Most professional vehicle wash agents are alkaline—but why? The answer lies in chemistry. Traffic film, road grease, and exhaust residue are predominantly acidic or oil-based contaminants. Alkaline solutions (pH 10-13) excel at saponifying oils and breaking down organic acids through a process called emulsification, where surfactants in the alkaline solution surround oil droplets and suspend them in water for easy rinsing.
Interestingly, the automotive industry discovered in the 1970s that high-alkaline formulations could clean effectively without mechanical action, giving birth to touchless washing. The key was concentration: higher alkalinity meant faster chemical reactions, reducing contact time from minutes to seconds.
This is why modern alkaline concentrates remain the workhorse of fleet maintenance—they're simply unmatched at tackling the specific chemistry of road grime while being safe for paint and metal surfaces when properly diluted.
Professional formulations like NERTA CARNET JUMBO leverage this alkaline chemistry for efficient touchless cleaning across all vehicle types.
