14N Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) We may have all used one of the hand car washes that seem to be appearing all over the place at some point or another, most likely for the convenience and apparent 'decent' job they make of cleaning your car. For some, a trip to hand car wash IS the cleaning and detailing regime for their Zed I will admit, I have used them myself once or twice but I was talking to a detailer at the weekend about reasons why you shouldn't use them and found an interesting list of ten very good reasons why you should avoid them. I just thought I'd share it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ With hand car washes popping up all over the place the temptation to use them as a regular way to keep your car clean is hard to resist. The convenience of the work being completed in 5-10 minutes while you wait and normally for less than ten pounds it all sounds fantastic so why wouldn't you use them? Here are some reasons worth considering... The first thing is your car is normally subjected to is an application of dilute traffic film remover via a pump sprayer and this is bad in two ways. The first is that this strong caustic chemical is very good at removing grime but will also strip any wax protection your paintwork has leaving it exposed to day to day wear and the elements. The second and more serious is that if this is applied to a dry surface there will be some form of damage to the top layer of paint and the severity is dictated by the strength of the dilution. Along with this we have also seen damaged chrome, plastic and rubber trim from this process. Perfect Car Care only uses non-caustic, mild citrus degreasers or ph neutral snow foams and only ever on pre-rinsed, wet vehicles. Wheels follow and this is again either by spraying with traffic film remover or in worse circumstances an acid based product. Both are strong and both can cause considerable damage especially when you consider that your vehicles wheels will inevitably be hot due to heat soak from the brakes and calipers. This will cause the water in the solution to evaporate allowing the chemical to dry or begin to dry on the finish. Using these products on warm or worse, hot wheels, will generally result in some form of damage to the wheel and caliper finish. Perfect Car Care only use ph neutral wheel cleaners that are gentle and only ever on cold wheels. The large buckets of water you see the guys working from is the same bucket of water that was used to clean the filthy, off road 4x4 that went before your vehicle. If you want your car washed with dirt this is definitely a great way. The shampoo used is important as it should not only be as close to ph neutral as possible so to not effect any protection on the paint but should also provide good lubricity that helps to remove the dirt from the paint efficiently with minimal micro scratching. Cheap shampoos will not provide any of the above. Washing your paint with the traditional yellow sponge has now been identified as one of the biggest culprits to damaging your vehicles paint. Sponges will generally trap dirt between the surface of the paint and the surface of the sponge creating a mild sandpapering effect which leads to the fine scratches, surface hazing and swirl marks you see on darker coloured vehicles. The introduction of soft lambs wool and microfiber wash mitts help to mitigate this problem and keep any abrasion to a minimum. Perfect Car Care only use genuine lambs wool wash mitts to clean vehicles. Understanding the correct way to clean a vehicle may sound ridiculous but there really is a right and wrong way to do it. Employing the correct technique will minimize micro scratching and swirl marks, ensure all areas are effectively cleaned and reduce the risk other common problems arising like premature drying of shampoo etc. Along with these factors it is also worth noting is that cleaning a car should be done carefully and should not be time restricted in any way. The majority of hand car washes fall short on all these fronts and should therefore best be avoided if you care about your vehicles paint. Drying the vehicle is the next pitfall and again a plethora of damage can occur by incorrect methods and the choice of equipment. The biggest problem is the use of drying blades which will drag any remaining tiny pieces of dirt or grit across the paint leaving scratches that can sometimes be extremely deep and difficult to remove. Even after a car has been cleaned the chances of there still being some small particles of dirt or grit on some of the panels is extremely high so using the safest way to dry is best. Chamois leathers tend to have a similar problem to sponges with regards to trapping grit and then dragging it around. When you also consider that they are rarely rinsed out and normally just wrung out the probability of being contaminated with dirt is high. Perfect Car Care use a combination of soft, clean microfiber towels and blown air to dry which minimizes contact and the potential for damage of any kind. Silicone based dressings used on bumpers, plastic and rubber trim and tyres not only attracts dirt and dust due to its sticky consistency but leaves finishes patchy in appearance, over and unnaturally shiny and with the tendencey to eventually turn brownish in appearance. Silicone is a topical based dressing meaning that it simply just sits over the top of the surface to be treated so does nothing to nourish, moisturise or add to the finish. Waxes and polishes used at hand car washes are again heavily silicone based, offer little actual protection and durability and are generally not what you want on