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CI360™Auto & Fleet Wash
AW · 6 stages · one pass · one primary track per site
A wash bay does not fail because the chemistry is weak. It fails when two products are fighting for the same job — a second primary detergent nobody retired, a pre-treat arch running on every car, a premium sealant feeding on top of an economy wax.
Auto & Fleet WashOne product. One job. One pass.
Section 01 · Program overview
One pass, six stages — and every product owns exactly one of them
Six stages. One pass. Two escalation paths.
CI360™ is a task-based program, not a product shelf. A wash pass runs in order: pre-treat, primary wash, protect — and where the surface demands it, decontaminate and detail. Each stage has one job and one product lane. The program fails when the lanes blur: two primary detergents fighting the same job, a pre-treat arch firing on every vehicle whether the soil justifies it or not, or specialty chemistry left running as ordinary detergent.
Every wash balances five variables — chemistry, temperature, dwell time, mechanical energy, and water quality. Raising concentration is the one lever operators reach for first and the one that pays back least. CI360 fixes the product lane so the other four can be tuned deliberately, logged, and defended at the end of the month.
Six stages · click a segment on the dial or a stage in the list
S1Pre-treatBreak the bond before the arch000–060°
S2Primary washOne chemistry track per site060–120°
S3ProtectOne protectant per package tier120–180°
S4DecontaminateOnly where the surface demands it180–240°
S5DetailTires, glass, and interior finish240–300°
S6Fleet readinessCorrosion protection and winter fluids300–360°
Selected stageOther stagesDashed outer arc = the next vehicleRed arc = escalate to decontamination
Industrial RemediationFacility Maintenance= catalogue section of a linked product
The operating route
1AssessEquipment type, soil load, water profile, package tiers
2AssignOne product to each stage — no parallel defaults
3MeterSet the injector, log the ratio, mark the pickup tube
4VerifyFoam stability, rinse break, exit-lane sheeting, cost per vehicle
Failure mode 01Two primary detergents on one siteA standard and a step-up chemistry both live on the shelf because nobody made the call. Training splits, injector settings drift between shifts, and no one can say which product produced this month’s result. Pick one primary track per site and retire the other.
Failure mode 02Pre-treat running as a default stepA pre-treat arch firing on every vehicle is chemistry spent on cars that would have cleared in the main wash anyway. Pre-treat earns its place on bug film, diesel soot, tar, and heavy grease — not on ordinary road film.
Failure mode 03Strength substituted for dwellThe first reaction to a car coming out dirty is to raise the dose. Nine times out of ten the panel dried before rinse, the arch spacing is wrong for the conveyor speed, or the water is too hard. Chemistry is the most expensive of the five variables and the least likely to be the fault.
Failure mode 04Protectants stacked across tiersPremium sealant applied over an economy wax does not produce a premium result — it produces two line items and one water break. Run one protectant per package tier and let the tier structure carry the price difference.
Failure mode 05Specialty chemistry in the daily rotationAcid brighteners, iron removers, and tar solvents are corrective tools. Left running as routine wash chemistry they attack finishes, raise handling risk, and hide the real soil problem. Correct the surface, then put the product away.
The one-product-per-stage rule
Six stages, one system
- Pre-treat chemistry breaks bonds the main wash cannot — and runs only on the vehicles that need it.
- One primary detergent owns the wash, chosen by equipment type rather than by preference.
- One protectant carries each package tier. Show foam is a dwell and appearance feature, not a second wash.
- Decontamination is a separate pass for contamination sitting below the wash threshold.
- Detail chemistry runs at the exit, on clean dry surfaces, where the customer actually sees it.
- Fleet readiness chemistry protects the asset after the wash — corrosion, glass, and winter fluids.
Planning mistakes this program avoids
- Stocking a standard and a step-up primary so nobody has to decide which one the site runs.
- Raising the primary dose to solve a dwell, temperature, or water-quality problem.
- Metering premium protectant into every package because the pump is already plumbed.
- Using acid brightener on polished or anodized aluminum because it is the bottle already on the rack.
- Buying by drum price instead of cost per vehicle, and never checking the two against each other.
Safety floor
Follow site SOPs, current SDS, product labels, PPE requirements, and applicable regulations. Never mix acidic and alkaline chemistry, and never combine an acid brightener with a caustic detergent in the same line, tank, or trench. Label every secondary container and every injector pickup. Keep solvent spotters away from arches and foam cannons. Acid products require full PPE, cool panel temperature, controlled dwell, and a complete post-rinse.
Strength is not a strategy
Do not answer every wash complaint by increasing concentration. Streaking is usually water hardness or an incomplete rinse. A dirty lower third is usually dwell or arch coverage. Foam collapse is usually temperature or dilution error. A stronger dose is not a substitute for running the right stage.
Working from a drum invoice, not a wash count?The Bench converts a ratio into millilitres per vehicle, litres per month, and cost per car — using your own delivered cost, not a list price.
Open the BenchSection 02 · Stage S1–S2 · Pre-treat & primary wash
Pre-Treat & Primary Wash
Breaking the bond where the soil warrants it, then one primary chemistry track chosen by the equipment on site.
ResultOne locked primary track and a pre-treat lane that runs by exception
“Pick one primary track per site and lock it. Pre-treat only where the soil will not release in the main wash.”
