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Selecting
the Proper Car Wash
1. Why Clean Your Car
2. Self-Service Car Wash
3. Conveyor Car Wash
4. In-bay Automatic Car Wash
5. Professional Detailing
6. Home Washing
Why Clean Your Car?
Get Happy-Get Your Car Washed!
95 percent of those interviewed in a recent survey said that
driving a clean car cheered them up, and that after they have
their car washed in a professional car wash they get a "definite
emotional lift." Most motorists reported that driving
a dirty car depressed them.
If
the interior of the car is dirty and dusty, the air conditioner
and heater constantly circulate create an imbalance of positive
ions. Vacuuming
positive air ionization. Accentuating the negative ions can
change your mood.
Automobile
manufacturers and new car dealers are expressing great confidence
that today's technology provides car wash equipment that completely
protects the car's finish. This is a great testimonial to
the car wash industry. In fact, several auto manufacturers
recently scheduled national television commercials showing
their new model going through a car wash or detail shop, declaring
them "The only maintenance your car will ever need!"
Through
the use of modern car washing equipment and facilities as
high pressure pumps, heated water, the foaming brush system,
sand and grease traps, biodegradable detergents, and more,
we are able to maintain a high degree of control of both the
quantity and quality of water, providing a high quality effluent
to the sewage treatment plant.
Which
Type Is Best for You and Your Car Needs?
Done properly, they will all wash your car. "Problems
arise when equipment is not properly maintained and used."
Shop
around for washes. Find the manager and ask questions. What
kind of cleaning solutions do they use? How often is the equipment
maintained? How long does the wax coat last? If you don't
feel comfortable, keep looking.
Don't
forget the details. In addition to basic cleaning, some car
washes offer detailing services:
Maintenance detailing should be done every sixty days and
includes services such as wax, a thorough vacuuming and
possibly a carpet extractor.
This service can take up to a
half hour with prices around $50.
Restoration
detailing can take as long as eight hours and includes services
such as fixing paint and patching holes in upholstery. Because
it is more labor intensive, restoration detailing could cost
$200-$300. Most cars need restoration every three to four
years.
Self-Service
Car Wash
First, let us explain the functions
and features that many self-service car washes provide: |
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Foaming
Brush
A wand pipe connected to a brush that dispenses a foaming
lather. The lather lubricates the brush and loosens the
dirt. A typical brush uses approximately 1 quart of water
during a four minute cycle. |
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Pre-Soak
A detergent solution that the spray gun dispenses at a
relatively low pressure. Sprayed on the car, this loosens
the dirt and film and then can be easily washed off using
high-pressure. It uses approximately 3 quarts of water
to cover a car. |
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Tire
Cleaning
A cleaning solution dispensed through the spray gun at
low pressure (may be foaming or non-foaming). It
uses less than 1 quart of water per car. |
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Spot-Free
Rinse
A filtered water used as a final rinse to reduce spotting.
It usually eliminates the need for hand drying the car
after washing. It uses approximately 1.5 gallons of water
per minute. |
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High-Pressure
Wash
Warm water with detergent added, dispensed under high
pressure (approximately 1000 PSI). It uses about
3.5 gallons of water per minute. |
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High-Pressure
Wax
Water with wax added, usually dispensed under high pressure.
Provides protective coating on the car and uses about
3.5 gallons of water per minute. |
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High-Pressure
Rinse
Water dispensed under high pressure to rinse cleaning
solutions and wax application. It uses approximately 3.5
gallons of water per minute.
Now that you know what each function is and how much water
is consumed, let's determine which is the most water saving
method to use… |
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If your car is not exceptionally dirty and you do not
care to clean the tires or wax the car, you can achieve
a clean car with high-pressure wash and then switch
to foaming brush. Brush the entire car, turn to high
pressure rinse and remove the detergent. You should
be able to accomplish this using no more than 12 to
14 gallons of water.
An
exceptionally dirty car will take 8 to 10 gallons of
more water. If the car wash is equipped with pre-soak,
we suggest you spray presoak then switch to high-pressure
wash. Wash thoroughly then switch to foam brush to scrub
the car. Rinse with high-pressure rinse.
