Carwash Tips

Answer: No! Rain and snow contain dirt and pollutants from the air (commonly referred to as acid rain) and it can eat away at the finish on your car. After acid rain falls on your vehicle, the water evaporates, leaving a film of acid. Concentrated by sunlight, this acid can become so strong that it will "eat" through your car's finish, ruining the vehicle's paint and appearance.

Answer: To maintain the value of your vehicle, you can't afford not to professionally maintain the appearance of your car. And if you compare a professional car wash to a driveway wash - factoring in cleaners, waxes and water use - you will find that a professional car wash is not significantly more expensive than washing it yourself - and most professional car washes take less than half of the time of the typical driveway wash.

Answer: Yes. Most new cars have a clear coat finish, however this can be easily damaged by acid rain. Even with minimal time outdoors, any clear coat finish will begin to deteriorate after two years. The sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, salt and road grime also damage cars. Wax is an effective and efficient way to shine and protect your car's finish. It is recommended that a car receive a professional hand wax once or twice a year, along with professional car wash at least once or twice a month.

Answer: Detailing services can restore virtually any car back to showroom quality, or close to it, even if your car has been exposed to a troop of messy kids for years. The interior is thoroughly scoured: carpets, floor mats and seats are cleaned, shampooed and deodorized, and panels and vents are dusted and conditioned. The exterior is hand washed and buffed to removes scratches. A wax and/or polish follows. An appointment can range from two hours to all day. To maintain the value of your car, professional details are recommended at least once a year, preferably twice.

Answer: No. Professional car washes utilize an effective mix of soft cloths and/or water pressure to clean cars without damaging them. A tiny fraction of all cars professionally washed incur damage each year, which may stem from defects in manufacturing design or construction.

Answer: No. Dirt that collects in wash water, sponges and chamois will scratch your car's finish. The technology used today at professional car washes will not scratch or create "swirl" marks on your car. Not only is a professional car wash safer for your car, many of them only use half as much water than a driveway wash, and use biodegradable cleaning solutions to further protect the environment. Also, dirty water used by professional car washes is disposed of properly. Water from driveway washes end up in storm drains, which can pollute lakes, rivers and streams.

Answer: Automatic and self-service car washes use water efficient equipment, such as computer controlled systems and high-pressure nozzles and pumps, to clean cars thoroughly while conserving water.

Professional car washes use an average of 32 gallons of water per vehicle. If this sounds like a lot of water, consider this: Washing your car at home can use up to twice this amount. In fact, some studies show that washing your car in the driveway can use up to 10 times more water than taking your car to a professional car wash.

The Clean Water Act, established by the government in 1972, mandates professional car washes to pipe dirty water to treatment facilities or into state-approved drainage facilities.

Quite the opposite, home car washes pollute the environment as soap and road grime (oil, tar, dirt) end up in storm sewers that flow into lakes, streams and rivers. Many North American cities have even banned driveway or parking lot charity car-washing events, which result in soapy discharge and wasted water. Increasingly, professional car washes are considered as better site options for such events.

Answer: Floridas offers moderate to high corrosiveness for vehicles due to the effects of airborne sea salt, road salt and acid rain.

Road and marine salts are estimated to cause more than $14 billion in damage each year to American automobiles. Texas experiences a range of weather conditions, from subtropical in the south to snow - about 23 inches annually - in the northwestern corner. Where there's snow, there's road salt. If you see or feel road or sea salt building up on your car, wash it within a few days to avoid the beginnings of corrosion.

Additionally, environmental groups such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the auto industry alike concede that acid rain, a serious problem in urban and industrial areas within the United States, also causes damage to automotive coatings. When the moisture evaporates, the acid remains - often forming a blemish that looks like a splattered raindrop. Acid rain eats through a car's finish, permanently etching it, so it's important to wash a car soon after a rainfall. Once damage is done, the only solution is to repaint. Effects are most noticeable on vehicles with dark or metallic finishes.

If you park your car outside, drive long distances, or live in a heavily wooded area, you should also wash your car more frequently to avoid other damaging elements such as dirt, tree sap and even bird droppings (which you may be surprised to learn is very acidic and if not removed, will permanently stain your car's finish).

Car Wash Wizard Prescription:

Florida car owners wishing to preserve their auto investment should wash their car at least two to three times a month to protect against long-term damage from salt, acid rain, and other harmful elements. A professional detail job at least once a year - preferably twice - will keep the carpets and upholstery looking like new. Research shows that resale or trade-in values for cars can be significantly increased (by more than $1,500) if the exterior and interior of an automobile were well cared for.