This is where the site’s cost structure gets decided. The primary detergent is the highest-volume product in the building, so the ratio you set here moves the monthly chemistry bill more than every other lane combined. Choose the track by equipment — touchless arches and pressure systems take one chemistry, cloth and mitt systems take another — then meter it, log it, and leave it alone until something measurable changes.
Pre-treat is the lane most often over-run. A presoak arch firing on every vehicle spends chemistry on cars that would have cleared anyway. Bug film in June, diesel soot on a fleet unit, tar after a paving season, salt film through a Prairie winter — those justify the stage. Ordinary commuter road film does not.
The wash logic
1Read the soilBug, soot, tar, salt, or ordinary road film
2Pre-treat by exceptionOnly where the main wash will not release it
3Apply the primaryOne track · metered · logged · marked at the injector
4Hold the dwellPanel stays wet from first impact through rinse
5Escalate deliberatelyStep up only when the standard setting genuinely cannot clear the load
The chemistry cabinet · colour dot = the catalogue section each product lives in · tap a name to open its product page
Pre-treat — by exception, not by defaultPresoak ahead of the main wash, bug strip in season, and heavy fleet prespray for diesel soil.
CI Formula 69 PreSprayHigh-alkaline presoak
CI Bug RemoverBug and protein film
CI TruckWash & Soot RemoverDiesel soot and grease
Primary wash — pick one by equipmentTouchless arches and pressure systems take one chemistry; cloth, brush, and mitt systems take another.
CI MagicTouch Touchless Car WashTouchless primary
CI Formula 08/08Friction and mitt primary
Pressure, mobile, and high-value exteriorsWand, foam cannon, and yard work — including painted exteriors that will not tolerate an aggressive detergent.
CI JetClean PlusAviation and high-value exteriors
CI ACII DegreaserEngine and equipment grease
Stage-to-product map · sheet AW-02
SheetAW-02StageS1–S2 · Pre-treat & primary washStandardOne primary track · metered and logged · panel wet to rinseProducts6
| Task / condition · best-fit products | Why it belongs · operator note | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Presoak ahead of the main washCI Formula 69 PreSpray | Solvent-free high-alkaline concentrate for tunnel and self-serve presoak.Presoak buys the main wash a shorter, easier job. Run it where road film and grease are heavy enough to slow the primary stage — not on every vehicle because the pump is plumbed. |
| 2 | Bug film and protein residueCI Bug Remover | Published dose is 20–25 mL/L for wash tanks; 60 mL per full windshield-washer reservoir.Seasonal, not permanent. Bug strip earns its arch from late spring through early autumn and comes off the program the rest of the year. |
| 3 | Diesel soot and heavy fleet soilCI TruckWash & Soot Remover | High-alkaline concentrate with emulsifiers and solvents; corrosion inhibitors leave a light protective film after rinse.Lower thirds and engine compartments on fleet equipment. Give it real dwell — soot is a bonded deposit, not a surface film, and it does not respond to a faster pass. |
| 4 | Touchless and pressure primary washCI MagicTouch Touchless Car Wash | Medium-alkaline, solvent-free touchless concentrate. Published dilution band 1:100 to 1:250. Safe on clear-coat paint, chrome, aluminum, plastics, rubber, vinyl, and bay concrete.The band is wide because water profiles differ. Start conservative, verify the rinse break, and only move within the band once dwell and coverage have been ruled out. |
| 5 | Friction, mitt, and brush primary washCI Formula 08/08 | High-foam cherry mitt wash. Foam clings and lubricates the surface to prevent scratching on sensitive finishes.Where media touches paint, foam is a lubricant before it is a show feature. Thin foam on a cloth line is a claims problem waiting to happen, not a cosmetic one. |
| 6 | Pressure wash, mobile, and painted-exterior workCI JetClean PlusCI ACII Degreaser | An ARP1755A-compliant aircraft exterior cleaner for painted panels, aluminum, plastics, and landing gear; a water-soluble degreaser for engines, off-road equipment, concrete, and white-wall tires.Two different jobs. The aviation-grade cleaner is for high-value painted exteriors that will not tolerate an aggressive detergent; the degreaser is for the yard, the shop floor, and the engine bay. |
The primary-track decision
The equipment picks the track. Preference does not get a vote.
Touchless / pressure track when…
- High-pressure arches, in-bay automatics, or wand and foam-cannon systems.
- No media touches the paint, so chemistry and pressure do all the work.
- Fleet and municipal yards where equipment varies vehicle to vehicle.
- Damage-claim exposure makes brush contact unacceptable.
Track selectionequipment · not preference
Friction / mitt track when…
- Cloth, brush, mitter, or conveyor media contacts the vehicle.
- Foam lubricity is protecting both the paint and the media.
- Self-serve bays running foam brushes and hand mitts.
- Throughput matters more than avoiding all surface contact.
Soil → track → dwell → rinse.
Signs this stage is over-run
Pre-treat fires on every vehicle regardless of soil. The primary dose has been raised twice this year with no change in traffic or water. Both a standard and a step-up primary are on the shelf and in the injector rack. Drum change intervals are shortening while wash counts are flat.
Signs this stage is under-built
Lower thirds and rocker panels come out dirty while the upper body is clean — coverage or dwell, not dose. Foam collapses before the vehicle reaches the next arch. Winter film survives the pass. Nobody can state the current ratio without opening a cabinet and guessing.
