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Winter shampoo concentrate

OurTown

OurTown

Well-known member
We have been buying the Car Wash Superstore shampoo concentrate and mixing it 5 parts water with 1 part concentrate for the shampoo and 3.5:1 for the spot remover. (we have thought about removing the spot remover function to simplify) We like this product because we can use it for both functions and a gallon goes a long way. At $12/gallon you can see it is very economical. Can this concentrate be mixed with a ratio of some type of alcohol and water for winter use?
 
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I talked to Car Wash Superstore and nobody knows the answer. Fragramatics makes a concentrate also so I called Kelly there and she said no you can't with theirs. I guess I'll just buy ready to use winter shampoo.
 
I bet that wouldn't be a problem. My car wash chemical supplier actually recommends mixing their carpet shampoo with anti-freeze windshield washing detergent to make an low temp solution.
 
I tried using the KR concentrate. It ended up freezing up on me. I went back to the fragamatic ready to use winter solution and haven't had a problem. It's more expensive, but you can go to -30 degrees. The KR will work if you don't see really low temps. Here in the cold white north, it's a different game.
 
Wash 4 Life and Celica what make of Machine are you using. ? I have 9 Coleman's , in Chicago where i has gotten down to -20 and with the heated tanks and blowout function have not had an issue. Granted, not many use it when it is below 32 degrees outside.
 
If you have to mix it 2/1 or 3/1 then your not saving anything. It's just not worth the bother. I have the fragamatic shampooer, earl and yes it's not used that much when the temp drops below 32 degrees. So, i'll be sticking with the fragamatic ready to use winter solution.
 
Our JE Adams units do not have heaters so I'll stick to ready made winter shampoo. Winter will be here in 3...2...1...
 
FWIW it's not savings as much as convenience for me with 4 locations and 9 units in Operation easier to store / share concentrate.
 
I'm trying this at the new wash: For spot remover I mix around 12 ounces of meguiars all purpose cleaner in a jug of anti freeze windshield washer fluid. I use meguiar's because it is supposed to be safe on virtually every vehicle interior surface. For carpet shampoo I add a few ounces of carpet shampoo into the same windshield washer fluid. I really don't have a freeze problem here, but the alcohol should enhance cleaning and speed drying.

I don't think there is anything special in shampoos the suppliers sell. It's usually surfactant and the spot removers may add a little butyl solvent( some might have a little d-limonene). The anti freeze solutions just have alcohol added. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Greg Pack said:
I'm trying this at the new wash: For spot remover I mix around 12 ounces of meguiars all purpose cleaner in a jug of anti freeze windshield washer fluid. I use meguiar's because it is supposed to be safe on virtually every vehicle interior surface. For carpet shampoo I add a few ounces of carpet shampoo into the same windshield washer fluid. I really don't have a freeze problem here, but the alcohol should enhance cleaning and speed drying.

I don't think there is anything special in shampoos the suppliers sell. It's usually surfactant and the spot removers may add a little butyl solvent( some might have a little d-limonene). The anti freeze solutions just have alcohol added. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
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@Greg Pack How did the Meguiars APC and antifreeze windshield washer fluid work out for you? We have a cold front coming in this next week and apparently ordered the non-concentrate winter formula for our wash by accident. Thinking of trying this when the weather gets down to single digits.
 
It didn't foam as well as I liked at that dilution but I am in a moderate climate so I just swapped back to water. I didn't try to make it stronger. You can use meguiars APC all the way up to 4:1.

My chemical supplier actually sells a carpet shampoo concentrate and recommends just mixing with antifreeze windshield washer fluid so I imagine you can try mixing most any detergent with washer fluid. Playing around I've used several items from the janitorial isle at home depot with decent results as a regular (summer)concentrate.
 
We use odoban carpet cleaner from Home Depot as our concentrate, mix 8oz per gallon. That stuff works good chemically and foams good.

Any issues with washer fluid dye in the winter blend and staining light colored carpet or seats?
 
I have Coleman Combos. Occasionally there i an issue where shampoo doesn't seem to work and I have found the tiny brass barbed fitting that feeds the poly line clogged with what appears to be corrosion. Have always wondered if that could be caused by certain shampoos. Have also had operators complain about an odor. So, need to be certain that any shampoos are compatible with machine components and long term storage at all sorts of temperatures.
 
Keno said:
We use odoban carpet cleaner from Home Depot as our concentrate, mix 8oz per gallon. That stuff works good chemically and foams good.

Any issues with washer fluid dye in the winter blend and staining light colored carpet or seats?
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I din't notice any problem.

Earl Weiss said:
I have Coleman Combos. Occasionally there i an issue where shampoo doesn't seem to work and I have found the tiny brass barbed fitting that feeds the poly line clogged with what appears to be corrosion. Have always wondered if that could be caused by certain shampoos. Have also had operators complain about an odor. So, need to be certain that any shampoos are compatible with machine components and long term storage at all sorts of temperatures.
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Earl, I think the clogged barbs are coming from the refill procedure. I used to get them regularly but then made my procedure more hygienic by wiping the area of the vac off where you refill carefully before refilling. I havn't had a barb clog in years. The odor is likely bacterial growth. You could sanitize the vacuum thoroughly and get rid of that. High or low ph products will deter that problem.
 
Greg Pack said:
I din't notice any problem.


Earl, I think the clogged barbs are coming from the refill procedure. I used to get them regularly but then made my procedure more hygienic by wiping the area of the vac off where you refill carefully before refilling. I havn't had a barb clog in years. The odor is likely bacterial growth. You could sanitize the vacuum thoroughly and get rid of that. High or low ph products will deter that problem.
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Could be dirt, but seemed like corrosion and I would have hoped the in Line strainer would have caught the dirt.
 
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