When it comes to car washing and care, there are a few important things to keep in mind to get the best possible results. The mixing ratio of the chemicals used is a key factor that should be thoroughly considered before application. This is because, depending on the mixture, the properties of the chemistry can differ greatly, and thus produce different results.
Well Mixed, Better Cleaned.
Mixing ratio, what is it actually?
A mixing ratio is a specific amount of chemistry added to a specific amount of water. In the case of Green Star, for example, Koch-Chemie recommends a mixing ratio of 1:5 up to 1:30 for exterior vehicle care, which means that 5 parts of water are added to one part of chemical.
Or written differently: 1 part chemistry plus 5 parts result in a total of 6 parts of the mixture.
Or with examplary quantities: 10 ml Green Star + 50 ml water = 60 ml mixture.
Attention, even if it sounds weird: A mixture of 1:5 is much stronger dosed, i.e. contains more chemistry, than a mixture of 1:20. This graphic clarifies the connection.
But why is it important to mix chemicals at all?
Chemical products are often highly concentrated, i.e. not ready-to-use, and would not achieve the desired cleaning result without the addition of water or would even attack vehicle parts. On the other hand, if a product is diluted too much, it can no longer clean sufficiently. For this reason, Koch-Chemie gives a recommendation for a convincing result for each product where mixing is necessary.
The application area sets the tone
A mixing ratio per product is often not enough. But why is it that several recommendations are often made for one product?
It often happens that a product has more than one specific area of application. For example, a universal cleaner, such as Green Star from Koch-Chemie, can be used for both vehicle exterior and engine cleaning, as well as for textile cleaning and many other areas. For cleaning, this means that a product can encounter different vehicle parts and thus different materials that have different levels of soiling. Depending on the material for which the chemistry is to be used, an individual mixing ratio is very important, since, for example, too highly concentrated chemistry can attack vehicle parts made of rubber, such as seals, etc.
Now only one question remains: Mixing ratios are often not specified exactly, but with a range, such as 1:5 to 1:30. This is because, depending on the degree of soiling, more parts of chemistry are necessary to achieve the desired cleaning result. To find the right mixture, the time-honored rule "the proof of the pudding is in the eating" applies – in case of doubt, of course, with a lower dosage of chemistry so that nothing is attacked.
With accessories to the right mixture
Our range of accessories includes a few products that make mixing easier, such as the measuring cup or the measuring cylinder. Brand new in the range: The Dosing Cap is simply screwed onto the bottle, filled by compressing the bottle and can then be decanted directly. Best of all, the practical scale allows the correct amount of chemical to be read off immediately when filling the Dosing Cap.
The correct mixing ratio in three simple steps
- What is the application area or which vehicle parts are to be cleaned?
- How strongly are the parts soiled?
- Which mixture does the manufacturer recommend? You will find a suitable mixing ratio for each product on the Koch-Chemie website.
You can download our dilution guide here and hang it up at your workplace, for example.