Section 03 · Stage S3 · Protection & show
Protection & Show
The drying agent that shortens blow-off, and the show foam that carries dwell and the upsell.
ResultOne protectant per package tier and a visible difference between tiers
“One protectant per tier. Show foam is a dwell and appearance feature — it is not a second wash.”
Protection is the stage the customer judges the whole wash by. It is also the stage where package architecture either works or quietly stops meaning anything. If the top tier and the entry tier both leave the same water break, the price difference is not defensible and the upsell stops converting within a season.
The drying agent is the highest-leverage product on this page after the primary detergent. A proper water break sheets the vehicle before the blowers touch it, which shortens dryer time and takes real load off the blower motors. That is an energy number an operator can measure, not a claim — log the dryer draw before and after any protectant change and keep the reading.
The protection logic
1Rinse firstProtectant onto a rinsed panel, never onto detergent
2Assign one per tierEntry and premium get different chemistry, not doubled chemistry
3Meter lowThese are the most concentrated products in the bay
4Confirm the breakExit-lane sheeting and beading, every shift
5Prove the tierIf both tiers look the same, the package architecture has failed
The chemistry cabinet
Drying and protection — lock one per tierCarnauba drying agent that bonds at rinse and moves the vehicle through the dryer faster.
CI Formula 24/07Drying agent with wax
Show foam — spec as a matched setThree colours, one product family. Run them together for dwell, appearance, and upsell value.
CI TriFoam AmericanShow foam · red, blue, yellow
Stage-to-product map · sheet AW-03
SheetAW-03StageS3 · Protection & showStandardClean water break · one protectant per tier · visible tier differenceProducts2
| Task / condition · best-fit products | Why it belongs · operator note | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drying agent and surface protectionCI Formula 24/07 | Concentrated carnauba drying agent that bonds during the rinse stage to create a hydrophobic layer — rapid beading, spot prevention, and gloss. Published dilution up to 1:300.The vivid foam is deliberate: it makes a low-dose product visible to the customer. Do not raise the dose to make it more visible — raise the arch coverage. |
| 2 | Show foam and package upsellCI TriFoam American | Concentrated multi-colour foaming detergent in red, blue, and yellow, with published dilution up to 300:1 at a foam arch and 400:1 for manual application.Spec all three colours as a set. They are one product family running as a dwell and appearance feature, not three separate wash programs to be priced independently. |
| 3 | Tier separation | The gap between an entry package and a premium package has to be visible at the exit.Two protectants stacked on one vehicle produce one water break and two line items. If the tiers look identical, fix the architecture before adding chemistry. |
| 4 | Dryer load | Better sheeting means less water on the panel when the blowers engage.Measure it. Log dryer draw and dwell time for a week before a protectant change and a week after, and keep the two readings side by side in the commissioning file. |
| 5 | Rinse water quality | Hard water raises spotting risk regardless of which protectant is running.Compensate with rinse volume, and justify RO or DI on the final rinse where spotting is chronic. A drying agent cannot correct a water problem upstream of it. |
The protection decision
A package tier that cannot be seen is a discount you are paying for.
The tier structure is working when…
- Water break at the exit is visibly different between entry and premium.
- Dryer time is measurably shorter on the protected tier.
- Each tier feeds exactly one protectant SKU.
- Upsell conversion holds through a full season without discounting.
Tier separationvisible · vs · nominal
The tier structure has failed when…
- Both tiers leave the same sheeting pattern on the exit lane.
- Two protectants feed the same vehicle on the top package.
- Nobody on shift can describe what the premium package actually adds.
- The upsell only converts when it is discounted.
What a correctly run protect stage buys you.
Three things, all measurable. A shorter dryer cycle, which is throughput and blower energy. A defensible package structure, which is margin. And a finish the customer can see from the exit lane, which is what brings the vehicle back. None of the three requires a second protectant — all three require the one you have to be metered correctly and confirmed every shift.
Do not stack protectants
Layering a premium sealant over an economy drying agent does not compound the effect. The second product lands on a surface the first one has already occupied, the water break does not improve, and the site pays twice for one result. Run one protectant per tier and let the tier boundary carry the difference.
Section 04 · Stage S4 · Decontamination
Decontamination & Problem Soils
Iron fallout, tar, and heavy grease sit below the wash threshold. Raising the primary dose does not reach them.
ResultContamination corrected in its own pass, then straight back on program
“Decontamination is a separate pass, not a stronger wash. Correct the surface, rinse it, and return to the standard program.”
Some contamination is not road film. Iron fallout from brake dust and rail transport embeds into the clear coat and can be felt with a hand through a plastic bag. Tar bonds and needs a solvent. Diesel soot and engine grease are chemically different problems from what a wash detergent is built for. All three sit below the threshold the primary wash operates at, which is why running the detergent harder produces nothing except a larger invoice.
This stage is also where the handling risk concentrates. Acidic chemistry belongs on specific metals under specific conditions, and never on polished or anodized aluminum. Solvent spotters are for localized application by hand — they do not go through an arch or a foam cannon under any circumstance.
The decontamination logic
1Confirm the contaminantIron feels gritty · tar is a bonded spot · soot is a film
2Wash firstDecontaminate a washed surface, not a dirty one
3Test the substrateMetal finish, trim, and refinish age all change the answer
4Controlled dwellKeep wet · cool panels · never let it dry
5Rinse fully, then re-washThe main wash always follows a decontamination pass
The chemistry cabinet
Iron fallout and surface rustEmbedded iron particles on paintwork — transport film, brake dust, and new-vehicle prep.
