A professional car wash runs on about five chemicals — a car wash shampoo, an all-purpose cleaner, an engine degreaser, a glass cleaner and an upholstery shampoo — and every one of them should be bought as a concentrate in 5 litres.
A concentrate multiplies: at its 1:100–400 dilution, one 5-litre can of KKE Car Wash Shampoo makes 505 to 2,005 litres of wash solution — roughly 50 to 200 bucket washes.
Below: what each chemical does, the dilution printed on each label, how far one 5-litre can goes, how to dilute safely, and a starter set for a doorstep wash, a wash bay and a detailing studio.
What chemicals does a professional car wash use?
Strip away the branding and a car wash buys chemicals for six jobs: washing the paint, cutting grease and stains, degreasing engines, cleaning glass, cleaning fabric and finishing leather. A seventh — washing the microfiber towels — is the one most new businesses forget, and it is why their towels start scratching paint within a month.
| Job | Chemical | Dilution on the label | One 5 L can makes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucket, mitt and foam-applicator washing | KKE Car Wash Shampoo | 1:100–400 | 505–2,005 L |
| The premium wash, with carnauba wax extracts | KKE Wash & Wax Shampoo | 1:100–400 | 505–2,005 L |
| Doorstep and basement-parking washes without a hose | KKE Waterless Car Wash Concentrate | 1:100 | 505 L |
| All-purpose cleaning, bugs, stains and grease | KKE Citra Clean (all-purpose cleaner) | 1:4–10 | 25–55 L |
| Engine bays, chassis and heavy grease | KKE ZAP Grease (engine degreaser) | 1:4 | 25 L |
| Glass and mirrors, streak-free | KKE Glasso (glass cleaner concentrate) | 1:50 | 255 L |
| Seats, carpets and roof liners | KKE Fabric Fresh (upholstery and carpet shampoo) | 1:16 | 85 L |
| Finishing treated leather and vinyl | KKE Leather Protect | Ready to use | — |
| Washing the microfiber towels themselves | KKE Soft Bliss (microfiber towel wash) | 15–20 ml per 3 kg load | — |
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Ratios are parts of product to parts of water: 1:100 means 10 ml of concentrate in a litre of water, and a 5-litre can at 1:100 makes 505 litres of ready-to-use solution.
Why buy car wash chemicals in 5 litres
- A lower price per litre. On every product in the range the 5-litre can works out cheaper per litre than the 500 ml bottle — compare both sizes on each product page.
- A concentrate multiplies. You are buying active chemistry and adding your own water, so a 5-litre can is really 25 to 2,000 litres of product, depending on the ratio.
- Staff stop running out mid-shift. A bay buying 500 ml bottles reorders every few days; one buying 5 litres reorders monthly.
- Less plastic. One can replaces ten bottles.
How far one 5 litre can goes
The useful number is not the size of the can but how many jobs it does, because that is what you are actually buying.
| Product | One use is | One 5 L can covers |
|---|---|---|
| Car Wash Shampoo | a 10-litre bucket at 1:400–1:100 | 50–200 bucket washes |
| Wash & Wax Shampoo | a 10-litre bucket at 1:400–1:100 | 50–200 bucket washes |
| Waterless Car Wash Concentrate | one 500 ml bottle at 1:100 | about 1,000 refills of a 500 ml spray bottle |
| Glasso (glass cleaner concentrate) | one 500 ml bottle at 1:50 | about 500 refills of a 500 ml spray bottle |
| Citra Clean (all-purpose cleaner) | 1 litre at 1:10 or 1:4 | 25–54 litres of cleaning solution |
| ZAP Grease (engine degreaser) | about 1 litre of 1:4 spray per engine | about 25 engine bays |
| Fabric Fresh (upholstery and carpet shampoo) | 1 litre of 1:16 solution | about 84 litres of upholstery shampoo |
| Soft Bliss (microfiber towel wash) | one 3 kg load at 15–20 ml | 250–333 machine loads |
Worked through for a bucket wash: a 10-litre bucket at 1:200 takes 50 ml of shampoo, so a 5-litre can washes about 100 cars. At 1:400 that doubles to 200.
How to dilute car wash chemicals
- Water first, concentrate second.Fill the bucket or bottle with water, then add the measured concentrate. Adding shampoo first makes it foam over and you lose the measurement.
- Measure every time.A 100 ml measuring jug and a marked dosing bottle are the cheapest tools in the bay. 1:50 is 20 ml per litre; 1:100 is 10 ml; 1:400 is 2.5 ml.
- Start weak, strengthen only if needed.Where the label gives a range — 1:100–400 for the shampoos, 1:4–10 for Citra Clean — begin at the weak end. Stronger is not cleaner past a point, and it empties the can faster.
- Label every secondary bottle.Product, ratio, date. An unlabelled degreaser bottle used on a glass job is how trims get stained.
- Never mix two chemicals.Different products are not designed to be combined. One chemical per bottle, and rinse the bottle between products.
The KKE 5 litre range, product by product
Bucket, mitt and foam-applicator washing
KKE Car Wash Shampoo
High-foaming, pH-neutral and hand-safe. The label dilution is 1 part in 100–400 parts water — a 10-litre bucket takes 25–100 ml.
The premium wash, with carnauba wax extracts
KKE Wash & Wax Shampoo
Same 1:100–400 dilution as the standard shampoo, with carnauba wax extracts for a lasting shine — the wash you sell as the upgrade.
