad and a duty, and not an indicator of poor quality. But if the producing country is the same, and the cost differs significantly, the active foam cannot be of the same quality. When comparing the price, one must also take into account the concentration of the product. A more concentrated one will cost more, but its consumption will be much less, and as a result, the cost of one washing will cost less.