CI AutoBriteIron fallout and rust film
Tar and asphalt — spot application onlyLocalized citrus solvent. Never through an arch, a foam cannon, or a recirculating line.
CI Citrus Tar RemoverTar and asphalt · spot only
Grease, soot, and engine baysHeavy hydrocarbon soil on equipment, undercarriages, and shop surfaces.
CI ACII DegreaserEngine and equipment grease
CI TruckWash & Soot RemoverDiesel soot and grease
Stage-to-product map · sheet AW-04
SheetAW-04StageS4 · DecontaminationStandardContaminant cleared · substrate intact · full rinse · back on programProducts3
| Task / condition · best-fit products | Why it belongs · operator note | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iron dust and surface rust on paintworkCI AutoBrite | Oxalic acid and detergent blend. Published method is one part product to two parts warm water, applied by sponge to a wetted surface after the initial pressure wash, kept wet until the contamination clears, then rinsed thoroughly.The published record notes rinse precautions for anodized aluminum and stainless. Confirm those against the current TDS before running it near trim, and never let it dry on a panel. |
| 2 | Tar, asphalt, and bonded oily spotsCI Citrus Tar Remover | Viscous natural citrus solvent, free of acids, alkalis, chlorinated solvents, and petroleum distillates. Undiluted for heavy tar; diluted for lighter degreasing.Spot chemistry, applied by hand, always followed by the main wash. It never goes through an arch or a foam cannon, and it stays away from fresh refinish work. |
| 3 | Diesel soot and heavy greaseCI TruckWash & Soot RemoverCI ACII Degreaser | A high-alkaline soot remover with corrosion-inhibiting agents that leave a light protective film after rinse; a water-soluble degreaser that rinses clean without films or residue.Lower thirds, engine compartments, undercarriages, and shop floors. Both are corrective — neither belongs in the daily wash rotation on a finished vehicle. |
| 4 | Substrate testing before the pass | Metal finish, trim material, and refinish age all change whether a chemistry is safe on that vehicle.Test in an inconspicuous area first, every time. Two minutes of testing is cheaper than one panel. |
| 5 | Return to the standard program | A decontamination pass always ends with a full rinse and a normal wash.Correct the surface, then put the product away. Contamination that keeps returning is a source problem upstream — storage, transport, brake hardware, or the road — not a wash problem. |
Acid handling · non-negotiable
Acidic decontamination chemistry requires full PPE, cool panel temperature, controlled dwell, and a complete post-rinse. It is never applied to a hot panel, never left to dry, and never used where an etched or dulled finish would be unacceptable. Confirm substrate compatibility — particularly on polished and anodized aluminum — against the current SDS and TDS before the first pass.
Keep the lanes separate
Every product in this section solves one specific problem. Once the contamination is cleared, the surface goes back on the standard wash program. Specialty chemistry left in daily rotation attacks finishes, raises handling risk, and hides whatever is actually generating the contamination.
Section 05 · Stage S5–S6 · Detail & fleet readiness
Finish, Detail & Fleet Readiness
The exit lane the customer actually sees, and the corrosion and winter chemistry that keeps a fleet in service.
ResultA finished vehicle at the exit and a fleet that survives the salt season
“Detail chemistry goes on clean, dry surfaces. Fleet chemistry protects the asset after the wash is finished.”
Everything upstream of this stage is invisible to the customer. The exit lane is not. Dressed tires, clean glass, and a conditioned interior are the whole visible product on a retail wash, and on a fleet contract they are the difference between a unit that looks maintained and one that looks neglected in front of a client.
Fleet readiness sits one step further out. Salt-belt operations, municipal fleets, agricultural units, and frame-heavy equipment all lose more value to corrosion than to appearance. Undercarriage protection, glass that can actually be reached on a high-profile unit, and winter fluids matched to real Prairie temperatures are asset-protection chemistry, not detailing.
The finish logic
1Dry firstDressings and conditioners need a dry surface to bond
2Tires and trimRubber and dark vinyl · buff for gloss or leave for satin
3Glass and mirrorsStreak-free · reachable without a ladder on high units
4Interior touchLeather and trim, cleaned and conditioned in one step
5Fleet protectionCorrosion and winter fluids — seasonal, scheduled, logged
The chemistry cabinet
Exterior finishTires, whitewalls, mud flaps, rubber bumpers, mouldings, and air dams.
CI TireShineTire and trim dressing
Glass and interiorHigh-reach glass on semis, buses, and arena dasher boards; leather cleaned and conditioned in one pass.
CI ClearReachHigh-reach glass
CI RevitaluxeLeather clean and condition
Fleet readiness — asset protectionCorrosion conversion on exposed metal, winter washer and coolant fluids, and lubrication on the moving hardware.
