How Do I Keep My Car Clean - Automatic Car Wash or Hand Wash

By Prentice St. Clair, CD-SV-RV, RIT

The age-old question for drivers is “how do I keep my car clean?”. Social psychological studies have shown that having and driving a clean car makes one happy. Most of us don’t need a study to tell us that! Moreover, there is a safety factor in driving a clean car . . . you can see clearly out the windows!

The Unvarnished Truth: Washing a car scratches the paint, regardless of how you do it.

Automatic Car Wash or Hand Wash?

Factors impacting the decision to wash with automation

• New versus old car wash machinery
• Time and convenience
• Expense

Factors impacting the decision to hand wash

• Less Scratching
• Superior Results
• Time and Convenience
• The DIY Therapeutic Benefit

The Unvarnished Truth: Washing a Car Scratches the Paint

Automotive paint is essentially sprayed-on plastic. Automotive clear coat paint starts out as a form of liquid plastic, to which is added a hardening agent just before spraying it onto the vehicle. The liquid hardens or cures to the solid paint surface to which we are accustomed. If you have ever placed an object, like a coffee mug, on a plastic table-top, you know how easy it is to scratch the plastic. The same is true for automotive paint.

So, let’s get one thing straight, right from the beginning: there is no way to effectively wash a vehicle without scratching the paint. However, the methods used can significantly increase or decrease the amount of scratching that occurs.

For example, an old-style automatic car wash with spinning nylon brush barrels is going to scratch the you-know-what out of the car. Interestingly, there are some rental car agency that still use this type of car wash after each customer, and you can clearly see the results.

On the other hand, absolutely minimal scratching is possible, if utilizing a careful hand wash using high-quality shampoo and clean, soft wash mitts, along with very specific hand-washing techniques. Moreover, these scratches may be so minor that they are not noticeable.

Finally, micro-scratching from regular washing can be minimized by application of sealants and other protectants that both hide the scratches, as well as protect the paint from scratching during washing.

One more thing: I realize there exist “touchless” car wash tunnels, but I don’t really consider these a viable option for two reasons:

1. These washes use exceptionally harsh chemicals to “melt” the dirt off the car. They typically start with a strong acidic solution, then finish with a strong alkaline solution, followed by extensive ringing.

2. Chemical washing without friction just doesn’t get the surface clean. It typically leaves behind a film of dirt.

Automatic Car Wash or Hand Wash?

Factors Impacting the Decision to Wash with Automation

New Versus Old Car Wash Machinery. Early automatic car washing systems used nylon brushes on spinning barrels that were rolled across the tops and sides of the cars. These were brutal to the vehicle paint. Newer automatic car wash technology employs cloth friction, which consists of groupings of cloth strips that either agitate back and forth across the top of the car, or spin on a barrel on the sides of the car.

Cloth friction cleaning is certainly much better than nylon brushes. However, even the soft cloth can hold onto particles from the previous vehicles and those particles can scratch your vehicle’s paint. Fortunately, the automatic car wash typically bathes the car in lubricating soap before agitating, thus reducing the amount of scratching. Moreover, a higher quality car wash will more frequently clean and maintain its equipment.

Time and Convenience. There is no doubt that the 3-4 minutes it takes to run your car through an automatic car wash is far less time and effort than a 45-minute bucket wash in your driveway. Some folks simply don’t have the time to wash their own car. Others lack a

place to do it, for example if living in a condo or apartment complex that does not allow vehicle washing.

Expense. On the other hand, automatic car washing can be expensive. In some water-sensitive areas of the country, a basic automatic car wash can cost as much as a sit-down dinner out. A popular low-price option is the “exterior express” automatic wash model, in which the car goes through a low-cost wash tunnel and no post-wash “finishing” services are provided. The lack of need for paid labor brings down the cost of the wash dramatically.

One more thing: Most car washes now offer a monthly subscription service where your card is charged a monthly fee for unlimited washes. Typically this monthly fee is significantly less than paying for individual washes if used weekly or more frequently.

Factors Impacting the Decision to Hand Wash

Less Scratching. Many folks who insist on hand washing say things like, “oh, I’ll never take this car through one of those automatic car scratching washes!” No doubt, a proper hand wash using the right chemicals, tools, and techniques, will clean a car with less scratching than an automatic car wash.

Superior Results. A proper handwash, by nature, involves a more intimate and thorough washing experience. The hand washer will carefully cover all parts of the vehicle with gentle agitation. The hand wash will also be more thorough than the automatic wash.

Time and Convenience. Hand washing will definitely take more time than an automatic car wash. And, of course, you need the facilities, equipment, knowledge, and time to perform a hand wash. If paying a professional to handwash, the vehicle may have to be delivered to the detail shop, which takes time and effort. This is why some folks choose to hire a mobile detailer that provides on-site washing service. Of course, a professional handwash can be quite pricy, but is well worth the convenience and results for some.

The DIY Therapeutic Benefit. Many folks who wash their own cars will claim a “therapeutic” benefit to doing so. They say that they really enjoy the process, they enjoy babying the car, and they like the pride and satisfaction of driving a beautifully clean car.

Summary

Driving a clean car feels better than driving a dirty one. One must choose between the time and convenience of automatic washing versus the superior results of handwashing. In the next installment on this topic, we will explore options for handwashing, including do-it-yourself and paid services.