your vehicles paint. When you also consider that they are being applied and removed with unclean or contaminated cloths and rags which can also add fine scratches to your vehicles paint the benefits are far outweighed by the potential problems that can arise. The last reason is from an environmental stand point and will not apply to legitimate, legal car washes that capture their waste water or use bio degradable products. Employing the use of cheap chemicals will normally mean using non bio degradable, environmentally harmful products that if washed into storm drains can end up in rivers and water ways and can be problematic to ecosystems and wildlife. Using bio degradable products is more costly but should not be ignored, especially if the amounts used are high. If you are going to use hand car washes try and make sure they use environmentally friendly products. With many owners unaware of the potential problems that can arise and the costs involved in rectifying them if you do care about your vehicle, these reasons are definitely worth considering as is the employment of a professional. When you also compare the quality of service offered between a ten minute car wash or a professional, 3 hour car wash you really do get what you pay for. Our advice is if you like your car, use a professional to look after it! (Text taken from Perfect Car Care) : http://perfectcarcar...and-car-wash/�� Edited March 30, 2015 by 14N 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Very true Ian, I never take my car to the cowboys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 goodness no, I never let any scrupulous types hand wash my car. Its sainsburys automatic car wash for me, thanks 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14N Posted March 30, 2015 Author Share Posted March 30, 2015 Its sainsburys automatic car wash for me, thanks Me too I like the Sainsbury's auto wash - the rollers are orange 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Personally I think that is very one sided and good advertising for the Company who wrote it. Besides £6 is the basic wash and dry - what do you get elsewhere for £6.00 ? A three hour car wash costs what - £75 as a minimum I would have thought. While I do not disagree in the main, hardly fair to say all Hand Washes are doing all these and all using poor products. Many of the items noted above - are products we have all used for years too. Yellow sponge, chamois leather are just two. If you shop around and get to know some of the staff, they will if asked - Wash out the cloths they clean with - so ensuring no grit is left over from the previous wash. They will also use your own products if asked. Tipping always gets you noticed as does talking to the staff and building relationships. I think its like anything in life - rermember you are the customer and make your requests, you are paying. If a new member of staff arrives and they go to do various things on my car, another member of staff will tell them, usually annnouncing I will break their legs if they dare - not wash out the cloths, think of squirling strokes on my paintwork etc etc. Often this involves pointing at me and laughing at the same time. But true none the less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 If a new member of staff arrives and they go to do various things on my car, another member of staff will tell them, usually annnouncing I will break their legs if they dare - not wash out the cloths, think of squirling strokes on my paintwork etc etc. Often this involves pointing at me and laughing at the same time. But true none the less. Must remember not to upset you in Wales 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynamic Turtle Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Problem is the compound price differential between the £150 for "proper" wash and £5 for the albanian scratching session. Over the course of three or so years it could cover a pre-sale respray with the cash saved in the interim! I think people don't half faff over detailing - 99% of the public couldn't tell and the other 1% probably couldn't give a monkey's. Particularly as the damn things are covered in muck and filth again 50 miles later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Personally I think that is very one sided and good advertising for the Company who wrote it. Besides £6 is the basic wash and dry - what do you get elsewhere for £6.00 ? A three hour car wash costs what - £75 as a minimum I would have thought. While I do not disagree in the main, hardly fair to say all Hand Washes are doing all these and all using poor products. Many of the items noted above - are products we have all used for years too. Yellow sponge, chamois leather are just two. If you shop around and get to know some of the staff, they will if asked - Wash out the cloths they clean with - so ensuring no grit is left over from the previous wash. They will also use your own products if asked. Tipping always gets you noticed as does talking to the staff and building relationships. I think its like anything in life - rermember you are the customer and make your requests, you are paying. If a new member of staff arrives and they go to do various things on my car, another member of staff will tell them, usually annnouncing I will break their legs if they dare - not wash out the cloths, think of squirling strokes on my paintwork etc etc. Often this involves pointing at me and laughing at the same time. But true none the less. Aye yes, nice bit of advertising there - as I was reading it through in my head every time I got to 'Perfect Car Care' I read it in my head in some comedy sales