Rust Converting Spray AerosolRust conversion coating
CI Windshield Washer AntiFreezeFreeze protection to –64 °C
CI Super White LubeLithium complex grease spray
Stage-to-product map · sheet AW-05
SheetAW-05StageS5–S6 · Detail & fleet readinessStandardDry surfaces · no streaking · corrosion and winter fluids on scheduleProducts6
| Task / condition · best-fit products | Why it belongs · operator note | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tire and trim dressingCI TireShine | Water-based silicone emulsion that restores a deep black finish and forms a protective coating on tires, whitewalls, mud flaps, rubber bumpers, mouldings, and air dams. Resists wash-off and guards against fading, cracking, dry rot, and UV damage.Spray onto clean dry surfaces, allow brief penetration, then buff for high gloss or leave for satin. Dressing applied to a wet tire slings onto the panel and undoes the finish stage. |
| 2 | High-reach glassCI ClearReach | Ammonia-free aerosol glass cleaner with an extended spray pattern reaching up to 14 feet — built for semi windshields, bus mirrors, and arena dasher glass. Safe on glass, plexiglass, and tinted surfaces, including in cold conditions.The reach is the point. It removes the ladder from a routine task on high-profile units, which is a safety saving before it is a labour saving. |
| 3 | Interior leather and trimCI Revitaluxe | Silicone-free, residue-free foam that cleans and conditions in one step, with UV protection. Lifts embedded dirt, body oils, ink, and residue without over-wetting.One product instead of a clean-then-condition sequence. On a fleet contract this is where perceived vehicle age is decided. |
| 4 | Corrosion protection on exposed metalRust Converting Spray Aerosol | Aerosol rust converter that chemically transforms active rust into a stable black polymer coating — no grinding, sandblasting, or priming. Wire-brush loose debris, dry the surface, spray, and add a second coat for durability.Frames, undercarriages, and exposed hardware on salt-belt, municipal, and agricultural units. Schedule it in the autumn, before the salt season rather than after it. |
| 5 | Winter fluidsCI Windshield Washer AntiFreeze | Published freeze protection scales with dilution: 50/50 to –37 °C, 60/40 to –52 °C, 70/30 to –64 °C. Doubles as a summer coolant with corrosion inhibitors that protect radiators, hoses, and gaskets.Set the changeover date, not the changeover temperature. A fleet that switches after the first hard freeze has already lost a week of units to frozen reservoirs. |
| 6 | Moving hardwareCI Super White Lube | Lithium complex grease that sprays as a fluid to reach confined components, then sets into a water-resistant film effective from 0 °F to 350 °F. Resists sling-off and washout on chains, cables, gears, rollers, springs, hinges, conveyors, and winches.Wash bays wash out grease. Anything that moves and got wet needs re-lubrication on a schedule — including the conveyor and door hardware in the bay itself. |
The exit lane is the product
A customer cannot see dwell time, injector settings, or rinse TDS. They can see a dressed tire, clean glass, and water sheeting off the hood as they pull out. The exit lane is where a technically correct wash becomes a visibly good one — and it is the cheapest stage in the program to get right.
Fleet readiness is scheduled, not reactive
Undercarriage protection applied in December is a repair. Applied in October it is maintenance. Put the corrosion pass and the winter fluid changeover on fixed calendar dates in the work-order system, the same way the wash program itself is scheduled.
Section 06 · Working tool
The Bench — mix it, count it, cost it
The same four numbers every wash argument comes down to: ratio, litres, vehicles, and dollars.
Most sites can quote a drum price and nobody can quote a cost per vehicle. Those are different numbers and only one of them is manageable. The Bench converts a dilution ratio into millilitres per car, litres per month, containers per quarter, and — using your own delivered cost, not a list price — cents per vehicle. It also does the calculation most operators avoid: what a step up from the standard ratio to the performance ratio actually costs over a year.
Ratio convention used here
1:X means one part concentrate to X parts water. A 1:200 mix in a 200 L tank is 995 mL of concentrate and 199 L of water. Published bands shown in the product list come from the Chem International catalogue record; where the record does not publish a ratio the field is left open for you to enter the figure from the current label or TDS. Nothing on this page is a substitute for the product label.
ToolAW-B1FunctionDilution, consumption, and cost-in-use bench for the CI360 Auto Wash programCost basisYour delivered cost · entered by you · nothing pre-filled
Published band: 1:100 – 1:250
Used to work out how many batches one container yields.
Concentrate required995mLat 1:200 into a 200 L batch
Water required199.0LFill water first, add concentrate second, and never the other way round.
Dose rate4.98mL/LOne 205 L container makes 41,205 L of working solution.
Procedure
Solution per vehicle is applied volume at the arch, not tank capacity. If you do not know it, time one pass and measure the flow.
Concentrate per vehicle59.7mL12 L applied at 1:200
Concentrate per month217.1L3,634 vehicles per month
Containers per month1.06× 205 LAnnual: 2,606 L · 12.7 containers
How to check this against reality
Cost is whatever you enter. Chem International does not publish pricing on this page, and nothing here is pre-filled from a price list.
Cost per vehicle · standard—enter your delivered cost to calculate
Monthly · standard ratio—this lane only
Cost per 1,000 vehicles—The number to quote in a package-pricing conversation.
Stepped-up ratio · per vehicle—at the performance setting
Annual cost of the step up—difference between the two settings over twelve months
What to do with these numbers
Operating data below is taken from the Chem International product catalogue. Where the catalogue record does not publish a figure it is marked rather than estimated — confirm those against the current label, TDS, and SDS before commissioning.
