Fleet Degreasing Program for a Transport Company

Background

Road Film and Soot Were Slowing Fleet Turnaround

A heavy truck yard needed faster cleaning, better cut, and less manual labor

The Facility

The operation was a heavy truck fleet maintenance yard responsible for washing and preparing transport equipment under tight turnaround pressure. Trucks were returning coated in road film, diesel residue, soot, and stubborn traffic grime that standard detergents were not removing efficiently.

Operating Baseline The wash process relied on conventional detergents and added manual scrubbing to compensate for poor chemical cut. That meant more labor time per unit, slower throughput, and inconsistent cleaning results across the fleet.

The Problem

Standard truck wash chemistry was not breaking down the soil load fast enough. Road film remained on painted surfaces, diesel residue clung to lower panels, and soot buildup around exhaust zones required extra hand work. Wash staff were spending too much time scrubbing what the chemistry should have been removing.

The operational cost was obvious. Every extra minute on a unit reduced wash capacity, increased labor cost, and delayed vehicles getting back into service looking the way they should.

Situation Overview

The Operating Pressure

Heavy Soil Load Road film, diesel residue, and soot were not being removed efficiently.

Manual Scrubbing Burden Labor had to make up for weak detergent performance.

Slow Fleet Throughput Longer wash times were dragging down turnaround efficiency.

Challenge

The Problem Was Chemical and Operational

Weak soil release was creating unnecessary labor and poor wash efficiency

Status Quo: Standard Detergents

Weak cut on heavy road film
Diesel residue remained on lower panels and trailers
Soot buildup required manual scrubbing
Longer wash time per truck
Higher labor cost per cycle
Inconsistent finish across the fleet
Detergent use rose without corresponding performance

Alternative: High-Alkaline Degreasing Program

Faster break on road film and oily residues
Improved release of soot and traffic film
Reduced dependence on hand scrubbing
Shorter wash cycle time
Better fleet appearance
More efficient detergent use
Higher throughput through the wash bay

Root Cause Analysis The issue was not simply that the trucks were dirty. It was that the wash chemistry was underpowered for the actual soil load. Heavy transport equipment accumulates layered contamination: petroleum residues, carbon soot, road film, and traffic grime. Standard detergents may wet the surface, but they often do not cut aggressively enough to break that soil loose at production speed. The result is predictable: more scrubbing, more time, and lower wash efficiency.

Solution

A Two-Product Degreasing Program for Faster Soil Removal

Gold Ultra Degreaser + Truck Wash and Soot Remover for cut, coverage, and speed

Chem International introduced a high-alkaline degreasing system designed specifically for heavy fleet soils. The approach paired strong soil-cutting chemistry with proper foaming application so the products stayed in contact with the truck surface long enough to work.

Product 1: Gold Ultra Degreaser

Gold Ultra Degreaser A high-alkaline industrial degreaser used to break down oily residue, traffic film, and stubborn grime on heavy-duty fleet equipment. Its role in the program was fast soil cut and reduced dependence on manual scrubbing.

Product 2: Truck Wash and Soot Remover

Truck Wash and Soot Remover A concentrated cleaner formulated to remove carbon soot, exhaust staining, and heavy transport soils from trucks, trailers, and related equipment. Its role was to improve finish quality in the areas where standard detergents usually fail.

Program Elements

Truck wash system recalibrated to proper dilution ratios
Foaming application used for full surface contact
Dwell time optimized to loosen road film and soot before rinse
Manual scrubbing reserved for isolated heavy spots rather than full-panel correction

                    Strategic Advantage
                    The improvement did not come from adding more labor. It came from making the chemistry do the work it should have been doing in the first place. Once the products were matched properly to the soil load and applied at the right dilution through foam, wash time dropped and appearance improved at the same time.
                  

Implementation

System Recalibration and Application Control

Correct dilution, better contact time, and more efficient wash performance

Initial Review

The fleet wash operation was assessed to confirm the dominant soils and identify where the existing detergent program was falling short, especially on lower panels, trailer surfaces, and soot-affected areas.

Product Selection

Gold Ultra Degreaser and Truck Wash and Soot Remover were selected as the primary chemistry package based on the soil profile and the need for faster removal under production conditions.

Wash System Recalibration

The wash equipment was recalibrated to the proper dilution ratios so product concentration matched the soil challenge instead of being over- or underfed through the system.

Foam Application and Dwell Optimization

Foam delivery was used to improve surface cling and contact time, allowing the chemistry to break down road film and soot more completely before rinse.

Results

Faster Cleaning and Better Fleet Presentation

Reduced cycle time, improved finish, and more efficient chemical use

Cleaning Time Reduced by 40% The new chemistry package cut wash time materially by reducing the amount of hand work needed to remove road film, diesel residue, and soot.

Improved Fleet Appearance Trucks left the wash bay cleaner and more consistent in finish, with better removal of the soils that had previously remained visible after washing.

Lower Detergent Consumption per Cycle With the system recalibrated properly, product was used more efficiently and delivered stronger performance without wasteful overfeeding.

Higher Wash Bay Efficiency Reduced wash time translated directly into faster fleet turnaround and more units processed through the yard.

Performance Snapshot

Program Outcome

Cleaning Time Reduced by 40%

Fleet Appearance Improved and more consistent

Detergent Use Lower per wash cycle

Turnaround Speed Improved through higher wash throughput

Financial Impact

Less Labor Per Unit, More Throughput Per Shift

The value came from time savings, labor reduction, and better chemical efficiency

Operational Value Drivers

40%

Cleaning time reduction

Lower

Labor input per unit

Lower

Detergent use per cycle

Higher

Fleet throughput

Program Value

Time Recovered

The degreasing program improved cleaning speed and consistency without adding labor, helping the fleet operation move more trucks through the wash process with less effort per unit.

The labor case was clear: once the chemistry started doing more of the cleaning work, staff spent less time scrubbing and more time processing equipment.

The operating case was just as strong: better finish quality and faster turnaround improved both fleet presentation and wash bay productivity.

                    Secondary Value
                    Cleaner trucks improve more than appearance. They support brand presentation, make inspections easier, and reduce the frustration that comes from repeated rework when soils are not removed properly the first time.
                  

Operator Takeaways

Key Lessons for Fleet Wash Operations

Standard Detergents Have Limits

Heavy transport soils often require stronger chemistry than general-purpose truck wash products can deliver.

Correct Dilution Matters

Even a strong product underperforms when the wash system is not calibrated properly.

Foam Improves Contact Time

Better surface cling gives the chemistry time to break down road film and soot before rinse.

Manual Scrubbing Is Expensive

When labor is compensating for weak chemistry, throughput and margins both suffer.

Appearance and Efficiency Can Improve Together

The right program can shorten wash time while also delivering a better finish.

Heavy Fleet Cleaning Is a Soil-Match Problem

When the chemistry matches the soil load, the whole operation runs better.