JPH0241959A - Vehicle washing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To effectively remove water scales by washing a body after wetting it with an alkaline wash with pH over 11 and brushing with powder spray mixed with an abrasive powder while the body is kept moist by the washing. CONSTITUTION:A body of a vehicle is wetted with an alkaline wash with pH over 11, and washed before the alkaline wash begins to damage the coating of the body. While the body is kept moist by the washing, the body is covered with powder spray mixed with powder with a relatively low abrasiveness and containing 5% by weight of talc having an average grain size of 5mu, then scrubbed with a brush. Since water scales are swelled for certain and removed with powder spray, water scales can be effectively removed without scratching the body surface.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a method for cleaning vehicles, particularly automobiles, and is a method for cleaning water scales, which has traditionally been difficult to remove.
This relates to a method of removing paint using a brush-type circular car wash without adversely affecting the painted surface.

[Prior Art] Dark stains called "water scale" have been conspicuous in automobiles, especially cars painted in light colors, and have become a problem.

This water scale cannot be removed by washing with water alone, so if you want to remove it with a brush car wash called a circular car wash,
Measures taken include using an alkaline cleaning solution to swell and soften the scale, and using a cleaning solution containing abrasive particles called a compound dispersed in it to scrub it off with a brush.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] However, when using an alkaline cleaning liquid, it is difficult to apply a uniform brushing effect to the entire surface of the vehicle due to the mechanism of the circular car wash. It was customary to stop the train and perform manual work called ``touch-up,'' which was a complicated task.

In addition, if this touch-up work is not completed quickly, the alkaline cleaning solution will cause the painted surface to swell and dissolve, resulting in negative effects such as whitening of the paint film and loss of gloss. In order to eliminate this negative effect, if the alkalinity of the cleaning solution is lowered, the bulge effect of water scale will be reduced and the effectiveness of removing water scale will become worse.

On the other hand, with the method of using a cleaning liquid with abrasive particles dispersed in it, if the particles or the friction conditions of the brushing are strong, the painted surface of the car will be strongly abrasive, resulting in ``sinking'' or ``whitening''.
This phenomenon occurs, causing the painted surface to lose its luster and leaving directional brush scratches, and conversely, under mild polishing conditions, it becomes difficult to remove water scale.

In view of the actual situation as described above, this invention was developed for the purpose of efficiently cleaning water scale, which is difficult to remove, without causing any adverse effects on painted surfaces.

[Means to Solve the Problem] As a result of various studies to achieve the first objective, in July 1988, a patent application was filed for the invention of the ``car washing method.''
(Japanese Patent Application No. 176902/1982).

In this previous application, a strong alkaline cleaning solution containing a surfactant is applied to the body of the automatic IIL to swell the water scale, and then washed with water, followed by brushing, etc., to prevent the alkaline solution from adhering. Breaking away from the conventional wisdom of brushing while brushing, this new method provides a new method in which the alkaline solution is rinsed off before scrubbing.

The present invention is a further advancement of the invention of the previous application, and as a result of subsequent research, it was discovered that the surfactant does not necessarily have to be contained, and that it can be kept in a wet state without drying after washing with water. It is possible to remove limescale by keeping it as it is, and furthermore, the method of removing limescale by applying powder dispersion water containing powder with relatively low abrasiveness and plunging is better than brushing. They found that it is also effective.

In other words, the present invention moistens the body of a vehicle with an alkaline cleaning solution having a pH of 11 to 1-, washes it with water before the cleaning solution starts to attack the painted surface of the body, and then maintains the wet state due to the water washing. The gist of the present invention is to provide a method for washing a vehicle, which comprises applying powder-dispersed water containing powder with relatively low abrasiveness to the vehicle body while the vehicle is dirty, and washing the vehicle with a brush.

The alkaline cleaning solution in the present invention is water, caustic sorter, F
,? Caustic alkalis such as potash, silicic acid! 1. carbonate,
It is obtained by blending and dissolving alkaline substances such as phosphoric acid and organic amines, and is an aqueous cleaning liquid with a pH of 11 or higher, which is strongly alkaline.

In addition, as this alkaline agent, you may use the cleansing foam that is being watched by gate-type car wash machine manufacturers.
The key is to satisfy the alkaline condition of pH 11 or higher.

In other words, this alkaline cleaning solution I has a pH of 11 or more.
If the pH is not -, the scale cannot be swollen in a substantially short period of time, so it is necessary that the pH is 11 or higher.

Also, the higher the pH, the higher the degree of swelling of water scale, but the greater the influence on the painted surface.