Dilution1:100 – 1:250
ChemistrySolvent-free, medium-alkaline concentrate
SurfacesClear-coat paint, chrome, aluminum, plastics, rubber, vinyl, bay concrete
Also runsPressure washers and pre-soak systems
CatalogueCI MagicTouch Touchless Car Wash
DilutionUp to 1:300
MechanismCarnauba bonds at rinse · hydrophobic layer · rapid beading
ApplicationFoam arches, sprayers, final rinse systems
SurfacesAll paint, plastic, and chrome
CatalogueCI Formula 24/07
DilutionUp to 300:1 foam arch · 400:1 manual
ColoursRed, blue, yellow · spec as a matched set
CatalogueParent record currently exports as private — publish before linking
CatalogueCI TriFoam American
Wash tank20 – 25 mL/L
Washer reservoir60 mL per full tank
SurfacesWindshields, chrome, paint, glass, rubber, plastic
CatalogueCI Bug Remover
Dilution1 part product : 2 parts warm water
ChemistryOxalic acid and detergent blend
MethodSponge onto a wetted surface after the initial pressure wash · keep wet · rinse fully
CautionRinse precautions apply to anodized aluminum and stainless — confirm on the TDS
CatalogueCI AutoBrite
50 / 50Protects to –37 °C
60 / 40Protects to –52 °C
70 / 30Protects to –64 °C
CatalogueCI Windshield Washer AntiFreeze
Heavy tarApply undiluted
Light degreasingDilute — ratio not published
ChemistryViscous citrus solvent · no acids, alkalis, chlorinated solvents, or petroleum distillates
RuleSpot application only — never through an arch or foam cannon
CatalogueCI Citrus Tar Remover
DilutionNot published in the catalogue record — confirm against current TDS
ChemistrySolvent-free high-alkaline concentrate
RoleTunnel and self-serve presoak stage
CatalogueCI Formula 69 PreSpray
DilutionNot published in the catalogue record — confirm against current TDS
Foam profileHigh foam with surface lubricity
SurfacesPaint, rubber, plastic, chrome
CatalogueCI Formula 08/08
DilutionNot published in the catalogue record — confirm against current TDS
StandardARP1755A-compliant aircraft exterior cleaner
ApplicationPressure washer, hot or cold water
CatalogueCI JetClean Plus
DilutionNot published in the catalogue record — confirm against current TDS
ChemistryHigh-alkaline with emulsifiers and solvents · corrosion inhibitors leave a light protective film
TargetsDiesel exhaust carbon, grease, oil, road film
CatalogueCI TruckWash & Soot Remover
DilutionAdjustable — no published table in the catalogue record
ApplicationPressure washer, steam cleaner, or manual brushing
TargetsEngines, off-road equipment, concrete, white-wall tires
CatalogueCI ACII Degreaser
The Bench is a planning tool
Results are arithmetic on the numbers you enter. They do not account for carry-over, reclaim dilution, injector drift, temperature effects on viscosity, or the difference between applied volume and tank draw. Use them to build a starting position and a budget — then confirm against actual container-change intervals over a full month and correct the model to match what the site really consumes.
Section 07 · Site deployment
One system, three deployments — what changes is the equipment, not the logic
The stage architecture stays fixed. The primary track and the escalation calendar move with the site.
A touchless in-bay automatic, a friction tunnel, and a mobile fleet operation run the same six stages in the same order. What differs is which primary chemistry owns stage two, how often the pre-treat lane fires, and where in the calendar the winter escalation sits. Setting those three things correctly for the site is the entire deployment decision.
Touchless / In-Bay Automatic
No media contact · chemistry and pressure do the work
Primary
CI MagicTouch within the published 1:100 to 1:250 band, tuned to the site water profile.
Pre-treat
CI Formula 69 PreSpray on heavy soil; CI Bug Remover on a seasonal arch.
Protect
CI Formula 24/07 at the rinse stage — one tier, metered low.
Winter
Extend dwell before raising dose. Heated solution at the arch where it is safe and justified.
Friction Tunnel & Self-Serve
Cloth, brush, mitter, and foam-brush bays
Primary
CI Formula 08/08 — foam lubricity protects the paint and the media together.
Show
CI TriFoam American as a matched three-colour set for dwell and upsell.
Protect
CI Formula 24/07 on the tier that carries it. Do not layer a second protectant.
Media
Foam quality is a maintenance item. Thin foam on a cloth line is a claims risk, not a cosmetic one.
Mobile Fleet & Yard
Wand, foam cannon, and downstream injection
Prespray
CI TruckWash & Soot Remover on lower thirds and engine compartments with real dwell.
Primary
CI MagicTouch through pressure equipment; CI JetClean Plus on high-value painted exteriors.
Heavy soil
CI ACII Degreaser for engines, equipment, and shop surfaces — corrective, not routine.
Autumn
Corrosion pass and winter fluid changeover on fixed dates, before the salt season.
