subject: What Is A Steam Car Wash? [print this page] The term steam car wash refers to using steam to clean cars and other vehicles. However, in the jargon of the cleaning industry and for the purpose of this article, it refers to using heated output for auto detailing. The heated output has many advantages in all types of cleaning, not just auto detailing. It has more cleaning power, allows the surfaces to dry up quickly, and does not cause too much water run-off.
This article explains how different cleaning machines contribute towards a steam car wash.
Car steam cleaners offer the highest output temperature - in other words the hottest steam output. The output temperature of these machines can reach up to 386F depending on the model. Transportable steam cleaner machines are used to clean the hard surfaces inside a vehicle, for example, dashboards and steering wheels. You must be careful while using car steam cleaners for cleaning vehicles. When using a steam cleaner for a steam car wash, the machine should never be used for exterior cleaning as the scrubbing action needed for using steam cleaners may scratch your vehicle. It is better to opt for machines with dry steam output while choosing portable steam cleaner machines. These machines consume less amount of water to clean and have a better cleaning efficiency too.
Carpet cleaning machines are employed to clean the soft surfaces of a vehicle and are used as auto detailing equipment for cleaning mats, carpets, and seat upholstery. Carpet cleaners are not designed for cleaning hard surfaces thus while selecting carpet cleaners for mobile steam car wash, one must select machines fitted with low flow technology. Such machines also offer the earlier-mentioned benefits like quick drying time and better cleaning. Additionally, these machines ensure that there will be no water run-off issue. The 'steam' output temperature of carpet cleaners is generally around 210F.Several auto detailing companies now offer mobile car wash which means that they visit the customers residence or garage and clean the vehicles on request. All such places do not have good drainage facilities; excess water run-off will ultimately attract fines and other charges. Carpet cleaners that come with low flow technology help the workers avoid such fines.
Washers that use water pressure technology are used as auto detailing equipment for cleaning the hard exterior surfaces. The prime condition for using these machines for washing a portable car is that the output pressure has to be less than 1500 psi. These machines offer wet steam output. The output temperature of such machines is often 250F-330F.
Guidelines for a purchase
It is advisable to buy high-pressure car wash machines with output temperatures in the range of 240F to 250F for steam car wash. These auto detailing machines is meant to melt the stains and dirt present on a vehicles exteriors but when it comes to using dry steam cleaners for interior hard surfaces and windows, a lot higher steam temperatures can be used, up to 386F.
