Minimize Your Visit To The Traditional Washing Bay

Most traditional car wash bays tend to do more harm than good to your car’s paint. Most detainers who pursue the perfect car finish insist that only hand-washing will get you there. But even with hand-washing there are risks. Using the same sponge to clean the vehicle’s painted surfaces and the tires and wheel wells is a common mistake that introduces abrasives into the cleaning process. Take care to segregate your sponges and rinse and clean them, as well as your microfiber towels, religiously.

Here are a few tips for safe and effective wash at the bay:

If you are waiting in line at a car wash and the vehicle in front of you looks like it is fresh from a week of off-roading in the mud, give up your place in line and come back another time. Car washes of all types “self-clean”, but not that fast. It takes a few cycles of rinsing to rid the brushes or soft cloth of excessive grit that can damage your finish.
Evaluate the facility. If it’s clean and modern on the outside the chances are good that they take care of the washing parts, too.
Most of the “extras” are probably not worth paying for. A spray-on “wax” will give a nice sheen but will fade in a few days. Do select the undercarriage cleaning, but only a couple of times a year.
Always show up with your own cleaning kit and ensure they use it for your car. Most washing bays lack simple pro items like washmitts, microfiber cloths etc. Taking your your kit to the bay can save your car paint in the long run.
Once in a while, ask for a deep vacuum of the interiors. It does help a ton.

Hope this helps.