Drive Through Car Washes

Drive Through Car Washes

‍While drive through car washes may seem like a quick and convenient way to wash your car, they’re actually causing more damage than you think. The main problem with drive through car washes is that they use high speed, abrasive brushes. The spinning brushes that slap and drag across your vehicle hold on to all the dirt and grit from the vehicles ahead of yours, which causes serious swirl marks, marring and even scratches on your vehicles clear coat. 

Are Touchless Car Washes Any Better?

The fact that physical contact has been eliminated means that you don’t have to worry about scratches on your clear coat. However, in order to compensate for not using any abrasion, the cleaning agents used in touchless car washes are overly aggressive and full of harsh chemicals. Those bright, fun-colored foams are slowly stripping down the wax or paint sealant on your vehicle. With repeated use over time, this breaks down your clear coat which can lead to more serious damage to your vehicle’s paint in the future. 

Finding the Right Automotive Detailer

The safest method in washing your vehicle is to have it detailed by a professional. The right auto detailer will hand wash your vehicle using microfiber wash mitts. Microfiber is specifically designed to lift and trap the dirt and grit particles away from the surface, which prevents swirl marks, marring and scratches. When it comes to cleaning agents, the right auto detailer will use a car wash shampoo with a neutral pH balance. A neutral pH balance means the car wash shampoo is not acidic or harsh so it will not break down the wax or sealant on your vehicle, thus protecting your clear coat.