by David W. Bynon
Copyright (c), 2003, Autopia Car Care -- All Rights Reserved
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Cleaning Basics |
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"For the most part, you can adequately care for your car with just a few chemicals."
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Some very well intentioned car enthusiasts use one cleaner as a general purpose tool for detailing. I often hear people say they
use a product like Simple Green or an engine degreaser to clean everything from wheels to carpets. In my opinion, this is both
dangerous and harmful to the car. After all, none of us would bathe with laundry detergent, so why would we treat delicate car
surfaces with harsh chemicals?
For the most part, you can adequately care for your car with just a few chemicals. Yet, there is a seemingly endless variety of
products available, each with its own little twist. In this chapter, I will explain the basics of car care chemicals so you can
make better decisions about the products you choose.
THE DIRTY BASICS
In the science of car detailing, dirt can be classified as organic soil, non-organic soil and petroleum soil. Not much else exists
in the car world. If you can figure out the type of soil, you can select the proper cleaner. By using the proper cleaner, 99% of
all stains will come out.
Organic soil is anything that contains carbons. This includes all proteins, animal fats, body oils, mold, yeast, bugs, bacteria,
animal and bug excrement, and carbohydrates. Those chili-cheese fries you spilled on the front seat are a classic organic soil.
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These floor mats have an organic stain. Because I know what's on this floor mat, it's very easy to clean. Ten minutes with
a vacuum, brush and a carpet cleaner was all it took to make the floor mat look good again.
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Non-organic soil is soil that does not contain carbons. This is most commonly found on the exterior of a car in the form of water
spots and acid rain spots. Scale and lime deposits are the most common form of non-organic soil.
Petroleum soils are substances that do not contain water and will not mix with water. Petroleum soils do not have a pH factor.
Petroleum soils include common chemicals like motor oil, grease and road tar. By the way, chewing gum also falls into this
category.
It is also possible to have a combination of the three soils. This is a nightmare, as combination soils are difficult to identify.
How do you choose a cleaner for something you can’t identify? It's very difficult unless you have a general purpose cleaner that
works well on all soils.
CLEANING CHEMICALS
The car care industry is full of chemicals for cleaning. There is no such thing as a do-it-all cleaner (no matter what you saw on
some crazy infomercial!). It simply does not exist. Detailing chemicals are mixtures of different ingredients formulated to do a
particular job. The most common chemical functions include surfactants, solvents, wetting agents, saponifiers and chelators.
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This detailer's cleaning kit from Eimann Fabrik contains everything from carpet shampoo to tar and bug remover. Each product
has a specific cleaning specialty.
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The word surfactant is a fancy, two-bit term for any soap or detergent. Surfactant molecules are created with two compounds. One
molecule is attracted to the soil itself, where the other is attracted to water. The chemical compound that’s attracted to water
is called a hydrophile. Its job is to surround the soil. Likewise, the chemical compound that’s attracted to soil is called a
hydrophobe. Its job is to break soil into smaller pieces so it can be surrounded by the hydrophile to be floated away.
Every cleaner needs a solvent to dissolve soil. The most common solvent is one you might not even think of: water. Some solvents,
such as mineral spirits, work great on petroleum soils (like tar and grease) and may be necessary on surfaces that might be damaged
by water. Other solvents that are common in car care chemicals include d-limonene (made from orange and lemon peels) and butyl.
Although expensive, d-limonene is a safe solvent to use throughout the car.
Chemists modify the hydrophile and hydrophobe molecules to change the characteristics of a surfactant. For example, a surfactant
that is a good detergent (detergents break a soil’s bond to a surface) will not be a good penetrating agent. Penetrating and
wetting allows water to surround soil so it can be removed. As you might have now surmised, the chemist can improve the performance
of a good detergent surfactant by including a second surfactant that has good wetting and penetrating qualities.
