Do you need to wash the car and are debating between doing it yourself or going to a professional car wash? If you don’t have the time, desire, or supplies to clean your car, a professional can do it for you. There are three types of places you can go to get your car washed, all with differing degrees of effectiveness. A quick and easy automated touch Sports Car Wash, a more intensive but less expensive touchless car wash, or a do-it-yourself car wash facility are all available. You run the risk of marring your vehicle’s finish or not getting it completely clean at a car wash facility. Our recommendation, however, is to do it yourself at home because it’s quicker, cheaper, and easier.
We are now touching
As a kid, do you remember driving to the car wash and watching the car roll along the conveyor belt? Cool lights flashed and soap was sprayed all over the vehicle? You probably noticed damage to your car’s paint and finish. While the plastic and cloth brushes that whap, slap, and drag along your car’s finish remove dirt and grime, they can also leave scratches, swirls, and hazing behind.
Cars are washed on a conveyor belt using soft cloths, plastic brushes, water, and soap. You can save time with them but they are more expensive than a self-wash or touchless car wash. They can also cause more damage.
Car wash with a touch
Some touch car wash owners do it the right way and spend more to use more water or high-end lubricating soaps to keep these brushes properly lubricated, but even then it’s usually not enough to fully get all the dirt off the brushes that were used on the vehicle that preceded your car. To mitigate the situation, some Sports Car Wash attendants rinse the mud and dirt off before entering the Sports Car Wash. Additionally, car wash owners rarely advertise when the good stuff is used.
Water spots caused by hard water may be removed by a Sports Car Wash using strong soap. For an upcharge, car washes usually offer a liquid hot wax at the end of the wash cycle for short-term protection. Soft-water rinses help prevent water spots.
Please don’t touch me
As the name implies, touchless Sports Car Wash is less expensive than touch washes, doesn’t have brushes, and cleans your vehicle without touching its paint. The Touchless system uses high-pressure sprayers on either side of the vehicle (or a rotating wand) to blast away dirt and debris.
Your vehicle won’t be scratched by a touchless Sports Car Wash. It will get large chunks of dirt and debris off and do a decent job overall of cleaning the car. But a film of dirt and road grime will remain on the paint. It’ll be more apparent on a white car than on a dark car, but it’s there. One wipe with some spray wax and a microfiber towel will reveal how much dirt is left on the paint. In the Midwest in winter, it’s a decent amount.
It is easy to wash a car with a touchless Sports Car Wash, but you won’t get a completely clean vehicle.
Self-help
The number of do-it-yourself car washes has declined over the years. Car washes that are do-it-yourself are hit-or-miss. A few bucks is a cost-effective option, but if you are moving slowly, you will have to reload the machine and the price will double.
Self-service car washes typically use a coin-operated or credit card-controlled timer that gives you access to a high-pressure spray gun with a rotary knob for adjusting the rinse, soap, spot-free rinse, and wax options.