accent like you would see on tacky channels like QVC. You get what you pay for as Wendy says, £6 will not get you expensive shampoos etc. I would quite happily put the Focus through one because its covered in dents and scratches anyway, a £100 detail just isn't worth it on the workhorse of the household so they certainly have their uses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPhoboS Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I remember this from a few years ago - I enjoy cleaning the car myself, wouldn't dream of using a car wash place, machine or underpaid chaps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Good video. So the Hand wash if they had not used the Plastic wipe thingy would have been ok !!! I too would prefer to only wash my car myself - but - this is not always possible. One time my physio stopped me - said it was causing too much continued damage on my shoulders and back, so when things like this occur, leave the car covered in salt or go to the Hand Wash chaps . Know what I am doing when this occurs. Besides its quite nice having several fit young men crawling all over my car. Of course if I did not work or do occasional Track Days, my neck, shoulders and back would be fine !!! Plus I would have all the time in the world to wash my cars - one day !! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudman Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I quite often use the local Tesco hand wash. The guys there are always pleased to see the car and do a good job for the price. I still wash and wax mine but once a month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I've resisted commenting until now - I'm sure most of you can guess which side of the fence I'm on! - but with this topic in particular I can't help but think; Meh, some people care, some people don't. So long as they understand the potential outcome they can make their own, informed decision. Or they can even choose to live in ignorance if they wish. The local hand wash place isn't really any different to a dealer washing a car as part of ANY work they do, yet the majority of people would s**t a brick if a dealer didn't throw in a complementary scratch and shine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I make a note of telling dealers every time not to wash my cars, although I do let them Hoover the inside out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilogikal1 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Me too. Except for Atkin, they know me well enough not to even tell them now 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve916 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I will never take my zed to one of those hand car wash places. I take great pride in cleaning it myself. When the summer eventually gets here I'll be doing a 6 hour cleaning and machine polishing session. With the crap weather through the winter, I'll drive to the nearest garage to use their pressure washer to rinse off all the salt etc. I took our S-Max to a hand wash place once, and tbh I was really impressed with the overall condition when I picked it up. Looked brand new again. Some weeks later, I noticed that the wheel centres were starting to corrode, and then some parts of the alloys were being eaten away. All this caused by the acid in the cleaner that these guys had used. Never again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I wouldnt wash my tenderly loved sports car but the £800 beat up focus gets the car wash treatment every time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) The vast majority of people do not care about their vehicles. Otherwise there would also be no spaces at the furthest point from the Supermarket doors where those of us who do treasure our cars generally park. Despite it being alien to me - seems the majority buy their vehicles on Credit and hand them back every 3 years too, so they are not really going to care to the same degree - or at least not the folk I know and some have some good cars. Spring/Summer is definetely the time with the longer evenings for me to actually enjoy washing my car rather than the chore over winter when invariably I don't !!! Edited March 30, 2015 by Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) edit didnt read op right Edited March 30, 2015 by StevoD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! stop your old man and sisters driving it then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 stop your old man and sisters driving it then You know somthing I dont?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I was sworn to secrecy .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMballistic Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Would never let anyone touch my car, the only thing i dont like about washing my car is noticing new stonechips and marks! ^^ Same. It only usually takes me around an hour to do my car inside & out each week, ...occasionally I spend longer prior to winter or if I was going to a show or something like that. Always cleaned my cars myself and also feel like it's a good work out of sorts too so helps keep me fit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 (edited) I was sworn to secrecy .... I'll blame you then if I get caught washing their cars with a woolen mitt full of gravel Edited March 30, 2015 by Zedd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I was sworn to secrecy .... I'll blame you then if I get caught washing their cars with a woolen mitt full of gravel don't shoot the messenger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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