Taking your vehicle to an auto car wash may seem like a quick and efficient way to clean it. However, car washes can cause more harm to your car than good. There are many stories of how a $15 automatic car wash can result in over $500 worth of damage. From mineral deposits and acid-etching chemicals to those whipping brushes, to having the luggage rack ripped off your truck. We recommend that you think twice before taking your vehicle to your local car wash.
With that in mind, continue reading to discover some of the reasons you should not take your vehicle to a car wash. For the love of cars, please skip the auto car wash!
First we will start with the basic high level reasons and then we will discuss each in greater detail…
For more info on each of these reasons, continue reading below…
Abrasive Brushes Cause Damage to the Exterior of your Vehicle
One of the main reasons you should never take your vehicle to a car wash is that the abrasive brushes can scratch the paint on your car. Most newer car washes have gotten rid of those old abrasive brushes and have changed them for softer ones. Still the slapping of these brushes against the side of your vehicle can still result in problems. After all, the brushes are covered with all of the grit from the vehicles that have had their car washed before yours. This is why hand washing is highly recommended.
It is important to stress that your paintwork can be scratched and essentially ruined no matter what vehicle type you have. You may think that your car is durable and that you have nothing to worry about, yet no paint job can withstand what can effectively be like sandpaper against the surface of your vehicle. The problem only gets worse and worse if you use car washes on a regular basis.
Strong Cleaners Have Chemicals that Etch the Glass
You may not give much consideration to the chemicals that are being sprayed onto your vehicle, but a lot of the cleaners are bad news for your car windows. Yes, they may be great at dissolving grime, dirt, and rust, but many of them will contain powerful hydrofluoric acids. If the acids are not diluted correctly, they can etch the glass. This is even more frustrating if you have high end window tinting.
Mineral Deposits Can Impact your Car’s Paintwork
Another reason why we do not recommend taking your vehicle to a car wash is because of the mineral deposits that can be left behind on a sunny day. Mineral deposits can be left behind on your car’s paint after hard water has been used. This happens when the water evaporates too quickly afterwards, which often occurs during the summer months. This can leave behind permanent water spots, which is not really what you want when expecting a clean vehicle, right?
The High Water Pressure Can Damage the Paint
You also need to be mindful of the intense water pressure. You may not be bothered by the small chip in your vehicle’s paint job right now, yet if it is blasted with high water pressure, it can expand, which may result in an expensive repair job.
A fast blast of water at close range can do some severe damage when there is enough pressure used. If pressurized water gets underneath the paint, it can force up the exposed edge and more paint will peel away.
Your Mirrors, Windshield Wipers, and Antennas are Vulnerable to Damage
You should also give a bit of thought to your mirrors, windshield wipers, and antennas. A lot of the new vehicles that are available today will hide their antenna under a shark fin design on the roof of the vehicle. However, this is not always the case for all cars, especially older models. Exposed antennas on older vehicles can snap, as can windshield wipers.
A lot of people who have taken their vehicles to a local car wash have ended up having their windshields broken. This happens more often than you may expect. Remember, you enter the car wash at your own risk, so you need to foot the bill of this in most cases! Another problem is that the water pressure can chew up the plastic gears that enable the wipers to move. Your side mirrors are also very vulnerable to damage when going through a carwash.
Final words on Automated Car Washes
When you take everything that has been mentioned into consideration. It is clear to see that there are a lot of risks that are associated with a car wash. This is why it is always recommended to have your vehicle cleaned by hand. Just because we are an auto detailing blog, doesn’t mean you have to see a professional auto cleaning service. We are merely suggesting that you shouldn’t put a car in a machine car, instead wash it by hand. Not only will this protect the longevity and appearance of your vehicle, but it will result in a much better cleaner result. To learn more about detailing you can do at home, read this.