Cleaning your fleet is more than just hosing down your vehicles. It is about how effectively you clean it and whether it justifies the investment into the process. One way to ensure you get a spotless clean is through understanding your water quality, and more specifically, something called TDS.
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). While that sounds like a complex concept from a chemistry textbook, this blog post will explain why TDS is important to understanding water quality and its impact on your fleet washing.
Total Dissolved Solids is the total amount of dissolved substances in a fluid (typically water). The sources of dissolved substances can be natural — think rivers and lakes where soil picks up minerals along the way — or man-made like agricultural runoff and old plumbing systems.
The real question is: why should you care?
Water quality is one thing that can really make or break the results of your fleet washing. If the levels of TDS are too high then during the cleaning process, spots will form. A clean fleet is a professional fleet; therefore, you should aim for the best clean possible.
Water hardness is measured by “total grains” as well as total dissolved solids. Water hardness measures the presence of specific mineral elements such as rust, calcium, etc. Total dissolved solids measures ALL of the water content. Water hardness is “softened” by using salt or other fluorides/chlorides to remove minerals. These softening agents are still present in water’s TDS, meaning softened water may still leave water spots, but will certainly clean better compared to hard water.
To get an idea of your water’s TDS level, you need to measure them. Enter the TDS meter. There are several options and styles are available online, often for $20 or less.
A TDS meter is a small device that measures the concentration of dissolved solids in water. This is especially important if you have a Reverse Osmosis (RO) or Deionization (DI) water purification system, a TDS meter will be a must-have tool. They can help monitor the quality of your water, so you can determine the mineral content and make adjustments as necessary to avoid spots on your fleet.
Most often, TDS is measured in milligrams per liter (mg/L). That’s the same as parts per million (ppm), but to put it into perspective, 1 ppm = 0.058 grains per US gallon. The ideal range for TDS readings when blending soaps and rinses, without leaving spots, is between 0-50 ppm. This is 3 or fewer grains of hardness.
In fleet washing, measuring TDS is not just about accuracy—it’s about getting the job done right. Here’s a look at the four major benefits of using a TDS meter in your fleet washing process.
No one wants to see water spots on their fleet, it’s a sign that your washing process isn’t as effective as it should be. Utilizing a TDS meter ensures you can monitor the concentration of impurities in the water you’re using, lowering your chances of spots and streaks in the process. Utilizing a TDS meter ensures you can monitor the concentration of impurities in the water you’re using. If there is a high amount of TDS present, you could implement Hydro-Sheen as a rinsing aid or utilize a DI and/or RO system to create spot-free water.
Detergents don’t function as effectively when there is a high amount of TDS found in water. Minerals like calcium and magnesium could react with soaps, lowering their performance and forcing you to use even more soap to get the best results.
It’s not only frustrating but also costly to have to re-wash vehicles or use a separate process to correct water spots or streaks. You’ll bank up extra time, labor, and resources having to correct a very preventable issue. To avoid having to re-wash your fleet, using a TDS meter is key to understanding your water quality and how to better mix soaps and detergents to avoid spots and streaks.
Water spots from high TDS can leave behind streaks on glass surfaces making it difficult to see through windows. Water spots can also harm painted and polished metal surfaces due to mineral deposits. Darker-colored vehicle paints and printed graphics also show visible water spots and lower the perception of your wash results.
A TDS meter might seem like a small tool, but it can make a huge difference in your fleet washing. Whether you have hard water or using an RO or DI purification system, monitoring TDS levels can help to improve the quality of your washes.
For fleet managers or owners of fleet washing businesses alike, maintaining a spotless, professional appearance is vital and a TDS meter is a simple, yet effective device that will help you do just that.
So, if you’re serious about fleet washing, it’s time to pay closer attention to your TDS levels. Your clients, and your bottom line, will thank you.