The Wash

Several choices are available when it comes to washing your car.  You can choose to wash it yourself, or you can pay someone else to do the dirty work for you.  When purchasing such services, choices range from a quick automatic car wash at the gas station, to a hand wash and detail by a mobile auto detail company.  The safest and most effective way to maintain the appearance of your car’s paint, continues to be a hand wash.  Hand washing allows the dirt on your cars paint to be gently removed using the correct amount of pressure.  Modern day microfiber wash mitts do an excellent job of clearing the dirt from your car’s paint and trapping the dirt within its tiny fibers.  Automatic car washes use either chemicals and pressure or a combination of chemicals, mechanical action, and pressure to clean your car.  At a chemical and pressure car wash (also called a touch-less wash), the concentration of the chemicals is high because no agitation is used.  High chemical dilutions strip the wax off your car and can leave soapy residue on your car’s paint.  The automatic car wash operations that do use agitation, can cause damage because you have brushes or cloths being moved mechanically, at high speed and pressures over your car’s paint.  The other benefit of hand washing, is that it conserves water and reduces run-off.  Rinse-less wash technology allows a car to be washed with only a few gallons of water.  The polymers in these products bond to the paint and dirt particles, creating a cushion so that dirt can be safely washed away.  Even the car washes that recycle a significant amount of their water are still using a lot more water per car, than a hand wash.  Of course, the safety and results of a hand car wash depend on the skill and training of a company’s  staff and the quality of the washing and drying supplies.  Next time your car needs to be washed, consider having it conveniently hand washed and detailed, or take some time to wash it yourself.  You will be pleased with the results.