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Despite years of development in the car wash industry, including technological progress in chemicals, the question of powder or liquid still stirs strong emotions. Both technologies have their pros and cons.
Every investor planning to build a car wash faces the dilemma of whether to offer customers washing with powder or liquid chemistry. Despite years of development in the car wash industry, including technological progress in chemicals, the question of "powder or liquid" still stirs strong emotions. Admittedly, both powder and liquid washing technologies have their advantages and disadvantages. Let's take a look at them.
Pros and cons of powder and liquid
Advantages of powder
- The powders most often chosen by customers clean better than the most popular liquids.
- One 25 kg bag of powder provides up to 30 hours of washing! With this product, every wash at your car wash will be very cost-effective.
Advantages of liquid chemistry
- Liquid chemistry is generally more convenient to use than powder. Liquids can be dosed from larger containers, so you need to visit the car wash less often to top up the chemicals.
- Savings on the investment – a liquid chemistry car wash is cheaper to buy (less advanced chemical dosing technology).
- If there is a problem with the heating system, it is still possible to wash with liquid and cold water without risking damage to the car wash components.
Disadvantages of powder
- Because it contains phosphates, powder cannot always be used in areas with strict environmental restrictions. See our phosphate-free powder.
- With low-quality powder or water that is not heated sufficiently, for example due to a boiler failure, the powder may not dissolve properly. In BKF car washes, the installed sensors and intelligent control algorithms prevent the negative consequences of this.
Disadvantages of liquid chemistry
- One 20-litre canister of shampoo provides up to 17 hours of washing, which per minute of washing is more expensive than at a powder car wash.
- Although you can wash with liquid and cold water, you have to accept lower wash quality and lower customer satisfaction.
The economics – which pays off better?
If we opt for a powder car wash, we have to accept higher capital costs at the start of the investment. A liquid chemistry car wash, on the other hand, costs less to buy (simplified chemical dosing technology), but we will spend more on chemicals as it operates. In some cases, depending on local regulations, obtaining a building permit for a liquid chemistry car wash may also be less troublesome.
