Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) and Ammonium Bi-Fluoride (ABF) have been an integral part of the vehicle cleaning industry for years. Over the last few months the International Carwash Association (ICA) and car wash magazines have been warning the industry again about the dangers of HF and ABF. Because HF exposure can result in potentially severe health outcomes, OSHA and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended that the industry identify less hazardous alternatives to HF industrial wash products.
In the past, many car and truck wash cleaning products, rust removers and aluminum brighteners contained HF because it is efficient in breaking down roadway matter and inexpensive. Exposure to HF can result in tissue damage requiring skin grafts, amputation of necrotic digits, hospitalization and even death. The most common sources of exposure included failure to wear personal protective equipment (PPE), using compromised PPE and failure to recognize exposure to HF.
One of the Ver-tech Labs (VTL) research and development initiatives for the last ten years has been to formulate affordable, non-HF low pH products with comparable cleaning results. “Cleaner-Brighter-Better” means that we manufacture a number of non-HF products for vehicle cleaning. Some of our non-HF products for vehicle washing include:
• Carwash low pH presoaks – Lightning, Vision, Double Vision, XV low pH Presoak
• Carwash tire and wheel cleaner – Wheel Blaster, Lightning, Golden Knight
Do you want to use chemicals that are safer for the environment, your employees and your customers? Ask your VTL chemical representative for the safer alternatives to HF chemicals.
Apply liberally to areas exposed to HF.