What do you classify as Two-Stepping and do you do it?

[Biodude]

I've talked to a number of different individuals over the past three months, and a lot of them tell me that they are two-step washing. But after talking to them about it, they are actually single stepping and brushing, and then applying aluminum brightener on the aluminum tanks, wheels, and etc. This is because the acids they are using is so "hot" it damages the glass so they're afraid to get it up on the cab glass and mirrors. Is this the norm for most fleet washers?

[R L S]

When we two step we apply acid to entire vehicle, then apply soap to entire vehicle, wash and roll onto to the next. If the acid is to "HOT" they can meter it down.

[Scott Stone]

We don't two step, mainly because we don't just do fleets and I like to keep machinery at a minimum. But the way I understand it, and have doen it, and seen it done is like RLS described it. APlly Acid over hte entire chemical, apply alkali to neutralize, then power rinse off to remove the dirt and grime.

[Paul Kassander]

Yep that is it, acid can etch glass you just have to be careful and not make it too strong.

[gregative]

Some of the trucks I wash have burnt glass from the prior washer. I have occasionaly gottten acid on the glass but am quick to neutralize it & haven't had a problem. My question is approx. how long does it take to burn the glass? A couple of seconds, minutes...?

[Biodude]

I guess it would depend on the type and stregth of acids that a person is using. Getting it on the glass is a requirement for our style of washing, but it's likely a lot more mild that what some others are using. I've even had it dry on the glass on real hot days and had to come back later and wash it off with no damage to the glass. All I know is that it sure helps the cleaning ability. I can't imagine doing it without it!

[onaprwl]

Biodude, if you are acid washing an entire truck that is not aluminum obviously your soap is not working or you wouldn't need the acid on the hole truck. This is a waste of chemicals and time and a chance of harming the glass. A good soap will clean the truck and have a chemical sprayer for just the nessary acid spots. Your work will go a lot faster with very minnimal chemical use. I have 3 guys per truck. Two work guns washing and the other sprays chemicals on the nessary places ahead of the washers thus keeping everyone moving at a good pace. Anytime you back up on a truck, first to spray chemical (acid) then to go over it with soap you have wasted plenty time and chemicals and just washed two trucks without actually going to the next truck. Figure trying to wash a 100 truck fleet at that rate. Every minute you back up if you do this on every truck at 100 trucks thats 100 minutes. You just lost 1 HR. and 40 minutes in your day. I don't know about you but that is time I don't have to waste with the fleets we do. Remember, every hour you are out there its more pay to the help, chemicals to buy and more money out of your pocket.

[Biodude]

I know what you're saying, Al. Money is too hard to come by in this business already without wasting time. However,whether you'd like to believe it or not, things get very dirty up here and a normal soap doesn't cut it by itself. I have tried a number of them and nothing comes close to the kind of clean that our version of 2 stepping does. I talk to people every week that tell me that all of the claims of the soap manufacturers make are a bunch of lies because it won't remove the dirt. I tend to believe that not every manufacturer is lying, but what I have found by traveling the country is that dirts are different depending on where you live, and some things work in some areas that don't work in others. It sounds like you're pretty confident in your soap that you're using. I should give it a try and see how it would perform. I'm open to new ideas and it's also a fact that new chemicals are being formulated every day that makes our dirty job easier. I'm all for that! This may sound stupid but right now I'm looking into a detergent that is a one pass application, meaning that it's just one pass with no rinse. Obviously it isn't designed for every application, but I thought it might be a good idea for postal vehicles, etc. Anyways, we wash 3 tractors in anywhere between 5-8 minutes when using three guys. Is it that much slower compared to your setup? The other thing that we are doing by washing in 2 full steps is that we're neutralizing our two chemicals close to a 7 PH again. Let me know what you think. I respect your opinion.

[washum]

Hi Biodude
I've been waiting for your reply on this topic,I agree with you northern wheather and road conditions make washing trucks an art. Roads are salted,sanded and spayed with liquid calsium.With out a good 2 step truck washing trucks never come clean.

[onaprwl]

Biodude, You have a great point that I tend to forget. I know you are correct about the road conditions and different kinds or dirt in different states. I don't know why I have forgotten this. I owned 18 wheelers and drove all over the country and remember only to well telling my wife when cleaning my truck, I don't know what kind of dirt this is but it doesn't want to come off. So with that in mind again I guess we can only pass on to others what we have found in hopes that it may be able to help others in thier areas.
As for believing the different chemical companies about thier products and the promises of what it will do, I also agree that is a crop of Sh!!.
If the tractors you are washing are regular cabs,(day cabs) then thats a good speed. We generally wash sleepers, (road tractors) and do about three in ten minutes. We have a account with about 23 tractors and 23 trailers and 4 bobtails and it takes us about 2 1/2 hours to do the fleet. Chris was with us on this account and timed it.
I'm always open for new information on chemicals but so far everthing I have tried doesn't compare to what I have but I would be interested in hearing how that one pass chemical works.

[Biodude]

I think it's funny how our perspective changes once we get on the trigger end of the wash gun. Things that look so easy to clean are not once the job is reliant on our efforts, equipment, and chemical. As far as the one step chemical is concerned, at this point it's still a work-in-process. I like the idea but I'm not sold on it yet. But you guys have hit on something that has been a big gripe of mine for some time. Let me figure out how to start a new thread. It's something I would like all of us pressure washing gurus to put our heads together on, not just us fleet guys.

[Kory]

This is something I have been looking to start doing (two step). I have a fleet acount that I cant get clean one stepping and rinseing. The chem just does not seam to clean certain areas mainly powder coated areas. anyone have any advice

[R L S]

Two stepping will clean those powder coated wheels right up.

[Biodude]

Oh, and by the way Al, that is one nice build you have there. You must wash a LOT of trucks!

[onaprwl]

Thanks Biodude, It's funny you said that. I had a man and his wife stop where we were washing a small fleet and ask if we did houses. After I explained that we did only fleets his wife asked if I got like this from preasure washing, and yes, she was a blond!!!