Self serve car wash with pressure washer

[rationull]

There's a self serve car wash in town with a pressure washer that you can use for all kinds of different things (soapy water, high pressure rinse, "spot free rinse", some kind of "wax" and even engine degreaser. I've used it a couple times by doing the soapy water spray, the high pressure rinse, and then the spot free rinse. I'm not willing to use it on my engine bay, and I'm not really interested in using their big soap excreting brush that has who knows what in the bristles just waiting to scratch paint.

I took our 1999 truck there once and afterwards noticed some spots on the hood where the paint had been partially worn off. I guess I used the pressure nozzle too close to the paint where there was a bunch of dirt. This got me a little scared to use it on my car again, but it's just so darn convenient!

Am I being paranoid? Is there anything wrong with using a pressure washer for a quick clean (but not a detailed one)? I'm thinking of going again and just making sure to hold the nozzle far enough away and maybe not use it directly perpendicular to the car.

 

[Zedhed]

Originally Posted By: rationull
There's a self serve car wash in town with a pressure washer that you can use for all kinds of different things (soapy water, high pressure rinse, "spot free rinse", some kind of "wax" and even engine degreaser. I've used it a couple times by doing the soapy water spray, the high pressure rinse, and then the spot free rinse.

I'm not willing to use it on my engine bay


Why not the engine bay? That's the only time I use a car wash, is to get the engine really clean. I wash the exterior paint by hand at home.

 

[tom slick]

If you have paint issues then of course is it going to make them worse. If you paint is sound and you are not a detail-phile they work just fine. I have not experienced scratching but I wash the brush with the sprayer first.

 

[oilcoholic]

I sometimes use the brush but I always rinse the car first and then spray the brush before using on the vehicle. Our local "Wonder Wand" gives you 4 minutes of use for $1.50. I can normally get a decent quick wash for $3. The brushes this wash uses are very soft bristle. Also, the fellow that owns it is most always around. He also owns a laundry mat and c-store next door. Very nice guy and keeps all the cleaning bays spotless. Never any bad equipment either.

 

[dwendt44]

I've used the wand on the engine several times.
I use a cheap de-greaser (Wal-mart), spray the engine bay, and then use the wand at low pressure to just rinse the foam off.
I stay away from the alternator, and the obvious electrical connections, just a rinse off basically.

 

[bretfraz]

I washed cars in the coin-op bays for 10 years. A well maintained facility should not cause damage to your car if used properly You certainly can damage paint if you blast it with the spray wand too closely. They are plenty safe if you hold the wand back about 1-2 feet from the paint surface.

I highly suggest you run the rinse cycle thru the wand before you spray down your car. There could be remnants of engine degreaser in the wand and you don't want that on your paint.

The pressure is great for cleaning wheels, tires, and wheel wells. I use them to rinse off my engine (no cleaner, just water) and spray out my truck bed.

 

[Jeepster_nut]

I have seen guys scrubbing their greasy engines with the brush. No way I would use it on the paint.

 

[lexus114]

I know,some people are so self absorbed they dont care at all about the next guy thats going to use it.

 

[dailydriver]

If you ever wanted to strip all of the old wax off of your ride in order to start the Zaino wax process, those high pressure self serve car washes will do the trick!!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Been using the quarter car washes for decades and never had ANY paint/finish problems.

I just bought my self a electric powered pressure washer and it works great! Since the coin washers are now up to $1 for 6 minutes I figure that I'll pay for it in about 2-3 years. Plus it handy for other projects.

Bill

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Since the coin washers are now up to $1 for 6 minutes
Bill

Man, I wish they were that cheap here. It is $1.75 for 3 minutes here and the first minute vanishes waiting for the pre-treat to prime into the wand...

 

[Shannow]

$1/minute here.

Or drive through the auto one and pay...$15.

Better half was threatened by council with a $220 fine for hand washing one of our cars out the front (using a watering can for rinsing), so it's $15 or $15.

 

[crinkles]

takes me more than an hour to wash the car sweating my arse off. i drive to the servo, pay $13 for full wash and hot wax, in less than 1/2 hour. money well spent IMHO.
I can still do a better job by hand but man... few things i hate as much as washing and vacuuming the car. Does feel good to have it done though.

 

[KrisZ]

During summer I never come near a car wash, ONR and half an hour of work and the car is sparkling like new.

But for those cold winter days when your car looks like a salt truck, I find the self wash very useful, I only use the high pressure soap, followed by the high pressure rinse. This gets rid of all the salt and for $3 bucks works really well.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't have one or two of these self-wash places around. With my cars, I spray my own degreaser on wheels and tires, then use the low-pressure rinse first to get the dirt off the car, switching to high-pressure for the wheels and glass. If I have time, I wipe the wet car down with a sheepskin mitt. Then I rinse with high-pressure, and rinse again with spot-free. Paper towels to dry the chrome wheels, cotton towels or new microfiber towels to dry the car itself. Back home I doll up the tires and black exterior trim. No brush. Rarely do I use soap unless I plan to wax the car right after.

 

[rengnath]

I love these self service pressure washers. They work great in the winter for getting all the salt off your paint and also for cleaning the underbody. It keeps all the dirt in the bay, and not on your driveway.
I would never touch their brush though. If it isnt a soft hand mit, it wont touch my truck. They are handy inbetween washes during Wisconsin winters so my red truck isnt white. And its a lot better and cheaper than the drive thru car washes. You dont pay as much, and you get to aim where you want to clean. There is no risk to the paint (if you use the pressured water right) and no damage aftermarket parts like ventshades.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: Zedhed

Why not the engine bay? That's the only time I use a car wash, is to get the engine really clean. I wash the exterior paint by hand at home.


There are a lot of electronics under there, and given the engine isn't *that* dirty anyway I just don't see the need to take the risk with the pressure washer. Honestly I don't even like spraying under there with a hose or any chemicals but I realize that's probably a little extreme.


Sounds like a lot of people have good luck with these things. I've always just washed the car in the driveway before but after getting a taste of the 3 minute wash it just seems much more convenient. It's about $1 per minute here.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: Jeepster_nut
I have seen guys scrubbing their greasy engines with the brush. No way I would use it on the paint.


I see this all the time down here...Then the next guy will wash his late model black BMW with the same brush.

For the most part when they got done cleaning their greasy engines the cars would not start and had to be pushed out of the bay.

 

[rengnath]

Originally Posted By: CROWNVIC4LIFE
Originally Posted By: Jeepster_nut
I have seen guys scrubbing their greasy engines with the brush. No way I would use it on the paint.


I see this all the time down here...Then the next guy will wash his late model black BMW with the same brush.

For the most part when they got done cleaning their greasy engines the cars would not start and had to be pushed out of the bay.


I always keep my engine running in those expecially when spraying underneath. I dont clean my engine bay, but I will spray in the wheel wells and water does get up on the hood. 3 minutes of the engine idling wont break my wallet.