Acid — A chemical substance whose properties include the ability to react with bases or alkalis in water solutions to form salts.

Alkali — A chemical substance (such as hydroxide or carbonate of sodium or potassium) which reacts and neutralizes an acid.

Alkalinity — A property of water soluble substances (or mixtures) causing the concentration of hydroxyl ions (OH-) in water solutions to be higher than the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+).

Amp — Amperage

Amphoteric Surfactant — A surfactant that may be either anionic or cationic in water solution, depending on the pH.

Anionic Surfactant — A surfactant derived from an aliphatic hydrocarbon and usually a sodium salt, in which detergent and other properties depend in part on the negatively charged anion of the molecule; hence the name "anionic."

Antiredeposition Agent — An ingredient used in laundry detergents to help soil from resettling on fabrics after it has been removed during washing.

Arch — Inverted U-shaped device that sprays water and cleaning chemicals onto the top and both sides of a vehicle as it passes through a carwash.

Cfm — Cubic feet per minute.

Chelating Agent — A special type of organic sequestering agent that inactivates water hardness and other metallic ions in water.

Chemical Metering and Feed System — Apparatus for delivering chemicals from the equipment room to the application in the wash bay.

Chlorination — Process of adding chlorine to water to inhibit bacterial growth.

Cloth Friction Wash — Using wash material against the vehicle's surface to remove dirt.

Combination Vehicle Contour and Follower Applicator — Translating (i.e., moves two directions in a plane) and rotating arm that follows a predetermined path around a vehicle to deliver water and cleaning solutions to the surface of the vehicle through plumbing contained on the arm.

Core Center — hub portion of a rotating brush.

Correlator — In-ground device to align the vehicle wheels with a wash conveyor by providing a mechanism for the vehicle to slide laterally. The Correlator is located at the beginning of the entrance of the conveyor.

Detergency — The ability to clean or remove soil. Generally detergency is associated with the action of a cleaning agent such as soap, detergent, alkaline salt, or a combination.

Dissolved Solids — Fine particles of dirt and other debris in water not distinctly visible to the naked eye.

Emulsification — The dispersion or suspension of fine particles or globules of one or more liquids in another liquid.

Exterior Wash — Car wash service that includes only a cleaning of the outside of the car. Often this refers to an unattended wash, where no detailing services are offered.

Flocculation — Process by which chemicals cause suspended particles to become heavier, thus separating from other matter.

Foam — Bubbles formed on liquids by the process of agitation.

FOB — Free on Board -- without charge to the buyer for goods placed on board a carrier at the point of shipment. For example, "FOB, Portland" means the goods are loaded at Portland and buyer pays the shipping charges from Portland.

Front-to-Rear — Cloth Mitter Curtains Cleaning material moving parallel with the travel of the vehicle.

Full-Service Car Wash – This is a car wash facility which is normally equipped with a conveyor that once loaded pulls the users vehicle through the car wash. Soaps and detergents are applied to the vehicle as is passes through the car wash and the

Gantry — A framework that spans a distance, often moving on wheels at each end, used for carrying a traveling crane.

Greaseless — Not requiring lubrication.

Hand Wash (conveyorized) — A conveyor wash with workers wearing large mitts that wash the vehicle, rather than using mechanical mitters and side washers.

Hp — Horsepower.

Hz — Hertz.

In-Bay Automatic Car Wash — This is a car wash where the user pays at an autocashier and then when the entry device and/or instructional lights invite the user to drive their vehicle into the wash bay. The user continues driving into the bay until a buzzer and/or instructional lights flash stop. The wash activates and the user places their vehicle in Park. The car wash gantry will make several pass from the front to the rear of the vehicle and the user will stay in one place during the entire wash process.

Kwh — Kilowatt per hour.

Lubricity — The measure of resistance to friction on a surface.

Micron — One millionth of a meter.

Mitter — Machine that suspends and oscillates wash material on the horizontal surfaces of a vehicle to effect cleaning of the top surfaces of an automobile.

Motor Control Center — Enclosure containing starters, switching, and overload protection devices for electric motors which are utilized throughout a carwash system to operate various motors on different devices and machines.

POS — Point of Sale.

Reverse Osmosis — The removal of organic and suspended impurities from water by the use of one or more semi-permeable membranes.

Rinse Aid — Wax-like chemical applied to the vehicle surface after the final rinse for easier water removal during the drying process.

Rocker Panel — Portion of a vehicle's side that is below a straight line between the tops of both tires.

Roller-on-Demand — Car wash conveyor operational feature that moves a pusher into working position on the conveyor track to move a car through the car wash.

Rust Inhibitor — A chemical applicator for the under side of the vehicle in the wash process that inhibits rust formation.

Sequential Function — Functions that every car receives, such as soap, water and others determined by the operator (see programmable function).

Self-Lubricating — Pre-lubricated and not requiring additional lubrication.

Silencer — Pan-like dryer attachments filled with acoustical foam that cover the dryer producer inlets to reduce noise levels.

Spot-free Car wash — industry term synonymous with reverse osmosis.

Surface Conveyor — A conveyor in which the rollers ride completely on the surface. The advantage of this conveyor rather than the over-under conveyor is that a surface conveyor does not require a conveyor pit.

Triple Foam — Foam applicator which applies three different colored chemicals to the vehicle as it passes through the wash bay. Extra service that generates additional revenue and is eye pleasing to the customer.

Undercarriage Wash Applicator — Device to deliver high volumes of wash water to the underside of vehicles to remove mud and salt. Can also be used as a rust inhibitor applicator.

Ozonation — Process of injecting ozone into water to inhibit bacterial growth.

pH — A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity and decreasing with increasing acidity. The pH scale commonly in use ranges from 0 to 14. [p(otential of) H(ydrogen)].

PLC — Programmable Logic Controller.

Self-Service Car Wash — This is a car wash facility which has in many cases multiple wash bays and the user drives into the bays and turns their vehicle off. The user then exits their vehicle and enters currency into a coinbox and manually activates the car wash. The user uses a wash wand or brush to manually wash their vehicle.

Water Hardness — Soluble metal salts, (principally those of calcium and magnesium, and sometimes iron and manganese) that when present in water in sufficient amounts create cleaning problems. These metal salts remain on a vehicle after the water evaporates leaving white spots.

Wax Arch — Device for applying wax to a vehicle's top and sides as it passes through a wash bay.

Weep System — A system using dripping water to prevent freezing in hoses in cold climates.

Wheel and Tire Chemical Prep Applicator — Device for spraying cleaning solution onto wheels and tires.

Wraparound Washers — Rotating brushes attached to knuckling arms for cleaning the front, sides and rear of vehicles.