On trucks, trailers and fleet vehicles, most wash problems come down to using the wrong chemistry for the job. Too gentle and the road film stays. Too strong, every wash, and you wear down the finish you are trying to protect. Here is how to choose.
At a glance
| pH neutral | Alkaline | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Regular washes, cabs, trailers, painted and coated panels | Heavy road film, grease, oil and brake dust |
| Use it | Every wash | Where the job needs it |
| Trucks | Green Machine | Blue Punch |
| Wheels | Red Bite | |
| Cars | Orange Crunch | Red Bite for wheels |
What pH actually tells you
pH runs from 0 to 14. Seven is neutral. Below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. Alkaline cleaners are good at breaking down oils, grease and the baked-on grime that builds up on chassis, engines and wheels. pH neutral cleaners are gentler, which is why they suit regular washing of painted and coated surfaces.
When to use pH neutral
- Regular maintenance washes on prime movers, trailers, buses and utes
- Vehicles with wax, sealant, ceramic coating or PPF
- Pre-wash foam through a cannon
Green Machine is our pH neutral snow foam truck wash. From the 20L it works out at roughly $0.79 to $1.31 a truck. For cars, Orange Crunch is the pH neutral option, and suits ceramic coatings, wax, sealants and PPF when used as directed.
Here is what a pH neutral foam mix looks like: 200mL of Green Machine poured from the 20L drum into a 1L foam cannon bottle, ready to top up with water.
Green Machine at 200mL per 1L cannon bottle, within the 150 to 250mL range printed on the label.
When to use alkaline
- Heavy road film on cabs and trailers that a neutral wash will not shift
- Grease and oil on chassis, engines and machinery
- Brake dust and road grime on wheels
Blue Punch is an alkaline 2 in 1 truck wash and degreaser. It dilutes to suit the job, from a general wash through to a heavier degrease, and one litre makes 10 to 100 litres of solution. For wheels, Red Bite is an alkaline wheel cleaner with no acid in it.
This is Red Bite doing the job an alkaline cleaner is built for: lifting bedded-in brake dust and road grime off a dirty wheel.
Red Bite on a brake dust bedded wheel. A 20L drum does roughly 550 to 1,000 sets.
What about acid?
Acid cleaners work fast, but they can damage some wheel and alloy finishes and need careful handling. For most jobs, an alkaline cleaner and a brush will do it.
A simple rule for the wash bay
Start gentle and only step up when you need to. Foam the cab and trailer with Green Machine, hit the chassis and greasy areas with Blue Punch, and do the wheels with Red Bite.
Always test on a small hidden area first, and follow the product label and Safety Data Sheet.
Common questions
Is all truck wash pH neutral?
No. Many truck washes are alkaline so they cut through road film faster. Green Machine is pH neutral. Blue Punch is alkaline.
Should I use alkaline every wash?
Usually not. Repeated use of strong cleaners can wear down wax and sealants faster. Most fleets wash with pH neutral and keep alkaline for the chassis, wheels and heavily soiled areas.
Can I use wheel cleaner on the paint?
Red Bite is made for wheels. Follow the label and rinse any overspray off other surfaces straight away.
Keep reading
What a wash really costs: cost per wash by pack size
Case study: a Sydney truck wash that switched from alkaline to pH neutral
How to set up a truck wash bay
Shop truck wash, degreaser or wheel cleaner, or set up the whole wash bay with the Truck Yard kit.