3 Car Wash Options To Spring Clean Your Vehicle

Through a tough winter in Ontario, your car takes a beating from the snow, slippery roads, slush, grime, and who knows what else. Now that it’s spring, it’s time to give your car the bath it deserves, and not with just a hose and a large sponge. It’s time to head over to the car wash.

Nowadays, there are different kinds of car wash options where you can get some maintenance done, thanks to advanced technology. To give your vehicle the best spring cleaning possible, explore these car wash options and determine which one is most appealing to you.

Automatic or Tunnel Car Wash

These are the most common and traditional car wash types you will find. In existence since the 1930s, they are set up in a standard, conveyor belt style, comprised of long buildings that appear like a tunnel.

Automatic car washes use high-powered brushes and blowers to give your car a thorough washing. Here, you drive your vehicle into one end onto the conveyor system while in neutral gear, then let the car wash do the rest. From there, the brushes and hoses pressure wash your car, removing as much grime as possible on the exterior. The blowers are then used to give your car the shiniest look.

These car washes are ideal if you’re in a rush and are environmentally friendly. There’s less water consumption, less waste, and the water is recycled. They are more efficient with water and use it more systematically as supposed to when you wash your car yourself at home. Automatic car washes also use the right soap, which doesn’t affect your car’s paint job or leave the protective wax susceptible. It might be the most old-fashioned car wash option available, but for the spring maintenance of your vehicle, it’s still one of the most reliable options out there.

Touchless Car Wash

Also known as a brushless car wash, touchless car washes are similar to automatic car washes, but don’t use the high-powered brushes their automatic counterparts do.

They use high-powered water jets and detergents to clean the car without physically touching your car. As a result, your car will avoid potential cosmetic damage, including paint damage or damage to delicate components like antennas. Much like with automatic car washes, your car is led through a tunnel via a conveyor belt before being led into the cleaning area.

Another benefit of a touchless car wash is that the materials used to clean your vehicle’s surface are continuously rinsed to prevent any grit accumulation. Cleaning your car’s finish on a regular basis in a touchless car wash can eliminate the corrosion that dirt, salt, and pollutants create. That allows your car to look like it’s still fresh out of the dealership and keep it looking that way for a long time.

Self-Service Car Wash

These car washes require a bit of elbow grease on your part when you’re driving through them. At such establishments, you’ll park your car, use a high-pressure hose to clean your car’s exterior, and go from there. Another older car wash type, it’s one where you’ll have to do your own spring cleaning as opposed to the car wash doing the job on your behalf.

The hose you use from a self-service car wash can remove any dirt or grime from your car. After using the hose, you can soap up your car then rinse it off and give it some time to dry before you’re all finished.

Because it’s a self-service option, you’ll have to do the work. Plus, if you’re not used to washing or waxing your car, the results might be mixed. However, if you do have the skills to keep up with your vehicle maintenance this way, then it’s a viable option.

You’ll notice at self-service car washes that they’ll have features such as low-pressure tire cleaners, high-pressure wax, gentle foaming brushes, and different modes. These modes include pre-soak mode and high-pressure mode.

Self-service car washes are easy and convenient options, utilizing the best maintenance equipment and liquids to boost your vehicle’s aesthetics and effectiveness. There’s also more flexibility as you don’t have to bring your own products, and you have the space you need so you can wash and wax without feeling hurried. Self-service car washes also use products that are environmentally friendly and don’t use chemicals that might harm your vehicle’s finish.

These car washes are also great for apartment and condo dwellers who don’t have a driveway to clean their vehicles.

Auto Detail

One more car wash option to consider is to take your vehicle to an auto detailing shop, where your spring cleaning will be handled by a professional.

Auto detailers have professional washers who will clean your vehicle, by hand, from start to finish. Not only do they clean the exterior of your car like all the others, but they also can clean the interior. They can remove debris and grime from your car, clean the mats, check the AC for any built-up dirt or dust, and more. These professional washers are at your convenience and spare you any heavy lifting to get your car clean.

The biggest advantage when involving auto detailers doing your cleaning is that they are meticulous. It’s easy for you to lose track of any grime or dirt that your car has accumulated because it’s harder to detect such things in some parts of your vehicle.

By cleaning your interior, you get a comprehensive spring cleaning, removing things that may prove to be health hazards down the line. You’ll enjoy fresher air and have a greater comfort level in your car, for both you and your passengers. Like self-service car washes, they can be pricier options, but they are worth it if you want a wire-to-wire cleaning.