Did you know that animal fat is used in the manufacturing of soaps? Boil some pig fat, add a handful of lye, and you can make a
bar of soap. The same chemical process that makes soap can be used to remove fats and oils. Chemists use agents called saponifiers
(basically a strong alkaline substance) to convert fats and oils into soap. Once transformed to soap, fats and oils can be washed
away with water.
Speaking of soap, have you ever noticed how much better soap does in soft water? If you’re used to hard water conditions, using a
bar of soap in soft water feels much different. Hard water, which is any water that contains high concentrations of calcium, iron,
magnesium and other minerals, thwarts the cleaning ability of a chemical. This is because the cleaner reacts to the minerals in
hard water as soil, which uses up the cleaning agents.
To combat this problem, chemists add chelating agents to their cleaners to bind the minerals so the cleaner can go after the real
soil. This is why some car wash shampoos seem to hold the suds longer than others. Good suds have very little to do with how
much car shampoo you use.
UNDERSTANDING PH
The term “pH” is a measurement of the relationship between hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions. When you have more hydrogen ions than
hydroxyl ions, you have an acid. Likewise, if you have more hydroxyl ions than hydrogen ions you have an alkali.
Any solution with a water base has a pH measurement. The pH scale runs from 0 to 14. The first half of the scale (0.0 to 6.9)
represents acids, and the second half (7.1 to 14.0) represents alkalis. Pure water is neutral and has a pH of 7.0. If a substance
does not contain water, such as mineral spirits, it does not have a pH.
If you know the pH of a cleaner you will know if it is acidic or alkaline. This will help you know where to use the cleaner. For
example, a carpet shampoo would have a pH around 8 or 9, whereas a wheel cleaner would be between 12 and 14. Use the wheel cleaner
on your carpet, and you’ll have a real mess.
Now that you know the basics, here are some tips to remember when selecting a cleaner:
- Organic soil is cleaned with alkaline cleaners.
- Non-organic soil is removed with acids.
- Petroleum soil must be removed with a petroleum-based cleaner.
- Never use a cleaner that is overly aggressive for the soil you're trying to remove.
- When in doubt, test a new chemical on a hidden part of the surface you want to clean to verify compatibility.
CAR WASH SHAMPOOS
A car shampoo is a mild soap (not detergent) formulated to lubricate, rinse easily, and restore gloss. Choose a car shampoo based
on what works best for you. All of the major brand names are close in quality and results. In my experience, the smaller, more
expensive brands are gentler and maintain gloss better, but cost should not be your determining factor of quality. Use a few
brands and decide what you like best.
TIRE & WHEEL CLEANERS
A tire cleaner is a detergent that removes old tire dressing and the nasty brown film that forms on tires. Read the label on tire
cleaning products carefully. If a tire cleaner contains petro-chemicals, bleach or abrasives, I don’t recommend using it. They will
harm your wheels and cause your tires to dry out and crack.
Wheels need a strong cleaner that can break the bond between brake dust, road tar, road grime and the wheel. Wheel cleaners come
in two basic formulas: acid cleaners and acid-free cleaners. Acid cleaners are very strong and work without much agitation. Care
must be taken not to use acid cleaners on wheels with pitted or chipped surfaces. The acid will migrate into any fissures and
accentuate flaking and peeling of surface coatings. Non-acidic cleaners are mild solutions of alkaline solvent. These solutions
creep under brake dust to loosen and lift. Non-acidic cleaners require some surface agitation (brush or sponge) but are safer to
use that acidic cleaners and will not etch the wheel's finish.
ENGINE & UNDERCARRIAGE CLEANERS
Some people would never think to clean their engine or undercarriage, even though it's the dirtiest part of their car. I think it’s
a good practice for preventative maintenance to regularly detail these areas.
It takes strong chemicals to remove dirt, grease, oils and grime from the engine and undercarriage. When you clean these areas, you
have three basic choices for cleaners: petrochemicals, detergents, and d-limonene (a natural cleaner made from the rind of oranges
and lemon oil). I’m strictly against petrochemicals based on what they do to our environment. We don’t need this junk in our rivers
and oceans. Detergents and d-limonene solvents (my preference) work great.