Using
other features such as presoak, wax and spot-free rinse
will add very little water consumption.
Although
it may be fun to let the kids wash the car in the driveway
on a hot summer day, Mark Thorsby, executive director
of the International Carwash Association, recommends
going to a self-serve car wash instead. "At home
is not the environmental way to wash your car,"
he says. "When you wash your car in the driveway,
the water and dirt from the car go into the street gutter
then into the storm water sewage system. The storm water
goes untreated into lakes, streams and other bodies
of water. At a self-serve car wash, the water is channeled
into the sanitary water system, one that treats the
water before it's recycled."
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Coin-Operated
Self Serve
This allows the consumers to wash
the car themselves. A wand disperses water and cleanser
at varying amounts and pressures. Convenience is key here:
coin-operated car washes are usually open 24 hours a day. |
| Conveyor
Car Wash
Probably
the most familiar to consumers, there are two types:
full-serve and exterior only. The full-serve cleans
the exterior and interior. During the exterior wash,
the driver stays in the car while it is being washed.
The car moves on a conveyor belt during both types of
washes.
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In-Bay
Automatic Car Wash
Mostly found at gas stations and
coin-operated car washes, the driver pulls into the
bay and parks the car. A machine moves back and forth
over the car to clean it, instead of the car moving
through the tunnel.
In past years, there have been debates about whether
nylon bristles damage a car. The bristles could do damage
if not maintained properly. Some car washes replaced
bristles with soft cloth strips. Others use touchless
automatic washers.
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Professional
Detailing:
What is Detailing?
Detailing is a contemporary term
for auto reconditioning. Simply put, detailing is the
cleaning of each minor part of a vehicle. It is believed
the word "detailing" was coined in southern
California where many auto reconditioning craftsman
(detailers) would cosmetically prepare a car
for auto shows. Today, approximately 33.8% of people
who wash their car at a full service car wash use detailing
services (ICA Study of Consumer Car Washing Attitudes
& Habits, 1996).
Full
Service Detailing vs. Express Detailing
Full service detailing is more of a restoration service
whereas express detailing is more of a maintenance service.
Full service detailing (restoration) should be
done every 3-4 year and takes approximately 8 hours
to complete. Express detailing (maintenance)
should be done every 60 days and takes approximately
1/2 hour.
Full service detailing can include: engine cleaning;
custom washing; road tar removal; trunk cleaning &
shampoo; carpet & upholstery shampoo; paint finish
wax & polish; treatment of all leather, vinyl &
rubber; chrome & glass polish; and paint touch up.
Extra full service detailing can include: pinstripping;
body side molding; door edge guards; paint touchup;
upholstery & carpet repair; vinyl top dying; windshield
repair/replacement; window tinting; body & paint
work; undercoating; and rust proofing.
Express detailing can include: wax/sealant; carpet
shampoo; paint sealant; fabric protectant; leather conditioning;
glass water-spot removal; and windshield chip repair.
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Home
Washing
The Right Way to Clean, Wash
and wax Your Car
By David Solomon, Nutz & Boltz
Washing
and waxing your car not only protects its factory finish
but also preserves its resale value. Yet many people
either ignore the task or use strategies that do more
harm than good. If you're going to wash your car at
home, here's how to do it right...
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| Before
You Begin |
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Park
the car in a spot that will remain shady throughout the
project. Avoid parking directly under trees where birds,
branches and leaves can cause damage. |
| Start
with the Interior |
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Vacuum
the entire interior of the car. Begin with the dashboard,
and work your way to the side panels, the rear deck lid
and the carpeting. |
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If
the floor mats are heavily soiled, remove and wash them
with a carpet shampoo. Allow plenty of drying time, usually
24 hours. Trapped moisture can mildew, causing odors and
corrosion. |
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Apply
a protectant to the dashboard and door interiors. Use
a high-quality vinyl cleaner on the synthetic surfaces.
