Car wash services: is everyone doing it right?

Autumn and spring are the seasons when the flow of cars at car washes increases dramatically. It is clear: everyone wants his car to look perfect - sparkle and shine, as if confirming the cleanliness of its owner and his careful attitude to technology. However, a car wash is different from a car wash: not everywhere they treat the service in good faith. And a poorly washed body is not so bad. It may also be that the paintwork is damaged. Moreover, it is impossible to notice it right away: defects will begin to “float” over time. Today there are two ways to wash cars. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, which it makes sense to dwell on in more detail.

Contact washing

The most common vehicle washing option in the Russian Federation. The procedure is well known to anyone who has cleaned their car from the outside at least once. First, with a jet of water under pressure (using a Karcher device or a conventional hose), dirt is knocked off the body, and what remains is wetted. Then a washing solution is applied to the car and the body is wiped with a sponge. This is where the main danger for the LCP lies. In this case, particles of sand get stuck in the wiping material, which, when using a sponge, “work” like an abrasive, erasing the varnish coating of a car. The resulting micro-scratches will even better hold the dirt that gets on the body after such a wash. And the process itself takes at least half an hour.



There is only one positive point here - the use of relatively low-active agents that do not chemically spoil the paintwork and rubber, plastic parts. In addition, some prominent elements can only be washed manually: for example, rims. However, contact washing is often the only way to keep your car clean. To cause minimal damage to the vehicle and achieve the maximum effect of the procedure, follow the simple rules:

• ? use the services of a car wash, where the body is not just rinsed, but treated with a solution under pressure
  
• ? do not drive to points with insufficient lighting
  
• ? look at what sponges washers use: the material must be coarse-pored - fine-mesh will collect all the sand and act like emery
  
• ? pay attention to how the body is wiped dry: it is better if it is microfiber, and not an ordinary rag
  

If any of the above is not performed at the car wash, it is better to refuse its services. And one more thing: use the contact method of cleaning the body as little as possible, as a last resort.

Touchless car wash

Here, first, the dirt is knocked down with a strong jet, then an active agent and an alkaline composition are applied to the body. The first "separates" the dirt particles from each other, causing them to float in the foam. The second one supports her. After a short period of time, the plaque is washed off with clean water. Advantages of the non-contact method:

• ✅ the body is not scratched by a sponge, rags, brushes
  
• ✅ foam can flow into hard-to-reach cavities
  
• ✅ washing time is less compared to the contact method
  

But there are also negative sides. First of all, this is the use of relatively strong chemicals that have a negative effect on the paintwork. However, if the painting is factory, it calmly withstands the correctly selected composition.



But when the car was not repainted by the “officials”, the body may fade. Even if you contacted dealers, after updating the paintwork, it is recommended to apply a gentle body cleaning for a couple of months. To understand that professionals work at a car wash, pay attention to the following seemingly insignificant details:

• ? in a reputable service, a special generator is used to obtain foam; in a simple car wash, they use a gun nozzle with a tank attached to a hose
  
• ? the applied product is washed off from the bottom up using the correct technology
  
• ? drying is done with an industrial hair dryer
  

Also, in a good service, wax can be used at the finishing stage (usually for an additional fee), which loosens the tension of the water and adds shine to the bodywork.



And yet, many car owners prefer to wash their car on their own. What should be taken into account in this case?

Autochemistry and compressor

For washing the body use the so-called. active foam - alkaline concentrate. It must be diluted in the correct proportion. If you make a strong solution, the paintwork will suffer, if you make a weak solution, it will be harder to wash, but it will be enough for more procedures. To wash off the foam, quite popular Karcher-type compressors are used, where you can adjust the pressure by changing the nozzles. Recommendations:

• ✅ do not direct the jet at a right angle, make it smaller
  
• ✅ distance to the body - no closer than 30 cm
  

Should You Use a Degreaser?

Car washes may offer it as an additional service. In fact, it is kerosene or products based on it. Such substances only corrode varnish and paint. But there are also expensive products made without the "participation" of kerosene. In this case, after processing the body, it is recommended to apply a protective coating (for example, wax) or polish it. Otherwise, the car will quickly become dirty.

How to wash your car yourself

Start with the glasses: apply the solution on them at an acute angle. Gradually go down, driving all the dirt there. When the foam is applied to the body, wait a while (indicated in the instructions) and wash it off. It is better to repeat the procedure.

The most common mistakes made during the washing process

There is a myth among some car owners that a layer of dirt on the body protects against reagents. This is not so: the more it sticks, the more difficult it is to clean it off later without harmful consequences for the paintwork. Therefore, it is recommended to wash cars in a contactless way during periods when there is a lot of dirt on the streets, once every 7-10 days.

The second common mistake that harms the body coating is washing a car in hot weather with cold water. The car, standing under the scorching rays of the sun, gets very hot. When the body begins to be doused with ice water, a sharp temperature drop is obtained, which adversely affects the condition of the paintwork. An easy way to avoid problems is to use warm water in such cases.

The third common mistake is incomplete drying of the body after washing in winter. At services, they are most often limited to blowing locks with compressed air. It is necessary to insist that the door seals and the gas tank hatch are also processed. But even after that, having left in the cold, open all the doors, raise the wiper blades and stand like that for about five minutes.

The next "miss" made by beginners is a careless attitude to washing the engine compartment. Modern engines are literally “littered” with various sensors that may not be able to withstand the effects of a high-pressure water jet. Therefore, it must be small.

Conclusions

Washing your car is bad, but you can't wash it! But this is a joke: it is most often recommended to use a contactless car wash, resorting to the services of a reputable service: it will cost less than restoring the paintwork. Also, do not neglect water-repellent agents: although they will not last long, they will help keep the body coating intact.