LEATHER & VINYL CLEANERS
Leather and vinyl are both very durable materials. However, their number one enemy is oil from the human body. The oils from your
skin will cause vinyl and leather to break down, age, and discolor. To prevent this from happening, you should use a mild soap to
clean your interior vinyl and leather surfaces. There are many good leather and vinyl cleaners available for this very purpose.
Avoid using household cleaners for this task, as most household cleaners contain detergent. Detergents can damage vinyl and leather
by causing it to dry and crack.
FABRIC & CARPET CLEANERS
Fabric and carpet take the brunt of soiling inside a car. Unlike leather and vinyl, spills, dirt and dust can't be wiped away from
fabric and carpet. You can vacuum, but by the time you do, dirt and dust have already been ground in. Likewise, your carpet is
subject to everything your feet drag in and kids spill. To combat this force of dirt, fabric and carpet cleaners need to be tough
enough to loosen and remove the dirt, but not so harsh that they ruin the fabric.
GLASS & PLASTIC CLEANERS
Even a washed and polished vehicle does not truly sparkle until the glass has been cleaned thoroughly. Perfectly clean and clear
glass is easy if you choose the right products and know how to use them properly.
In the car, there is only one wrong type of glass cleaner: ammonia. Avoid using ammonia-based glass cleaners. Ammonia is very
harsh on interior car surfaces and a potential danger to you, as well. It's very easy to become asphyxiated from ammonia if you
don't have proper ventilation.
With the new generation of microfiber towels, it is possible to clean your glass without using any cleaners at all. A little water
and the microfiber towel do a great job.
Plastics can be cleaned with glass cleaners as long as the cleaner is 100% ammonia-free. Ammonia will cause plastics to yellow and
turn hazy. Plastics, including modern headlight covers, window tint film, tail light lenses, and convertible top windows also
require regular polishing to remove minor scratches.
PAINT POLISHES & CLEANERS
Most people mistakenly think that waxing is what makes a car look good. While it's true that a quick coat of wax will make a car
shine for a while, it's polishing that really makes paint look sharp.
Choose a polish that matches your car's needs. If your car is new, chances are that it simply needs a good cleaner with mild
polishing capability. If your car has swirl marks or water spots, choose a formula that specifically addresses these issues.
PAINT CLEANING CLAY
Paint cleaning clay, also called detailing clay, is a mildly abrasive material mixed with a natural or synthetic clay. Originally
developed by the body shop industry, paint cleaning clay removes contamination from the exterior surface of the car (paint and
glass). The clay works mostly by pulling and shearing off foreign materials that are stuck to your paint and glass. Unlike a polish,
paint cleaning clay requires only two or three light passes over your paint to leave the surface perfectly smooth.
WAXES & SEALANTS
Wax is a protective substance, natural or synthetic, which provides a thin layer of protection over paint, metal, or wood. Waxes
can be a paste, cream or liquid . Pure wax does not contain abrasives, whereas a cleaning wax does.
Sealants serve the same purpose as wax, but they are typically made of a more durable chemical compound, such as an acrylic polymer
or silicone polymer. Ask any professional detailer which is better, wax or sealant, and you're likely to get something that sounds
like a sermon. Detailers, both professional and enthusiast, can be quite passionate about their choice of wax.
SUMMARY
This chapter has introduced you to a very small glimpse of the hundreds of products the car care industry has to offer. Good
detailing requires a little knowledge of chemistry. I hope I have provided you with enough information to understand the basics
of cleaning and detailing.
Please beware of "gimmicks" and "snake oil." Unfortunately, mixed in with many great products are an equal number of bad products
with fancy marketing. Hype abounds in the detailing chemicals and supply industry. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Don't be a victim of the car salesman trying to sell you a lifetime sealant and interior protection for $300 to $600. Do it
yourself with good products and save.
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