Superwash!

Here’s how Ed Loos’ powerful Strongsville Superwash combines 120-degree fresh water and the area’s only high-pressure “Gatling Gunners” to get cars really clean.

By: Ken McEntee
Date: 06/21/2009
The “laser wash” was a great new concept eight years ago when Ed Loos opened his touchless automatic car wash across the street from Westfield South Park.

“We were the first in Cuyahoga County to introduce the laser wash,” Ed recalls.

Now, he says, he has changed the name of his business to disassociate himself with similar businesses he says are cutting corners and compromising quality.

Strongsville Laser Wash is now Strongsville Superwash.

“Too many laser washes are cutting corners by using cold water, hard water, and detergents that foam up and look impressive, but don’t really clean very well,” Ed explains.

Laser Wash, he says, refers to a specific brand of car washing technology. Since many touchless washes use the equipment, they have generally used the word “laser” in their names.

“For a few years everybody used the same formula, utilizing only hot water and the best detergents to compete with friction car washes,” he recalls. “But many facilities have since been replumbed to use cold, hard water in an effort to cut costs. If you don’t use hot water you are not going to get the car clean.”

Hard water needs to be softened in order to be most effective for cleaning, Ed explains.

“As soon as soap hits hard water it stops working,” he says. “When you take a shower in very hard water you notice that it doesn’t lather up. We aim for zero hardness, which makes the soap 100-percent effective. In a touchless wash, you are relying completely on your soap and water because there are no brushes.”

Strongsville Superwash uses 120-degree fresh water heated in a 1.6 million BTU boiler. The boiler is surrounded by softeners and filters that remove calcium and other minerals to avoid water spots. The final spot-free rinse at Strongsville Superwash is comprised of reverse osmosis water with zero total dissolved solids. It ensures that the final rinse is crystal clear.

“We use cleaning detergents that were custom formulated just for us,” Ed says. Several years ago, Ed, his brother, Kurt, who owns a car wash in Montrose, and a friend, who operates a car wash in North Olmsted, visited their chemical manufacturer and suggested some product improvements.

“A lot of the car washes are using the cheapest chemicals that will put foam on cars,” Ed warns. “Foam looks cool when it’s sprayed all over your car, but foam isn’t what gets it clean.”

While many car washes charge extra for drying and an undercarriage wash, both are included on all washes at Strongsville Superwash.

Strongsville Superwash offers four washes, ranging from $9 to $13. They all begin with a high-pressure water blast from the Gatling Gunners that contain sixteen rotating, oscillating nozzles reminiscent of the old time rotating machine guns.

“I am the only one in Ohio that has the Gatling Gunners,” Ed says. “When you drive in you can feel power.”
Options include rust inhibitor, real Carnauba wax (not synthetic alternatives), Rain-X and Armor All polysealant.
“Real Carnauba wax brings out the shine of the paint, and Armor All enhances and seals it,” Ed says. “Rain-X is a premier product that was designed to repel water from glass. When it is applied, unless it is a torrential downpour, you almost don’t have to use your wipers. Now it is being applied to the paint as well.”

Strongsville Superwash offers a loyalty card program that features volume discounts and is reloadable online at www.StrongsvilleSuperwash.com. Load between $1 and $199 onto the card and get up to a 15-percent bonus. That means if you put $100 on the card, you get $115 worth of car washes. For purchases more than $200 the bonus increases to 20-percent.

“They make great gift cards for any occasion,” Ed suggests.

Strongsville Superwash is located at 16860 Royalton Road (Route 82), in Strongsville, across from the mall and just next to Panera Bread. For more information, visit www.StrongsvilleSuperwash.com.

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