Planned operating year · twelve-month view
At-a-glance matrix · what problem are you actually solving?
| Condition on the vehicleWhat you are actually looking at | StageWhere it belongs in the pass | First moveDo this before anything else | Products | Escalate only if… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1Bug film on the front fascia | Pre-treat | Seasonal bug strip at 20–25 mL/L. Dwell before the main wash. | CI Bug Remover | Residue survives the pass — extend dwell before raising dose. |
| S1Diesel soot and lower-body grease | Pre-treat | Prespray lower thirds and give it real dwell. | CI TruckWash & Soot Remover | Soot persists — add heat before adding concentration. |
| S1Heavy road film ahead of the wash | Pre-treat | Presoak only on the vehicles that warrant it. | CI Formula 69 PreSpray | The main wash is still struggling — check arch coverage first. |
| S2Standard touchless or pressure wash | Primary | Run the locked track inside its published band. | CI MagicTouch Touchless Car Wash | Standard setting cannot clear the load after dwell and coverage are ruled out. |
| S2Cloth, brush, or mitt system | Primary | Foam for lubricity first, appearance second. | CI Formula 08/08 | Foam collapses early — check water temperature and dilution. |
| S2High-value painted exterior or aircraft | Primary | Use the aviation-grade exterior cleaner lane. | CI JetClean Plus | Soil remains after a full pass — escalate to a prespray, not a stronger primary. |
| S3Slow dryer and water clinging to panels | Protect | Confirm the drying agent is feeding, then check the arch. | CI Formula 24/07 | Break does not improve — test rinse water hardness. |
| S3Package tiers look identical at the exit | Protect | One protectant per tier and confirm the difference is visible. | CI Formula 24/07CI TriFoam American | Tiers still read the same — the architecture is the problem, not the chemistry. |
| S4Gritty paint · orange specks · transport film | Decontaminate | Wash first, then decontaminate at 1:2 on a wetted surface. | CI AutoBrite | Contamination returns quickly — the source is upstream of the wash. |
| S4Tar and asphalt spots | Decontaminate | Hand-applied spot chemistry, then the main wash. | CI Citrus Tar Remover | Spot persists — repeat rather than extending dwell on a drying panel. |
| S4Engine bay, undercarriage, or shop floor grease | Decontaminate | Degrease as a separate corrective pass. | CI ACII DegreaserCI TruckWash & Soot Remover | Grease recurs — look for a leak, not a chemistry gap. |
| S5Dull tires and grey trim at the exit | Detail | Dress clean dry rubber, then buff or leave for satin. | CI TireShine | Dressing slings onto panels — the tire was still wet. |
| S5Streaked glass on high-profile units | Detail | Extended-reach glass cleaner from the ground. | CI ClearReach | Streaking persists — check for silicone transfer from a dressing. |
| S5Worn or soiled interior leather | Detail | Clean and condition in one step without over-wetting. | CI Revitaluxe | Finish stays dull — the leather may be beyond conditioning. |
| S6Surface rust on frames and exposed metal | Fleet readiness | Wire-brush, dry, convert, and add a second coat. | Rust Converting Spray Aerosol | Rust returns — the coating was applied over loose scale. |
| S6Winter fluid changeover | Fleet readiness | Match the dilution to the coldest expected temperature, on a fixed date. | CI Windshield Washer AntiFreeze | Reservoirs freeze — move to a stronger dilution, not a later date. |
| S6Squeal, drag, or seizure on washed hardware | Fleet readiness | Re-lubricate anything that moves and got wet. | CI Super White Lube | Re-application is needed weekly — check for washout exposure. |
| Rule of thumb | If the answer to a wash problem is “turn it up,” check dwell, coverage, temperature, and water quality first. Concentration is the most expensive of the five variables and the least likely to be the actual fault. | |||
Primary-track lane — the locked chemistry decisionEscalation column — conditions that change the plan
Section 08 · Control & standardization
Set it once. Run it every shift.
Commissioning turns the stage architecture into work that survives a staff change.
A wash program that lives in one operator’s head resets every time that person moves on. Lock the primary track, meter and log the ratios, mark the injector pickups, set the shift checks, and put the numbers somewhere visible. The goal is that a new hire on their second shift can state what the site runs and why.
Commissioning checklist
1Select and lock the primary track
Choose the primary chemistry by equipment type — touchless and pressure, friction and mitt, or aviation-grade exterior. Remove the alternative from the shelf and from the injector rack.
2Meter and log every ratio
Set each injector, record the ratio, and mark the pickup tube with the product and the setting. Use the Bench to convert the ratio into an expected container-change interval, then check it against reality after a month.
3Program dwell to the conveyor
The panel has to stay wet from first chemical impact through rinse. Conveyor speed and arch spacing set the dwell; chemistry cannot compensate for a pass that dries out.
4Set the rinse diagnostic
Measure final-rinse TDS where spotting or drying is at issue, and inspect exit-lane sheeting and beading every shift. Log the reading rather than remembering it.
5Train on the problem soils
Every operator should be able to name the product for bug film, soot, tar, iron fallout, and undercarriage protection — and state which of those are corrective rather than routine.
6Document and post the settings
Ratios, injector positions, shift checks, and seasonal changeover dates go on a wall chart in the equipment room. A documented program survives turnover; an undocumented one does not.
KPI dashboard · what to measure
FP
First-pass clean rate
Vehicles leaving without manual rework or a re-entry. Track daily, review weekly. A falling rate is a dwell or coverage signal long before it is a chemistry signal.
CV
Chemistry cost per vehicle
Track by package tier, not as a site average. This is the number the Bench produces and the number a drum price cannot tell you.
TD
Final-rinse TDS
Handheld meter, logged per shift whenever spotting or drying performance slips. Water quality explains more exit-lane complaints than chemistry does.
DE
Dryer energy per vehicle
The measurable payback on the protect stage. Log blower draw and dwell before and after any protectant change and keep both readings.
