Look at the paintwork of a dirty van under a microscope and you will see rock-like particles gathered during a busy day on Britain’s roads.

There will be diesel, grit, sand, brake dust and general dirt all embedded in an oil layer. 

Detritus such as this is called traffic film and is removed by high-pressure sprays, yet the method of cleaning is only half the story when compared to the cleaning products themselves.

The industry behind them is a multi-million pound battleground between manufacturers competing to get a clean edge over their rivals all with one aim – finding chemical solutions to tackle the toughest dirt on the biggest fleets to keep vans looking pristine for as long as possible.

Tom Jewsbury, technical manager at automotive cleaning product manufacturer Nielsen Chemicals, said: “Vans have been described as the backbone of Britain. They’re synonymous with the colour white and because so much is expected of them they need an advanced, concentrated product to look their best.

“Uncared-for paintwork oxidises due to contaminants and sun exposure and goes dull. At the same time, reputations are at stake. If your van is dirty, what does that say about your firm?”
This year, Nielsen, based in Leicestershire, celebrates its 40th anniversary. Jewsbury said: “Forty years ago, Nielsen was just about polishes, but we now produce all-purpose cleaners that can clean and protect.”

Automotive cleaning products work thanks to chemicals called surfactants, which allow water to penetrate the oily traffic film and wash it away. 

By incorporating aggressive chemicals, cleaners can tackle tough deposits such as tar, leaving paintwork clean in as quick a time as possible.

“You’d then protect it with polish, but since you can’t polish an entire fleet of Transits, we add a special component to give the product a tiny positive electrical charge,” added Jewsbury.

“This makes it stick to the surface of the van and by adding another ingredient which is hydrophobic, the product essentially coats on to the paint and actively ‘throws off’ the water, which takes the dirt particles with it.”

It costs around 10p per van for a good wash using this product, although you need to invest in a pressure washer.
The benefits are that it protects the paintwork for longer compared to the average domestic cleaner, while the shine enhancer gives a better finish.

For those who take a more hands-on role with polishes, there are myriad ways to get a good shine, including natural products such as carnauba wax – derived from the carnauba palm, found only in Brazil – or modern technology, such as Teflon or PTFE, which makes dirt particles just slide off.

Jewsbury said: “There are so many products on the market now, but it’s vital that whatever people use, they should never skimp on quality. 

“If a cleaning solution is too weak they won’t get the result they’re looking for and if it’s too aggressive it would be disastrous. It will get rid of the dirt, but it would be like washing your hands with sandpaper.”
 
Paying the price for selling dirty vehicles

Anyone who doubts the value of van cleanliness need only go to an auction to see the difference in price that clean vehicles make against dirty ones.

The truck in the picture here was actually snapped by our photographer going through the halls at a recent Manheim auction in Colchester. Needless to say, bidding was virtually non-existent. 

It’s an extreme example but it makes the point.

James Davies, Manheim’s group CV manager, said: “It’s not always worth spending out on a vehicle before selling it as a mighty ding may cost £500 to fix with no return on that outlay.
“But a £100 polish-up could mean an extra £400 at selling time.”