Doorstep and basement-parking washes without a hose
KKE Waterless Car Wash Concentrate
5 ml of concentrate in 500 ml of clean water (1:100), shaken, sprayed on, wiped and buffed dry with a clean microfiber towel.
All-purpose cleaning, bugs, stains and grease
KKE Citra Clean (all-purpose cleaner)
1 part in 10 parts water for light-duty work, 1 in 4 for tough stains or greasiness. Orange-terpene based.
Engine bays, chassis and heavy grease
KKE ZAP Grease (engine degreaser)
1 part in 4 parts water, sprayed on a COOL engine, scrubbed, left to dwell, then rinsed thoroughly.
Glass and mirrors, streak-free
KKE Glasso (glass cleaner concentrate)
Ammonia-free, diluted 1 part in 50 parts water in a spray bottle and wiped off with a clean microfiber towel.
Seats, carpets and roof liners
KKE Fabric Fresh (upholstery and carpet shampoo)
1 part in 16 parts water, brushed in and extracted with a wet/dry vacuum; pre-treat tough stains with Citra Clean first.
Finishing treated leather and vinyl
KKE Leather Protect
Ready to use — shake well, massage in with a damp applicator, let it absorb, buff off the excess. Not for untreated leather.
Washing the microfiber towels themselves
KKE Soft Bliss (microfiber towel wash)
15–20 ml per machine cycle of 3 kg of towels; low-foam, residue-free, with a fabric softener.
Car wash business equipment list: the chemical starter sets
What to buy on day one, by the kind of business you run. Every item is a 5-litre can.
| Business | Buy these |
|---|---|
| Doorstep or mobile wash (no hose) | Waterless Car Wash Concentrate, Citra Clean (all-purpose cleaner), Glasso (glass cleaner concentrate), Soft Bliss (microfiber towel wash) |
| Wash bay with water | Car Wash Shampoo, Citra Clean (all-purpose cleaner), ZAP Grease (engine degreaser), Glasso (glass cleaner concentrate), Fabric Fresh (upholstery and carpet shampoo), Soft Bliss (microfiber towel wash) |
| Detailing studio | Car Wash Shampoo, Wash & Wax Shampoo, Citra Clean (all-purpose cleaner), ZAP Grease (engine degreaser), Glasso (glass cleaner concentrate), Fabric Fresh (upholstery and carpet shampoo), Leather Protect, Soft Bliss (microfiber towel wash) |
Storing and handling bulk chemicals safely
- Keep the can capped, upright and out of direct sun. Heat and an open cap are what spoil a concentrate.
- Decant, don't dip. Fill the day's spray bottles from the can and close it again.
- Keep the original can. The directions, dilution ratio and batch number are printed on it.
- Read the caution panel. The KKE labels say it plainly: harmful if swallowed; rinse skin and eyes thoroughly with water; seek medical advice if irritation continues. Gloves are sensible for staff using degreasers and all-purpose cleaners all day.
- Degrease cool engines only. The ZAP Grease label is specific about it — a hot engine flashes the solution off before it can work.
Common questions
What chemicals do I need to start a car wash?
Five cover a working wash bay: a car wash shampoo, an all-purpose cleaner, an engine degreaser, a glass cleaner and an upholstery shampoo. Add a waterless concentrate if you wash at the customer's doorstep, a leather treatment if you do interiors, and a microfiber towel wash so the towels you buy keep working. Buy the five in 5 litres; buy the rest when the work arrives.
How much car wash shampoo does one car use?
At 1:400 a 10-litre bucket needs 25 ml; at the stronger 1:100 end it needs 100 ml. Most bays settle around 1:200, or about 50 ml a car — so one 5-litre can covers roughly 50 to 200 bucket washes, about 100 at 1:200.
Is buying 5 litres cheaper than buying 500 ml bottles?
Yes — on every product in the KKE range the 5-litre can costs less per litre than the 500 ml bottle, and with a concentrate you are also not paying to ship water. Both sizes are on each product page, so you can compare them there.
How do I dilute car wash chemicals correctly?
Measure, don't pour by eye. Put the water in first, then the concentrate, so it doesn't foam over; use a measuring jug or a marked dosing bottle; and label every spray bottle with the product and the ratio. Never mix two different chemicals in one bottle.
Can I use a car shampoo concentrate in a foam cannon or pressure washer?
Yes — a high-foaming shampoo is made for it. Pre-dilute it in the cannon's bottle and set the cannon's own mixing knob; start at the weak end of the label range and strengthen only if the foam is thin.
How long does a 5-litre can of engine degreaser last?
ZAP Grease is used at 1 part in 4, so one can makes 25 litres of working solution. An engine bay takes about a litre of diluted spray, so one can covers around 25 engines.
Why does a professional car wash use pH-neutral shampoo?
It cleans without stripping wax, sealant or coating from a customer's car, and it is gentler on the hands of staff who wash all day. KKE Car Wash Shampoo is labelled pH-neutral and hand-safe.
How should I store bulk car care chemicals?
Cap closed, upright, out of direct sun and off the floor of a wet bay. Decant into labelled spray bottles for the day's work rather than working from the open can, and keep the original can — the directions and the batch number are printed on it.
Are bigger packs than 5 litres available?
Yes. Several products — the car wash shampoo, Wash & Wax, Fabric Fresh, Leather Protect, Soft Bliss and ZAP Grease — also list 26-litre packs on their product pages, and the shampoos come in 200 litres for high-volume sites and resellers.