Use a sponge or terry cloth applicator to work the cleaner
into the surface. Wipe the area dry with a clean terry
cloth towel. |
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Be
careful when you are cleaning the instrument panel. It
is usually coated with clear plastic that will scratch
if you wipe it with a dry rag or coarse paper towels.
Use a plastic cleaner. Don't over dampen the area-moisture
could damage the delicate electronics. |
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Apply
a protectant to the seats. This guards against cracking
and ultraviolet ray damage. Some people like products
that produce a shiny luster while others prefer a matte
finish. For leather interiors, use leather cleaner followed
by leather conditioner. |
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Clean
the interior windows and mirrors with an ammonia-based
glass cleaner. |
| Exterior
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Allow
the exterior of the car to cool in the shade on hot days.
If you begin when the car is red hot, you may damage its
finish. The body should be cool to the touch. |
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When
the vehicle is cool, rinse the body, wheels and tires
with a hose. Don't turn a hard stream on the car body.
To loosen dirt on wheels, use a spray nozzle. |
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After
the entire car is wet, wash the tires and wheels first.
It is important to clean when the car is dripping wet
so accidental over spray of the cleaner onto the body
will be diluted-less likely to harm the delicate finish.
Read and follow the product's directions. Applying some
cleaners to wheels that are hot or too dry can result
in permanent damage. The directions will also tell you
what type of cloth to use to wipe the car dry. |
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Don't
use the shampoo that you plan to use on the car's body.
Tires and wheels require a stronger type of cleaner. A
spray-on cleaner made for cleaning wheels is best. These
products are tough enough to remove dirt and grease and
the spray allows you to get to areas that a sponge or
wash mitt cannot reach. Although there are several products
created to clean tires and other products to clean wheels,
wheel cleaners will work fine on both. Using one product
makes the process much easier. |
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Before
washing the body of the car, rinse out any dirt in your
washing materials. Particles of dirt in your bucket or
sponges can scratch your car's finish. As you wash, rinse
sponges often to release any trapped dirt. |
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Mix
up a cleaning solution using high-quality car shampoo.
Use a product designed for automotive finishes. Avoid
dish washing detergent and most other shampoos, which
are too harsh. They strip wax and important oils from
the car's finish. |
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Work
from the top down and from front to back. Apply plenty
of suds with a 100 percent cotton terry cloth towel, lambskin
wash mitt, and natural sea sponge or horsehair brush.
All have the ability to agitate dirt and whisk it away
without scratching the paint. Lots of suds also limit
harmful abrasion. Avoid synthetic brushes and tee shirts.
Use back and forth motions, continually rinsing each section
to ensure soapy water carries away dirt and doesn't dry
on the car's surface. |
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For
the final rinse, hose the car with a medium flow of water.
This allows large sheets of water to form and roll off
the vehicle, making drying easier. |
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Dry
the car completely with an artificial chamoisor clean
cotton cloth. An artificial chamois is less abrasive and
more absorbent than a real chamois. Never allow water
to dry on the finish because mineral deposits in the water
can cause spotting. Take special care to dry the wheels
and tires again. |
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Waxing
 To
preserve your car's shine and protect the surface, wax
your vehicle at least twice a year-in the spring and
again in the fall. Four times a year at season changes
is even better.
When you don't have much time to wax... |
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Once
the car is clean, use a liquid or soft-paste product that
cleans, polishes and waxes in one step. There are many
excellent one-step products on the market now that are
easy to apply and remove. The best contain silicones,
polymers and carnauba-a Brazilian wax that offers a deep
shine and luster revered by perfectionists. |
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Apply
wax with a very clean terry cloth to avoid scratching
the finish. |
| When
you have an extra hour or two and want that "wet"
look... |
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First,
apply a cleaner. Cleaners use mild abrasives and chemicals
to remove defects in the paint's finish without damaging
the car's paint or clear coat. |
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Next,
apply a pure polish, which contains oils that enrich the
surface and remove wax buildup. The result is an unequal
depth, clarity and shine. Follow the instructions on the
container. |
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Then,
apply the wax. Paste waxes offer a slightly better depth
of shine but require more time to apply and wipe off.
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