TS
Tier separation
Exit photographs and water-break observation confirming that the premium package is visibly different. If it is not, the upsell is being discounted by default.
EH
Equipment hygiene
Nozzle scale, carry-over between arches, drip patterns, reclaim condition, and arch cleanliness. Most “chemistry problems” are found here.
Quick selector · start from the symptom
| What the site reports | First move | Products | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| WASH QUALITY | |||
| “Cars are coming out dirty, so we turned the dose up.” | Turn it back down and check dwell and coverage. | CI MagicTouch Touchless Car Wash | Concentration is the most expensive of the five wash variables and the least likely to be at fault. Verify the panel stays wet through rinse before touching the injector. |
| “The lower thirds are still dirty but the roof is clean.” | Check arch coverage and nozzle condition. | CI Formula 69 PreSprayCI TruckWash & Soot Remover | A clean upper body and a dirty rocker panel is a coverage pattern, not a chemistry deficit. If the soil is soot or grease, it belongs in the pre-treat lane. |
| “Foam collapses before the next arch.” | Check water temperature and verify the dilution. | CI Formula 08/08 | Foam stability is temperature and dilution before it is product. On a friction line thin foam is a paint-contact risk, so treat it as urgent. |
| APPEARANCE AND SPOTTING | |||
| “Vehicles are spotting after the dryer.” | Measure final-rinse TDS before changing any product. | CI Formula 24/07 | Hard water spots regardless of which drying agent is running. Compensate with rinse volume, and justify RO or DI on the final rinse where the problem is chronic. |
| “The premium package does not look different.” | Confirm one protectant per tier and check the arch is feeding. | CI Formula 24/07 | If both tiers leave the same water break, the package architecture has failed. Adding a second protectant to the top tier does not fix it. |
| “Glass on the trucks streaks every time.” | Use an extended-reach ammonia-free cleaner and check for silicone transfer. | CI ClearReach | Streaking on high units is usually reach and technique, or dressing overspray from the tire stage. |
| CONTAMINATION | |||
| “The paint feels gritty even after a good wash.” | Wash, then decontaminate iron at 1:2 on a wetted surface. | CI AutoBrite | Embedded iron sits below the wash threshold. No increase in detergent concentration reaches it — it needs its own pass. |
| “Tar spots survive the tunnel.” | Hand-spot with citrus solvent, then run the main wash. | CI Citrus Tar Remover | Tar is bonded and needs a solvent. It is spot chemistry — it never goes through an arch or a foam cannon. |
| “The engine bays on our fleet units are black.” | Degrease as a separate corrective pass. | CI ACII DegreaserCI TruckWash & Soot Remover | Engine grease and diesel soot are different soils from road film. Correct them, rinse, then return the unit to the standard program. |
| FLEET AND WINTER | |||
| “We are losing frames to corrosion in the salt belt.” | Schedule the corrosion pass in autumn, not in December. | Rust Converting Spray Aerosol | Applied before the salt season it is maintenance. Applied after it is a repair, and the repair costs more than the chemistry ever did. |
| “Washer reservoirs froze on half the fleet.” | Match the dilution to the coldest expected temperature and set a fixed changeover date. | CI Windshield Washer AntiFreeze | Published protection scales with dilution — 50/50 to –37 °C, 60/40 to –52 °C, 70/30 to –64 °C. Pick the ratio for the worst week, not the average one. |
| “Hinges and conveyor hardware seize after washing.” | Re-lubricate on a schedule, including the bay’s own hardware. | CI Super White Lube | A wash bay washes grease out. Anything moving that gets wet needs a planned re-lubrication interval. |
Signs the program is under-built
Two primary detergents on the shelf
Parallel primaries mean nobody decided. Training splits, settings drift, and results cannot be compared between shifts.
Nobody can state the current ratio
If the ratio is not written down and posted, it is not a setting — it is a habit, and habits drift every time staff turn over.
Chemistry cost is only known per drum
A drum price is not manageable. Cost per vehicle is, and it is the only figure that survives a conversation about package pricing.
Cost per vehicle is tracked by tier
Knowing the number by package tier is what makes an upsell defensible and a price increase explainable.
Container-change intervals match the model
When actual consumption matches the calculated figure, the injectors are holding and the program is under control.
Seasonal changeovers sit on fixed dates
Winter escalation, bug strip, and the corrosion pass all belong on the calendar, decided once, rather than re-argued every year.
CI360™ Auto & Fleet Wash is a task-based program guide, not a substitute for site-specific procedures. Confirm dilution ratios, dwell times, application methods, and substrate compatibility against current product labels, technical data sheets, and SDS before use. Follow site SOPs, training, PPE requirements, and applicable regulations. Never mix acidic and alkaline chemistry. Product names follow the Chem International catalogue; linked names open the product page on chemintonline.com. Bench calculations are arithmetic on operator-entered figures and do not constitute a quotation.
CI360™ · Auto & Fleet Wash
Need a site-specific load sheet?
CI360 can be translated into a wall-chart commissioning packet with pump settings, dilution stickers, injector labels, seasonal changeover dates, and shift checks matched to the exact equipment on your site.
Chem InternationalA division of Aliysha Enterprises Ltd.10770 180 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5S 2S4info@chemintonline.comchemintonline.comFounded 1988ISO 9001:2015CANUTEC emergency: 1-613-996-6666