Leather-upholstered sports seats, fleecy floor mats, robust rubber mats for the boot and a shiny cockpit: a car’s interior creates a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere but is also exposed to dirt such as road dust, mud or melted chocolate. A range of different products is available for the successful cleaning and preventive care of the interior.
Foam allows the easy and safe application of cleaners. Additionally, foam prolongs the working time of the cleaner and can protect sensitive surfaces from scratches. Textile surfaces, such as seats, can be cleaned with foam without soaking the textile.
Sometimes, foam is not desired while cleaning surfaces and cushions in the car interior. In this case, special low-foaming surfactants can be used.
Hydrotropic surfactants improve the solubility of nonionic surfactants in cleaners, especially in cleaner concentrates.
With the right product, perfume oils or hydrophobic solvents can be clearly solubilised.
Depending on product type, dosage system and application, the viscosity of a cleaner must be in the “right” range and therefore needs to be either decreased or increased.
Degreasing means effectively removing hydrophobic dirt (e.g. oils and fats). Nonionic surfactants are often used in surface cleaners since they possess a high fat-dissolving power.
The wetting of dirt and surfaces is the first and critical step in the cleaning process. Special surfactants with fast wetting properties speed up the cleaning, especially if hydrophobic (greasy and/or polymer-based) surfaces are to be cleaned.
Emulsifiers play an important role not only when greasy soil is to be emulsified in cleaning solutions, but also when cleaning agents contain a high proportion of perfume oil or when a hydrophobic solvent is to be incorporated to enhance the cleaning effect.
Shiny surfaces can appear hazy and dull if water condensation causes fogging. In the right concentration, special surfactants and polymers used in cleaners can prevent fogging.
Static charges on surfaces may accelerate the re-soiling of surfaces after cleaning, e.g. by attracting dust. Surfactants with antistatic properties help to prevent static charges on surfaces.
Car interior cleaners often come in contact with surfaces and parts made of plastic. Some surfactants and solvents can cause or accelerate damage, such as stress cracking, on these plastic parts. Therefore, it is important to choose the right surfactants to avoid damage.
