Like most services in the industry, bug removal is best suited for one wash format over the others, but it is a service all washes can and should offer.
Kipp Kofsky, president of Arcadian Services LLC, says full-service washes are the best formats for bug removal services, since bug remover usually is “applied before the car enters into the carwash. The bug remover needs to penetrate but not dry and then be removed with a high-pressure sprayer.”
“For extremely difficult bugs, scrubbing may be necessary with a microfiber towel using the bug remover chemicals,” explains. “This is where a full-service format has an advantage and can gain additional revenue.”
Christopher Barboza, Stinger Chemical vice president of sales and business development concurs: “Bug removal is best suited when some type of high pressure is applied after a suitable dwell time, which is the tunnel market. A hybrid type of tunnel (friction and high-pressure) is [well-suited, too], but it all depends on the wash.”
“I always tell my tunnel customers to run a vehicle through and see what actually needs to be prepped; let your wash process dictate your prepping needs,” Barboza adds.
The self-serve format also offers an area for increased revenue in vended bug remover. But it is necessary to ensure customers are fully informed on usage.
Kofsky says, “It is very important the specific instructions are included with the signage on how to use the bug removal product. The bug removal chemicals will have a separate option, and it will be necessary to remove the chemical with a high-pressure spray following.”
In-bay automatics are less ideal than the other formats for bug removal, but it is still an option. “For in-bays the bug removal is a bit more difficult but can be done. The settings on an in-bay unit can be adjusted to apply the bug removal chemicals to the front of the vehicle, followed by a dwell time, [and] then a rinse of the area following.”
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