Are Car Washes Bad for Your Car?

One of the easiest ways to get your vehicle looking great is to give it a wash. As dirt and grime build up mile after mile, your car can start to look pretty nasty. Most car owners give it no second thought, and a quick trip through the car wash it is.

Not so fast. There is some concern that the act of washing your car could actually be harmful in the long run. Is that true? This article is going to dive into this topic and help you understand the big picture of what car washes can do to your car and how to make them a healthy part of your car maintenance plan.

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Determining whether or not a car wash is going to damage your vehicle depends entirely on how the car is being washed. Generally speaking, automatic car washes – the kind you pay a few dollars to drive through – are going to be pretty rough on your vehicle’s finish.

Sure, the car might look sparkly when you drive away, but some damage was likely done that could come back to haunt you later on. Some automatic car washes are better than others, but you can assume that at least a little damage will be incurred when you take this option.

As you might imagine, hand washing is far better for your vehicle in terms of avoiding damage. Sure, you might still create some tiny little scratches, but if you do the job carefully, your vehicle’s finish should come away in good shape and the car will be nicely cleaned when you are done. If at all possible, opt for hand washing over automatic car washes to help protect your vehicle’s finish in the long run.

The Best Way to Care for Your Car

Just skipping out on washing your car entirely isn’t the right way to approach this matter. After all, washing your car doesn’t just make it look nice, but it also has some protective benefits by taking dirt and grime off the vehicle that could gradually harm the finish over time. So, what you’ll want to do is come up with a plan that allows you to keep your car clean throughout the year without inflicting too much unintentional harm along the way. Here are some tips to do just that –

Mostly hand wash. We aren’t going to say that you should never take your vehicle through an automatic car wash, because that might not be reasonable for your situation. But we do think you should wash your car by hand most of the time, if at all possible. Then, the occasional automatic wash won’t be a big deal, especially if you visit a quality facility with good equipment.
Buy good gear. Speaking of quality equipment, be sure to invest in good supplies to perform your hand washes. That means buying nice towels and brushes to work on your vehicle, and even spending a little more on quality car wash soap. The small things can make a big difference in the results you get for your efforts, so build a good kit of car wash gear and your time is sure to be well spent.
Apply some wax. If you are willing to go through the extra step of adding some wax after you wash your car, you’ll be creating a protective layer that can help keep the vehicle’s finish in good condition. You don’t have to do this after every wash, but keep it in mind when you have some extra time and want your vehicle to look its very best.

Protect Your Vehicle with American Carports

After taking the time to care for your vehicle, it would be a shame to allow your car to be harmed by the conditions that Mother Nature might throw your way. To keep your vehicle protected, consider parking under a metal structure from Carport Kingdom. Our carports are affordable, impressively durable, and can be styled to look great alongside your home or other buildings. We are excited to work with you on this project. Start by trying our Build & Price tool, and contact us if you have any questions along the way!