Water quality is critical to car wash businesses' performance. Regretfully, better-quality water is not typically readily available in most places. Hard water, also known as EcoPure or water with a greater mineral content, is used in 85% of US households. This post will go into great detail on hard water, the value of water, and how to leverage it to your car wash business's advantage.

Water is essential for car washes.

The vitality of your car wash business is water. It is essential and will influence how well you can clean. Its importance cannot be overstated.

It is nearly impossible to conduct a good car wash without consistent, high-quality water.

Only chemicals can clean water.

While the chemicals used in vehicle washes undoubtedly contribute to the cleaning process, the water they are utilized in is what really makes a difference.

The chemicals needed to complete the planned car wash operation are carried by water, the all-purpose solvent.

The significance of making sure water is clean and prepared for use in car washing can be better understood by considering the part it plays in your cleaning.

HARD WATER: WHAT IS IT?

Learning about hard water is the first step towards understanding water quality. Water with a high concentration of dissolved minerals is called hard water. Iron can be one of these minerals, but magnesium and calcium are the most prevalent ones.

The water gets increasingly "soft" as the concentration of minerals and particles in it decreases. Car wash companies will ultimately wish to run their operations with soft water.

Hard water adheres to the chemicals used in car washes because it contains these minerals. This reduces the cleaning power of your chemicals and may cause serious issues for your car wash company.

Additionally, it may lead to rust and accumulation in your equipment, necessitating replacements and repairs.

RATINGS FOR HARD WATER

Particles in water, or Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measured in Parts Per Million (PPM) or Grains Per Gallon (GPG) units, are what define hard water. Anything dissolved in that water, such as calcium, magnesium, or iron, is referred to as TDS.

Your water's "hardness" can vary and is frequently described as "Very Hard," "Hard," "Medium Hard," and "Soft." The GPG or PPM levels will determine this; the lower the TDS, the higher the quality of your water.

HARD WATER: WHAT CAUSES IT?

When water flows through deposits of gypsum, chalk, or limestone, hard water is produced. Minerals are gathered and dissolved by the water as it flows over these surfaces.

IMPACT OF DRY WATER

Hard water may have detrimental impacts on a variety of uses and businesses, and vehicle washes are no exception.

AUTOMOTIVE WASH CHEMISTRY

Car wash chemicals contain components that hard water works to neutralize, preventing them from performing as intended. This happens because the chemicals have to work to "clean" the water before they can start cleaning the car in the proper way.

It should be mentioned that while many chemicals are made specifically to function in hard water situations, you will frequently not get the same outcome with soft water.

VEHICLE WASHING UTILITIES

Your vehicle wash equipment may get residue and buildup from hard water, which can lead to a number of issues.

The most frequent problem that equipment encounters is blockages because the mineral deposits make it difficult for water to pass through. Blockages may result in more serious problems that require replacement or repair, such breaks or leaks.

WATER SPOTS The appearance of the cars you clean after they dry can also be affected by harsh water. Mineral particles from hard water that linger on the surface after drying and evaporating can leave behind apparent water spots.

HELP! HOW CAN I TELL IF I HAVE HARD WATER?

There are numerous methods for determining whether you have hard water, including location, testing your water, and visual cues.

VISUAL CLUES: Because the calcium and magnesium particles in hard water stay on the surface, when the water dries (and evaporates), it frequently leaves a white residue. This residue can be found on cars you wash, plumbing, faucets, and other water-contact devices.

LOCATIONS

Hard water frequently varies depending on geography; certain places are far more likely to experience hard water than others. There can also be regional variations in the hardness level.

You may find out if you usually live in an area with hard water and how hard the water might be by using a hard water map.

Testing of water

When testing water, a sample is taken, and its GPG or PPM rating is determined to determine the water's hardness level.

This is by far the most accurate way to tell if your water is hard or not because it measures the particles in your water.

Describe what soft water is.

In essence, soft water is the antithesis of hard water. It contains very little dissolved mineral content—typically less than 1 GPG, but occasionally up to 3.5 GPG.

This kind of water is ideal since it doesn't have as many particles in it that can attach to the chemicals in your car wash and cause water stains to remain on the surface after the car has dried.

Soft water will ensure that surfaces are thoroughly cleansed and help you get more use out of your car wash chemicals.

WAYS TO MANAGE HARD WATER

If a car wash uses hard water, they are strongly advised to soften the water. There are two primary ways to accomplish this:

SOFTENERS FOR WATER

When it comes to treating hard water, water softeners are usually the most cost-effective choice because they replace the calcium and magnesium ions with sodium.

Hard water is passed via a series of ion exchange resins, a bypass, and a regeneration system in a softener system so that the ion exchange can occur.

The solution to this problem is to use salt instead of magnesium and calcium because it reacts with car wash chemicals considerably less.

Nevertheless, the PPM of water after passing through a water softener can be comparable to its initial value because the particle quantities might not vary significantly. Better chemical applications will result from it, although water spots can still occur because the sodium can dry up on a car's surface when water evaporates

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SYSTEM OF REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO)

For any vehicle wash, reverse osmosis systems are the suggested solution for hard water issues. This is because they are quite good at softening water, enabling you to wash cars that will not only look clean but also dry clear.