C. Charles Hahn
06-11-2011, 05:32 PM
IFO vs. EFO - A new way of thinking about contamination
I got to thinking the other day while using IronX on a car that perhaps we`ve been missing the mark in terms of categorizing finish contaminants as they relate to detailing.
As we all know, IFO stands for Industrial Fall-Out, which is a term used to describe many different surface contaminants such as acid rain, rail dust, road tar, brake dust, etc. Many also improperly use this term to describe general water spotting, among other types of contaminants.
I would contend that another category should also be recognized, which is Environmental Fall-Out, or EFO. EFO would include things such as mineral deposits from hard water (such as well water), tree sap, bird droppings, bug splatter, and even pollen and dust.
The reason I would make such a distinction is that IFO describes types of contamination that exist purely because of the man-made industrialized world in which we live. Not all vehicles come into contact with significant amounts of IFO if they are nowhere near the sources of such contamination most of the time. These vehicles instead see a large amount of EFO -- contamination that occurs naturally in the environment without any intervention from humans. Not only are IFO and EFO fundamentally different in terms of their composition and source, but despite some overlap they are also fundamentally different with regards to how they are dealt with.
Man-made Contaminants = Man-made Solutions
In many cases, IFO is dealt with using man-made solvents and strong harsh cleaners. While the detailing industry as a whole is getting better about making these cleaners environmentally friendly, there are still a number of unique challenges presented by the clean-up and disposal of industrial contamination. This in my opinion justifies their classification being held separate from the solutions available for environmentally-sourced contaminants.
Examples of Products for IFO:
Prep-Sol
3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner (and many other adhesive removers)
Many/Most All Purpose Cleaners
Lacquer Thinner/Mineral Spirits/Acetone/IPA/etc.
Detailing Clay
IronX
ValuGard ABC
Natural Contaminants = Natural Solutions
There are a wide variety of solutions for EFO, including the same types of solvents that are used for IFO removal. However in many cases, these are simply unnecessary and/or overkill. Safe, environmentally friendly solutions such as citrus based cleaners, or even just plain water are often all that are necessary to take care of the natural contaminants that make their way onto a vehicle`s finish.
Examples of Products for EFO:
Detailing Clay
Stoner`s XENIT
Water (cold water rinse can lift fresh tree sap)
California Duster (for pollen and dust)
Poorboy`s Bug Squash
Griot`s Garage Bug OFF!
Anyone else have any thoughts about the concept of IFO vs. EFO?
I got to thinking the other day while using IronX on a car that perhaps we`ve been missing the mark in terms of categorizing finish contaminants as they relate to detailing.
As we all know, IFO stands for Industrial Fall-Out, which is a term used to describe many different surface contaminants such as acid rain, rail dust, road tar, brake dust, etc. Many also improperly use this term to describe general water spotting, among other types of contaminants.
I would contend that another category should also be recognized, which is Environmental Fall-Out, or EFO. EFO would include things such as mineral deposits from hard water (such as well water), tree sap, bird droppings, bug splatter, and even pollen and dust.
The reason I would make such a distinction is that IFO describes types of contamination that exist purely because of the man-made industrialized world in which we live. Not all vehicles come into contact with significant amounts of IFO if they are nowhere near the sources of such contamination most of the time. These vehicles instead see a large amount of EFO -- contamination that occurs naturally in the environment without any intervention from humans. Not only are IFO and EFO fundamentally different in terms of their composition and source, but despite some overlap they are also fundamentally different with regards to how they are dealt with.
Man-made Contaminants = Man-made Solutions
In many cases, IFO is dealt with using man-made solvents and strong harsh cleaners. While the detailing industry as a whole is getting better about making these cleaners environmentally friendly, there are still a number of unique challenges presented by the clean-up and disposal of industrial contamination. This in my opinion justifies their classification being held separate from the solutions available for environmentally-sourced contaminants.
Examples of Products for IFO:
Prep-Sol
3M General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner (and many other adhesive removers)
Many/Most All Purpose Cleaners
Lacquer Thinner/Mineral Spirits/Acetone/IPA/etc.
Detailing Clay
IronX
ValuGard ABC
Natural Contaminants = Natural Solutions
There are a wide variety of solutions for EFO, including the same types of solvents that are used for IFO removal. However in many cases, these are simply unnecessary and/or overkill. Safe, environmentally friendly solutions such as citrus based cleaners, or even just plain water are often all that are necessary to take care of the natural contaminants that make their way onto a vehicle`s finish.
Examples of Products for EFO:
Detailing Clay
Stoner`s XENIT
Water (cold water rinse can lift fresh tree sap)
California Duster (for pollen and dust)
Poorboy`s Bug Squash
Griot`s Garage Bug OFF!
Anyone else have any thoughts about the concept of IFO vs. EFO?