Right In Your Backyard

Deep in the heart of Texas, you will find bluebonnets, good BBQ and some favorite breweries, but did you know that right in your backyard is a local manufacturer for car washing products and equipment? Perfecting their car wash solutions for more than 55 years, AutoBrite has been your local cleaning solutions expert. Focused research and development, coupled with superior customer service and quality products, has given AutoBrite the edge to be an industry leader, proudly serving Texas and the surrounding United States.

  • Manufactured in Texas
  • Quickly Shipped Out Products Across the U.S.
  • Formulated for All Professional Car Washes
  • Non-Corrosive and Non-Abrasive
  • Backed by Our Service and Support 

The ABC's of Clean 

There is no question that the car care industry is at its all-time high. Did you know that each year, car enthusiasts spend more than five billion dollars per year on car washing supplies and services? "It's a statement of fact that the automotive care segment has been one of the quickest growing in the last 20+ years, with the top sellers being car wash soaps and shampoos." AutoBrite is right at the helm of this profitable growth pattern and is consistently updating its formulas for all professional car washes.

The car care industry has seen many advancements in their car soap formulations and functions over the last century. It's not just the bubbles, scents and colors that are pleasing to your senses that are necessary to be successful. Car wash manufacturers like AutoBrite know this and continue to base their research and development on products that are geared towards improving wash results and performance. 

A Look Back In Time 

We can go back to biblical times and see soap being made with ashes and olive oil. Detergent surfactants have markedly improved over the last two centuries and the introduction of petroleum-based synthetic detergents in 1900 were a game changer. Fast forward to about 1914 when the first wash was open that had men pushing cars through an assembly line of washing, rinsing and drying stations. The car wash industry blossomed from there, which further required better washing solutions.

Over 50 years ago, car wash supplies were just some degreasing agents and carnauba wax for lubrication. These products were good for removing dirt and debris from your car's surface, but not more than that. In the 1960's, Johnson and Johnson entered the scene with their first consumer grade car wash soap that was sold in 5-gallon containers to service stations. This formula was not much better than your common dish soap, was abrasive, and left streaks and spots. About this same time, AutoBrite Co. was born, and followed industry patterns with the conversion to more targeted car wash solutions and has since strived to stay "above the curve," in the car care sector. 

The Perfect Equation 

Chemistry has played a major role in developing the perfect detergent that you see in today's car washes. "We have long since moved past the "one-size-fits-all" approach to cleaning solutions. Advanced chemistry has led to the development of better washing and rinsing agents that are providing maximum lubrication and protection for both the clear-coat and matte finishes that you see on today's vehicles," stated Lawrence Stovall, President, AutoBrite.

To understand how car wash soaps work, you must first know the science behind the function of surfactants. Surfactants in detergents make water "wetter," allowing surface dirt to be more penetrable, by lifting or loosening soil particles from surfaces. The molecules in "surface-active" detergents can be combined with other substances with various characteristics, all to create the perfect equation of mixtures to result in superior wash applications.

This led to more research and development that gave way to more pre-soak chemicals and other raw materials that local blenders utilized to improve formulations. These "built" detergents improved the efficacy of surfactants. The alkaline builders and chelating agents that were necessary for stabilizing formulas, improving hard water, also further increased their cleaning ability. These updated formulas started changing the face of the "modern" car wash.

There are four different types of surfactants utilized in car wash chemical formulas:

  1. The anionic, which are negatively charged in solution and are high sudsing and excellent cleaners. These are excellent for foam applications.
  2. The nonionic, which have no charge and are low sudsing. These are an excellent raw material to help hold formulas together and are excellent degreasers.
  3. The cationic surfactants, which are positively charged in nature. These are utilized in drying agents, and sealants.
  4. The amphoteric, which can act as any of the above surfactants depending on the pH of the medium.

Overall, the job of the surfactant is to loosen and lift soil from surfaces. The opposite of hydrophilic or "water loving" molecules is hydrophobic or "water-hating" molecules which are the basis of drying agents and sealants. Water droplets will pull away from the surface creating a beading effect which assists in the drying process. The proper combination of surfactants and other builders are necessary for the optimum car wash mixture. 

AutoBrite - Your Answer For The Ultimate Washing Experience 

As the car industry evolved and the automated car wash systems were slowly being introduced, in-bay automatic and conveyor belted tunnels were making their debut. AutoBrite, again, was at the forefront of this technology and innovation.

Fast forward to 2021, and AutoBrite is still the leading authority in the car wash and auto-detailing industry. For over five decades, they have brought the highest-quality equipment to owners all over the world and their car wash systems are second to none. Their specially formulated car wash chemicals have withstood the test of time and are still evolving to be the best in the "biz."

  • Car Wash Equipment
  • Car Washing Chemicals
  • Auto Detailing
  • Car Washing Solutions

At AutoBrite, we are the ABC's of car wash solutions. You can trust our expertise in the industry. We can help your customers get their SHINE on today with AutoBrite products and equipment!