11 (In order to safely and substantially swell only water scale without adversely affecting the painted surface, the pH of the cleaning solution is 1.
The temperature of the cleaning solution, the temperature of the painted surface, and the time until washing are all related. Therefore, it would be crazy to lower the pH of the alkaline cleaning solution in the summer when the temperature conditions are high, or conversely raise the pH in the winter, but in any case, if the pH is low and the pH is less than 11, water scale will swell. This goal cannot be achieved efficiently.

The most desirable method for moistening the body of the vehicle with an alkaline cleaning liquid in the case of "unexploded vehicle" is to spray the cleaning liquid, but other methods may of course be used.

If the painted surface of a vehicle is moistened with the above-mentioned alkaline cleaning solution for a slightly longer period of time, the paint film will swell and leave traces of the cleaning fluid dripping, and the paint film will turn white, lose its luster, and become eroded. , before that, wash it with water.

In other words, this water washing must be carried out after the scale has swelled with the alkaline cleaning solution and before the painted surface begins to be attacked.

The conditions under which this painted surface is attacked are the pH of the cleaning solution as mentioned above.
1 Temperature conditions and time are related, and among these, pH is limited to 11 or higher, and temperature conditions are complicatedly related to liquid temperature, body temperature, and pot part, so it is realistic to decide mainly based on time. be.

In other words, if the pH and temperature conditions are high, the time before washing should be set short, and when the pH and temperature conditions are low, the time before washing should be set longer.

According to the inventor's experiments, even if the pH conditions and temperature conditions changed, the time required for washing with water was determined to be within the range of 1 to 100 seconds after applying the alkaline cleaning solution. Furthermore, it is desirable that the time from application of the alkaline cleaning liquid to washing with water be the same throughout the vehicle body, so it is preferable that the device has a mechanism in which the washing spray device follows the spray device of the alkaline cleaning liquid. It is something.

It should be noted that if a surfactant is blended into this alkaline cleaning solution as a penetrating agent, it will be easier to obtain a uniform coating state, but it is not always necessary to blend this surfactant, and it may be possible to use a solution containing only an alkali agent. For example, methanol or other water-soluble solvents may be incorporated as the penetrant.

In the present invention, the next step is started after the above-mentioned water washing is completed, but in this case, it is necessary to start the next step while the wet state due to the water washing is maintained.

This is a very important condition; if the body surface dries out, the water scale cannot maintain its swollen state and will stick again, making it impossible to remove the water scale even after removal.

Therefore, in order to ensure that this moist state is maintained, it is very effective to add a drying inhibitor made of a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin ethylene glycol or propylene glycol to the washing water. will be obtained.

Particularly in the summer, the body tends to dry easily, so it is desirable to add a drying inhibitor such as the one described above to the washing water.

The method for removing water scale after washing is to first apply powder-dispersed water to the body being washed, and then wash the car using a brush from a car wash.

In this case, it goes without saying that brush washing i1j may be carried out while applying powder-dispersed water.

It is preferable that the powder mixed in the powder dispersion water has a relatively low abrasiveness.

The powder with low abrasiveness is preferably one with low hardness and small particle size.If the hardness is low, the particle size may be relatively large, and if the hardness is high, the particle size may be made very small. All you have to do is do it.

In other words, if the hardness is high and the particle size is large.

Such powders cannot be used because they cause ``glossy'' or ``whitening'' on the painted surface of the tunnel, and there is a risk of leaving scratches on the painted surface.

According to the inventor's experiments, the particle size is preferably a powder with a particle size distribution peak of 1 to 20 tons, and the hardness is preferably a powder with a Mohs hardness of 6 or less, such as talc, diatomaceous earth, plastic powder, etc. , wood flour, etc. showed favorable results.

Further, the above-mentioned drying inhibitor may be blended into the powder dispersion water to suppress drying, or other penetrants such as surfactants and water-soluble organic solvents may be blended.

After or while applying powder-dispersed water to the car body, the car is washed with a brush using the brush device of a gate-type car wash, but in this case, it is better to turn off the water at least initially and brush the car. In addition, the material, thickness, cross-sectional shape, length, density, number of brushes, rotation speed, distance from the vehicle, etc. of the brush may be adjusted as appropriate. In other words, a sufficient scale removal effect can be maintained even if the brush is applied lightly.

[Function] The present invention is a method for cleaning a vehicle, which has the following structure.The function is to quickly swell the water scale adhering to the body with a strong alkaline cleaning liquid, and this alkaline cleaning liquid can attack the painted surface of the body. Before starting, wash the body with water and run an alkaline cleaning solution to greatly reduce the alkalinity of the surface water on the body and eliminate any negative effects on the painted surface, and to keep water scale from swelling when the washing water dries. The objective of removing water scale without adversely affecting the vehicle is achieved through a series of actions in which powder-dispersed water is applied during brush washing to remove water scale.

A major feature of the present invention is that the water scale is swollen with an alkaline cleaning solution and then washed with water to lower the alkalinity to near neutrality, without scrubbing immediately.This improves the safety of the vehicle body. is ensured.

