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What Is a Presoak?
Presoaks are the first line of defense in the car wash process. They’re applied before the main wash cycle to loosen and break down soils. A high-quality presoak saves labor, protects equipment, and prepares vehicles for a more effective clean.
What Is a High pH Presoak?
High pH presoaks are alkaline cleaners formulated to break down organic materials such as:
- Road film
- Bug splatter
- Grease and oil
- Bird droppings
These presoaks act as a pick and dig out or lift stubborn grime that can build up. High pH formulas are known for their powerful degreasing properties, making them ideal for debugging, prep, and presoak areas.
Benefits of High pH Presoaks
- Act as a pick to dig out and remove soils
- Effective on oily residues and traffic film
- Excellent for high-volume, high-soil conditions
What Is a Low pH Presoak?
Low pH presoaks are acidic cleaners designed to neutralize alkaline films and remove inorganic contaminants like:
- Hard water spots
- Mineral deposits
- Brake dust
- Road salt and scale
Low pH products also help brighten vehicle surfaces, enhance shine, and promote better rinsability of waxes and protectants.
Benefits of Low pH Presoaks
- Great at removing mineral-based soils and oxidation
- Aids in the removal of stubborn eyebrows
- Helps to enhance/brighten surfaces
- Neutralizes alkalinity and balances the cleaning process
Two-Step Presoak Systems — Why Use Both?
The best results often come from using both high and low pH presoaks. This process allows each cleaner to target specific soil types and creates a chemical reaction that breaks bonds for a deeper clean.
Why It Works
Act as a pick and dig out stubborn dirt, oils and minerals
Improves overall wash quality
Using both neutralizes the surface preparing for detergents and waxes to bond effectively
Best Practices
Recommended to use both high and low pH formulas
Allow adequate dwell time
Frequently Asked Questions
High pH presoaks are alkaline cleaners that break down organic soils like road film, grease, and bugs.
Low pH presoaks are acidic cleaners that target inorganic materials like hard water spots, brake dust, and oxidation. Used together in a two-step process, they maximize cleaning performance.
Using both presoaks in a two-step system creates a chemical reaction that lifts and removes a broader range of soils. It improves wash consistency, reduces manual labor, and enhances surface prep before the main wash stage.
Recommendations can vary depending on your wash type, water quality, and even your climate or region. Some operators see the best results starting with a high pH to loosen oily soils, while others prefer leading with a low pH to tackle mineral deposits and road salts first. The right order often comes down to local conditions, equipment set up and soil types. A Ver-tech Labs representative is available to assist in recommendations.
Yes, when used as directed, both high and low pH presoaks are safe for all vehicle surfaces. As with any professional carwash chemistry proper dilution, application, and rinsing are key to ensuring safe and consistent results.
Most tunnel and in-bay automatic systems can apply both presoaks. It’s essential to have separate tanks or lines for each and proper dwell time for best effectiveness. Your Ver-tech rep can help configure your setup.
Factors like water quality, climate, soil type, and wash type (touchless, friction, etc.) all affect presoak performance. Contact Ver-tech Labs for expert support and sampling to find the perfect combination for your wash.
Yes. Ver-tech Labs formulates many of our chemicals with biodegradable surfactants and environmentally responsible ingredients. We’re committed to helping car washes clean better while minimizing environmental impact.
Every location is different. Water quality, soil types, climate, and wash type all influence which presoak combination is best. Our technical experts are here to help you build a custom solution that works for your business.