The paint job on a car is the difference between making it look like brand new and a clunker. The traditional way of keeping the vehicle clean and fresh looking is to use a car wash service. It saves time and hassle and prevents your beloved car from becoming prematurely old. However, if you are not careful, such a service can completely ruin the painting and finish of your automobile.
A lot of services are there that use an automatic car wash machines and other modern tools to keep the vehicles safe from any damage. Nevertheless, try to avoid the following conditions:
Brushes with Harsh Bristles
Some old-fashioned service centers use rough brushes instead of soft cloth to wash the vehicles. Prickly bristles can leave small scratches in the finish, especially if it is an old model car with single stage paint. They can also ruin the thin layer of coat that provides shine and protects the underlying color coat in newer models.
High-Pressure Water Jets
Some people think that automated car wash services are the best option since they do the whole process without any touch of a hand. Nevertheless, they can cause rips in the painting and break the seams of the vinyl coating as they use high-pressure water jets to wash the cars. Regular use of these services will cut the lifespan of the outer coat of painting.
Unclean Water
Many washing services use recycled water that is not free of contaminants. So, when you clean it with a high-pressure washer, you are actually sandblasting it and quickening the process of waxing the painting off.
Besides, if the vehicle is squalid, jetting water into it in a high pressure will skid debris across the body, causing ugly swirl marks.
Dirty Brushes
Even if the brushes used in a car wash service have soft bristles, there’s still risk that the dirt and grime collected on them from previous vehicles can still damage your car. For example, if these collect some sands from a vehicle that drove across a sandy beach, you will put your automobile under the high risk of scraping its paint.
Services that use synthetic brushes are reliable though because the synthetic material does not hold on to dirt and particles.
Dirty Clothes for Wiping Down
Many full-service car washes offer attendants to hand-wipe your vehicle. It’s a good practice as the wet car will collect dust and dirt if you drive away with it. The standard procedure is to dry the vehicle with a clean, soft towel. However, the attendant may use dirty rags on some busy days and graze the finish just like sandpaper. Be careful about it and ask the staff member to change the cloth if it’s dirty.
A clean car that looks good with shiny exterior will give you higher resale value if you want to replace it anytime. Nevertheless, to keep that polished appearance, you have to choose the car wash service carefully. Try to use an automated station because it is safer than shops that provide hand-wash services.
