Do automatic car washes damage your paint? (2024)

FAQs

Do automatic car washes damage your paint? ›

'Automatic car washes, as much as they are convenient, are abrading your paintwork because the brushes used aren't properly maintained,' Damon says. 'These machines are essentially like slapping your car with a dirty mop, causing hundreds of deep micro scratches called swirl marks.

While having a car wash, you may get different scratches on the car. Paint damage is a real possibility during automatic car washes.

Because of the appearance of a circular pattern of scratches, some people blame automatic carwashes, because the brushes spin in a circular motion. While an automatic carwash can get the blame, the cause of the scratches comes from in between carwashes while the car is in the process of getting dirty.

While requiring more time and effort than the automatic variety, you can get a deeper and more thorough clean with a hand wash. You can get to the small crevices of your vehicle, pay special attention to any lingering trouble spots, and get to know your car inside and out.

Touchless Car Wash

Again with the warning, an automated touch car wash can easily damage the paintwork on your car. However, there is the option to go to a touchless car wash, which is less expensive than a touch car wash. As the name suggests, your car is washed with no brushes touching your car's paint.

And remember—the best soap for your vehicle is car washing soap specifically designed to handle your car's paint. You should only be using hand soap or shampoo if you are in a bind and need a clean car fast.

For most cars, you're recommended to use a pressure washer with a rating between 1,200 to 1,900 PSI, and 1.4 to 1.6 GPM. Multiplied together, and you get a value of around 1,900 to 2,800 "cleaning units". Too much, and it could strip away the paint and coating.

What is the best type of car wash for a new car? ›

The best type of car wash for a new car is one that is gentle and won't cause any damage to the delicate paint finish. Touchless car washes, which use high-pressure water and gentle soaps, are a great option.

Here are the common techniques: Polishing: Minor scratches can often be buffed out using car polish and a bit of elbow grease. It's effective on clear coat scratches and can significantly improve the look of your vehicle. Compound: For deeper scratches, a detailing compound might be used.

Before you proceed to get your vehicle cleaned, you must have it in neutral. Putting your car in neutral allows your vehicle to roll through the cleaning cycles consistently with other vehicles and prevent collisions during the process.

Bringing your car to a commercial car wash is better for the environment. Federal laws in the U.S. require commercial car wash facilities to drain wastewater from car washing into sewer systems. The water then gets treated and filtered before it's recycled back into the region's water sources.

While some car washes may be safe bets, others might not be worth the risk. An automatic car wash can damage your paint if you don't take care of your car afterward. If you don't dry it off thoroughly after washing, the water can create scratches in the paint that will show up later.

In the battle of hand wash vs. automatic car wash, precision is one area where the hand car wash often shines. Workers can adjust their cleaning technique as they go, targeting hidden dirt and grime that machines might miss. However, they may also leave more water spots due to less efficient drying methods.

Can you wash your car too much? In a word, no. Ganther says that the bigger danger is not washing your vehicle often enough. Substances like tree wax or bird droppings are trickier to see than a layer of salt coating the paint, and people often leave these things on the car for too long.

A high-pressure power washer can cause damage to the paint and body of a car if not used properly. In order to prevent this, it is recommended to use a pressure washer with a lower PSI (pounds per square inch) setting when washing a car.

Are car wash brushes safe for cleaning my vehicle? No, car wash brushes can potentially cause scratches and surface damage to your vehicle.