Having established our company as the all time leader in mobile “wet” car washing, we get a lot of questions from equipment designers of mobile car wash rigs and mobile auto detailers starting out. Generally one of the two most common comments is regarding the fresh water used to wash the cars to prevent spots. The other most common question is regarding the EPA Environmental Protection Agency and the required National Pollution Discharge Elimination System Permits. You see in mobile washing you are not allowed to let the waste wash water affluent enter a storm drain.
On the subject of water filtration and purification, here is an interesting comment from our franchisee who had the contract to clean most of the John Elway Dealerships in Colorado and how he configured his spot free water system. Perhaps this in formation will assist you in your efforts for a spot free rinse and thus perfection in your washing process?
“Having a soft water tank on the truck has worked very well. We find that it improves all of our Soft washing and especially at car lots. De-I water is not needed to get good results. Spotting only occurs if water is left to dry completely on a dark colored car under direct sunlight. It is inexpensive to maintain and easy to set up. Recharging can be done weekly or every two weeks depending on water conditions and the volume of water treated. A refurbished system can be set up and installed for less than $600. Because it is mounted on the truck we can use almost any water source without having to return home to fill up.”
One of the keys to successful car washing and auto detailing is clean spot free water and there are a few different ways to get their depending on the hardness of your local waters supply, so check up on what is available in your area and remember this article so you can ask the right questions of the vendors you talk with.
You can also create the look of ‘exposed plaster’ or layered lime look by pasting a piece of torn newspaper – not glossy paper – onto the wall using a wet brush. Paint the wall with a darker shade of color and then peel off the newspaper to ‘expose’ the base coat.
After ageing the wall a soft faded mural effect can also be achieved by stenciling a design using very diluted paint. When dry use a coarse sandpaper and lightly sand over the entire mural area, giving it a faded and weathered appearance.
The glaze used for the color washing process is very thin, but it mustn’t be too thin though. Test it by painting a small patch on a piece of paper. Tilt the paper, if it runs off it is too thin.
As the glaze is thin it is difficult and very messy to work with, so before you start make sure you have a drop cloth for the floor and dust sheets to cover valuables.
