Myths and Facts About Car Washes

Regular car washing is an excellent method to keep your vehicle safe. It not only keeps things looking nice, but by eliminating dangerous impurities, it can also help avoid rust and paint damage.

But not every vehicle wash is made equal. Certain washing techniques might possibly cause more harm than good. We’ve put together a list of well-liked car wash advice, both positive and negative, along with the data that support it, to help you sort reality from fiction.

Here are some things you should know about car washes, regardless of whether you recently bought a new automobile or are attempting to keep your old one looking like new.

True or false? Your paint will last longer with touchless car washing.

It varies. Unlike automatic car washes that utilize soft cloths or revolving brushes, “touchless” car washes employ chemicals and high-pressure water to clean your automobile. Both are theoretically able to do the task. However, the devil is in the details. A touchless car wash might not be able to thoroughly clean your automobile if it is really filthy. On the other hand, if you wash your car with old brushes or filthy towels, the paint may get minor dings from the dirt you transferred from other cars.

Consumer Reports advises inspecting the brushes in an automatic car wash to determine whether they are worn out or unclean before committing to a wash. This can be a sign of a facility that is not well maintained. If you want to use a touchless wash, they advise periodically cleaning your vehicle by hand or with a soft cloth to ensure it is spotless.

True or false? Rust can be avoided with an undercarriage wash.

True. If you choose an undercarriage wash, a high-pressure water spray will be used to wash your car’s undercarriage. The purpose of this wash is to get rid of any sand, salt, or muck that might have lodged itself in your car’s difficult-to-reach places. It is a good idea to choose an undercarriage wash for your car, especially if you drive through snow during the winter, as trapped moisture and corrosive substances like road salt can cause your car to rust. It’s not necessary for you to choose this option each time. However, at least once a season, the experts at Consumer Reports advise doing an undercarriage wash.

True or false? An automatic car wash is not as good as hand washing.

True. There’s really no better way to get your car looking like a showroom than by hand washing and detailing it. This is due to the fact that a hand wash enables you to thoroughly clean every inch of your car. Additionally, you may take your time washing tough stains and filth that an automatic washer could overlook. The main drawback is that using an automatic car wash is less time- and labor-efficient than manually washing your vehicle.

This concept should be understood with one caveat: Using the incorrect materials or improper method can always cause more harm than good. Desire to wash your automobile by hand like a pro? See our blog post for tips on detailing and cleaning your automobile at home.

True or false? It is always best to get the priciest wash.

Untrue. simple. Communicate. Superior. Fantastic. The pieces. There are several different wash options available at different pricing ranges when you visit your neighborhood car wash. The conventional wisdom would have you believe that the one that costs the most is always the best. Is that accurate, though?

The more costly car wash choices, such as spray-on wax and wheel cleaners, may give your car a little more shine, but they don’t actually do much to protect it, according to Consumer Reports. Therefore, you may always invest in a high-quality wash if you’d like a glossier finish. Just be aware that your automobile won’t get any cleaner as a result.

True or false? Using dish soap in your car is safe.

Untrue. A prevalent misconception regarding car washes is that dish soap and car wash soap are interchangeable. Nonetheless, professionals in detailing concur that dish soap is best used in the kitchen. This is due to the fact that dish detergent’s abrasive ingredients can not only remove dirt from your car’s paint, but also remove the wax layer that protects it. On the other hand, car wash soaps are designed to get rid of debris without stripping the paint’s varnish and wax.

True or false? Only use a fresh microfiber cloth to dry your automobile.

True. It is accurate. Using a shammy or clean microfiber towel is the most effective way to dry your automobile. Anything else, such as an old t-shirt, beach towel, or bath towel, could cause swirls and scratches in the clear coat that protects your paint job. Additionally, it’s a superior option than air drying, which might leave water stains on your automobile from minerals and other impurities in the water.

True or false? Waxing your car only needs to be done once a year.

Untrue. Car wax producers popularized this idea as a ruse for marketing purposes. The question of how often to wax your car is actually unanswerable.

How often you should wax your automobile is more dependent on the conditions it is exposed to, according to J.D. Power. Your car’s wax coating will stay longer in a climate-controlled garage than it will on the street. The protective layer of your paint can also be worn off more quickly in harsh winter weather and direct sunlight than in more temperate situations.

Taking these things into account, a few times a year or once a season can be the ideal interval for you. Here’s a hint for you: Using your finger, feel the paint on the car. It is most likely time for a wax if it feels rough.

True or false? Polishing and waxing are interchangeable terms.

Untrue. Although some people might confuse the terminology, polishing and waxing are actually very different processes. Car wax is designed to maintain and improve the paint job of your vehicle. Consider it as a thin layer that is painted over the paint. Conversely, polishing is the act of taking small flaws out of your paint’s surface. An abrasive compound will be used by a detailer during this procedure to get rid of oxidation, swirl marks, and scratches. Wax is put on top of the paint surface after it has been adjusted.