Are the self-serve car washes safe?
10-02-2007, 01:58 PM
#1
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Are the self-serve car washes safe? I just bought a black '98 Trans Am. When I had my metallic teal '95 Z28, I would use the following routine and was relatively satisfied with the results. Is the wax spray safe for the paint? What about the brush?
High-pressure rinse
Soapy brush (soft bristles)
High-pressure rinse
Wax spray
Low-pressure spot-free rinse
High-pressure rinse
Soapy brush (soft bristles)
High-pressure rinse
Wax spray
Low-pressure spot-free rinse
10-02-2007, 02:38 PM
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When I was in college, I used to bring my own bucket/soap/sponge and just used their water. Your car being black, if you use their brush, you're going to have swirls and scratches all over the car.
10-02-2007, 04:02 PM
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You will definitely get tons of swirl marks and possibly scratches if you use their brush. Get yourself a quality sheep skin or microfiber wash mitt and bring that with you.
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10-02-2007, 04:15 PM
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Same with the water bucket you use to rinse your mitt.
10-02-2007, 04:17 PM
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Don't worry about the pressure at most places. I work at a carwash. Do NOT use the brush. People clean their beds out and rims and that is the worst thing you can do. Nothing is safe. Trust no one. haha Just be careful. Most of the soaps we water down enough to be safe no matter what.
10-02-2007, 08:28 PM
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Man- NEVER use the brush. Around here in NY, I've seen people wash rusted snow plows with those. That'd be the last thing that I ever let touch my car! But like stated above, everything is alright, just bring your own wash mitt and call it a day. Good luck though.
10-02-2007, 10:16 PM
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It all depends on the car wash. If it is well maintained, and uses the proper chemicals, at the proper dilutions, then you are fine, as long as you stay away from the brush. If it is not well maintained, or if their cheicals aren't mixed correctly, then it can cause issues ..
One of the things you need to watch out for is that a lot of the washes reclaim their wash water, so the soapy water can contain grit, etc which can cause scracthing/swirling if you are using your own mitt on the car.
If you are going to use their bay, and water .. I recommend bringing your own bucket, and using their rinse water to mix with your own soap. then use their rinse water. The rinse water is almost always either fresh, or highly filtered.
If you are going to do that, make sure you talk to the owner.manager first, to make sure they are ok with you bucket washing .. Most of the time they will be, even if there is a sign posted that says no bucket washing, as long as you have money in the meter the whole time.
One of the things you need to watch out for is that a lot of the washes reclaim their wash water, so the soapy water can contain grit, etc which can cause scracthing/swirling if you are using your own mitt on the car.
If you are going to use their bay, and water .. I recommend bringing your own bucket, and using their rinse water to mix with your own soap. then use their rinse water. The rinse water is almost always either fresh, or highly filtered.
If you are going to do that, make sure you talk to the owner.manager first, to make sure they are ok with you bucket washing .. Most of the time they will be, even if there is a sign posted that says no bucket washing, as long as you have money in the meter the whole time.
10-03-2007, 12:19 AM
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This is one of those free-standing ones with no on-site employees. I suppose spraying the crap out of the brush before use still wouldn't be all right?
10-03-2007, 10:43 AM
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Yeah, when my four wheeler gets the mud caked on I take it to the pressure wash and I use the brush on it, and that's the only thing I'd use it on, I wouldn't even buy a brush for use at home, holds the dirt in. Stick with sheep skin or microfibre.
10-03-2007, 02:19 PM
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Ok, guys, what the crap is this? I went to the car wash last night and used the Rinse, Wax, and Spot Free Rinse. I thought the car just had water spots on it from last night, so I went there again and repeated.