Another feature of the present invention is that after washing, the next water scale removal process is started before the water dries.This allows the car to be washed with a brush while the water scale remains swollen. It can be removed and there is no failure in cleaning.

Furthermore, another feature of the present invention is that powder-dispersed water is applied during brush car washing, and since it contains powder with relatively low abrasiveness, it is safe to use on the body while dispersing swollen water scale. It acts effectively against the environment and exhibits excellent cleaning properties.

Note that you can perform touch-up work as needed on areas where the brush contact is weak, but even in this case, the surface of the body is close to neutral, so as long as it does not dry, even if you work slowly, there will be no sag or paint. There is no problem with the surface, and water scale falls off easily.

[Example] A large number of "water scale" test pieces were prepared under the following certain conditions.

A large number of amino alkyd white painted boards measuring 20ca + x 30cm were left outdoors on the same site for three months.
Water scale was applied to it and used as a test piece. This test piece was fixed horizontally to -1- on the roof of an automobile and subjected to the test.

On the other hand, the following four types (a to d) of alkaline cleaning solutions were prepared.

a Sodium sesquicarbonate 3g Ice 7g b Soda carbonate 1g Potassium birophosphate 4g Water 95gC
1 g of sodium metasilicate 4 g of sodium tripolyphosphate 5 g of water 5 g of sodium chloride 10 cc of these cleaning solutions were uniformly applied to each test beast in the form of a mist.

Then, after each set time shown in Table 1, the samples were washed with water.

Regarding d), simply wash with water and add 5% glycerin.
Tested both with and including water washes.

After washing with water, the next step was carried out in a wet state.

However, regarding C), for comparison purposes, a test was also conducted in a dry state in addition to the wet state.

The next step is talc with an average particle size of 5 l (Mohs hardness: 1).
Powder dispersion water in which 5% of
While applying I evenly, I turned off the water and brushed the car using the brush of a gate-type car wash, and then washed it with water.

Regarding (b), for comparison with talc-dispersed water, a similar test was conducted using 5% by weight of silica sand (Mohs hardness 7) with an average particle size of 1 OIL dispersed therein.

Table 1 summarizes these experiments and their evaluations.

Table 1 From this table, it is difficult to remove water scale with an alkaline cleaning solution with a pH of 1O, and highly abrasive powders may have a negative effect on the painted surface (X in the table indicates the occurrence of scratches). ), and it has been recognized that drying after washing with water has a poor water scale removal effect, and if the method of the present invention is carried out,
Removal of water scale was reliably achieved, and the painted surface was not attacked at all. The mark ``■'' in the table indicates that the painted surface was free of problems and beautiful. ), there were no brush scratches. (In addition, O in the table simply indicates that there is no problem.) As another test not shown in the table above, when the time until washing with water was extended to 50 seconds, the high pH of (d) was slightly The painted surface was attacked and a whitening phenomenon occurred.

We also found that water scale was quite difficult to remove by simply brushing with a car wash without applying powder-dispersed water in the final step.

Furthermore, in (d), items washed with glycerin-containing water dry slowly and remain moist for about 2 to 3 times longer than when simply washed with water, making preparations for the next scale removal work easier. It was determined that the risk of failure was extremely low.

It goes without saying that in these experiments, the temperature conditions, brush conditions, etc. were all kept constant.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention has the following effects, and its effects are that water scale adhering to a vehicle can be reliably removed, and there is no concern that it will have any adverse effect on the painted surface of the vehicle. It is.

In other words, a strong alkaline cleaning solution that reliably swells the water scale is used to swell only the water scale, and then immediately washed with water to prevent the painted surface from being attacked by the alkali. Because it removes water scale, there is no failure in removing water scale, and since less abrasive powder and brush conditions are used to remove water scale, it does not leave scratches on the painted surface or cause fading or whitening. be.

In other words, the effect of the alkaline cleaning solution and the effect of the powder dispersion water are combined, and the proper washing with water and its 78 moisturizing effect work synergistically to produce an extremely excellent scale removal effect. .

In addition, the method of the present invention is extremely short in time from application of the alkaline cleaning solution to washing with water, and from washing to removal work, and is achieved through an extremely efficient process. This can be achieved automatically by a car wash machine, and its efficiency is very high.

Because of the above-mentioned excellent effects, the present invention is extremely useful in maintaining the beauty of vehicles over a long period of time.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The body of the vehicle is moistened with an alkaline cleaning solution having a pH of 11 or higher, washed with water before the cleaning solution begins to attack the painted surface of the body, and then the moist state caused by the washing is maintained. A method for washing a vehicle, which comprises applying powder-dispersed water containing powder having relatively low abrasiveness to the body while washing the vehicle with a brush.