Is it possible to wash your car too much? I'm considering getting unlimited car washes for a month. I'm tired of the salt and road grime and figured a good underbody wash a few times a week until spring came would be beneficial until I can do it myself in the driveway again.
Washing car too much?
- Thread starter dlundblad
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I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
What kind of car wash? Brushes or brushless?
I would not want to run any of my cars through a Brush car wash too many times (more than once a week) in a month. It would remove too much wax and possibly damage paint. BTW, my Corvette NEVER goes through ANY car wash! Heck, I don't take it out in the rain!
Even a brushless car wash can remove some wax, but it shouldn't cause paint damage.
I would not want to run any of my cars through a Brush car wash too many times (more than once a week) in a month. It would remove too much wax and possibly damage paint. BTW, my Corvette NEVER goes through ANY car wash! Heck, I don't take it out in the rain!
Even a brushless car wash can remove some wax, but it shouldn't cause paint damage.
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Originally Posted By: ARB1977
I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
I wash and wax mine every 6 months. Looks brand new. I think the dirt film protects it from the sun.
I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
I wash and wax mine every 6 months. Looks brand new. I think the dirt film protects it from the sun.
Yes, I think.
First, car washes aren't necessarily great for the paint finish. Even if they are of the "soft-cloth" type, the cloths accumulate grit and grime. Plus, car washes typically recycle water and who knows how much winter salt is eliminated during the recycling process.
Second, while salt is bad for a car, it's only really corrosive when wet or damp. Dry salt on a car isn't pretty but also isn't harmful. But if you wash a car frequently and it can't ever fully dry out, you're not doing it any favors on the rust side.
First, car washes aren't necessarily great for the paint finish. Even if they are of the "soft-cloth" type, the cloths accumulate grit and grime. Plus, car washes typically recycle water and who knows how much winter salt is eliminated during the recycling process.
Second, while salt is bad for a car, it's only really corrosive when wet or damp. Dry salt on a car isn't pretty but also isn't harmful. But if you wash a car frequently and it can't ever fully dry out, you're not doing it any favors on the rust side.
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Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
What kind of car wash? Brushes or brushless?
I would not want to run any of my cars through a Brush car wash too many times (more than once a week) in a month. It would remove too much wax and possibly damage paint. BTW, my Corvette NEVER goes through ANY car wash! Heck, I don't take it out in the rain!
Even a brushless car wash can remove some wax, but it shouldn't cause paint damage.
It has brushes. I like the idea of brushless washes, but they never seen to get all the grime off. I live on a dirt road so my Jeep is never clean.
What kind of car wash? Brushes or brushless?
I would not want to run any of my cars through a Brush car wash too many times (more than once a week) in a month. It would remove too much wax and possibly damage paint. BTW, my Corvette NEVER goes through ANY car wash! Heck, I don't take it out in the rain!
Even a brushless car wash can remove some wax, but it shouldn't cause paint damage.
It has brushes. I like the idea of brushless washes, but they never seen to get all the grime off. I live on a dirt road so my Jeep is never clean.
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
I wash and wax mine every 6 months. Looks brand new. I think the dirt film protects it from the sun.
Do you guys get much salt and road grime down there?
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
I wash and wax mine every 6 months. Looks brand new. I think the dirt film protects it from the sun.
Do you guys get much salt and road grime down there?
the dealership i bought my sable from offers free car washes for life, but only above 37 degrees. still waiting for that temp to happen...(just bought the car on jan.24) once it warms up, it'll be awesome. I drive past there going to and from work, i could theoretically wash it twice a day!
more realistically once a week.
back when dad had a company car, driving all over OH, IN, &MI, they required him to wash the car once a week in the winter.(w/Company CC)
more realistically once a week.
back when dad had a company car, driving all over OH, IN, &MI, they required him to wash the car once a week in the winter.(w/Company CC)
I now know that auto car washes are not good for the finish, but before I knew I took the Accord through one every week for at least 1 year. The paint still looks good, there are swirls that show what was done, but the overall condition is good. I now hand wash once a week and after every hand wash it gets a spray wax. Handwashing once a week is a good idea, automatic...not so much, maybe do it every 2 weeks.
I'm too cheap to spend $10 a week x 4 vehicles each month to wash them. I have hot water and drains in my garage. If it hits over 28 degrees, I wash them myself.
Rain is coming next week. I park all in the driveway.
Rain is coming next week. I park all in the driveway.
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At mikes carwash around here the top wash is $17 without coupons but they have a pretty nice unlimited wash package. It uses brushes but is brand new and does a pretty good job i think.
A machine wash a few times a week is excessive. Your car isn't going to rust out if you do it once every few weeks.
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
At mikes carwash around here the top wash is $17 without coupons but they have a pretty nice unlimited wash package. It uses brushes but is brand new and does a pretty good job i think.
I used to live in Cincinnati and loved Mike's. Where is there one now in NKY? When I lived in NKY I used Johnny's for a while, then Classic in Florence....neither were close to Mike's.
At mikes carwash around here the top wash is $17 without coupons but they have a pretty nice unlimited wash package. It uses brushes but is brand new and does a pretty good job i think.
I used to live in Cincinnati and loved Mike's. Where is there one now in NKY? When I lived in NKY I used Johnny's for a while, then Classic in Florence....neither were close to Mike's.
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Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
At mikes carwash around here the top wash is $17 without coupons but they have a pretty nice unlimited wash package. It uses brushes but is brand new and does a pretty good job i think.
That's the one!
At mikes carwash around here the top wash is $17 without coupons but they have a pretty nice unlimited wash package. It uses brushes but is brand new and does a pretty good job i think.
That's the one!
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Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
I wash and wax mine every 6 months. Looks brand new. I think the dirt film protects it from the sun.
Do you guys get much salt and road grime down there?
No we don't get salt. They put down gravel instead when it gets cold. They did it for a straight week this year. It's funny cause on all the bridges you see gravel in the median where the cars don't drive.
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
I haven't washed mine 4 months. I'm a little over due.
I wash and wax mine every 6 months. Looks brand new. I think the dirt film protects it from the sun.
Do you guys get much salt and road grime down there?
No we don't get salt. They put down gravel instead when it gets cold. They did it for a straight week this year. It's funny cause on all the bridges you see gravel in the median where the cars don't drive.
Originally Posted By: Danh
Second, while salt is bad for a car, it's only really corrosive when wet or damp. Dry salt on a car isn't pretty but also isn't harmful. But if you wash a car frequently and it can't ever fully dry out, you're not doing it any favors on the rust side.
Salt is hygroscopic. It attracts and absorbs moisture. It will suck moisture out of the air. In other words, its never dry even though it looks dry. Salt on your car is always corroding, its not waiting for the next rain.
Second, while salt is bad for a car, it's only really corrosive when wet or damp. Dry salt on a car isn't pretty but also isn't harmful. But if you wash a car frequently and it can't ever fully dry out, you're not doing it any favors on the rust side.
Salt is hygroscopic. It attracts and absorbs moisture. It will suck moisture out of the air. In other words, its never dry even though it looks dry. Salt on your car is always corroding, its not waiting for the next rain.
Once a week or every 2nd week should be more than sufficient..
With snow every other day it's just not worth it. I just washed mine for the first time in nearly 3 months a few days ago...it lasted a bit over 36 hours...
. I'm usually good at keeping the salt off, bu this winter I've given up. At least being below freezing so much has kept the salt damage at bay for the most part....
I wouldn't go crazy, but it's kinda a waste at this point.
Maybe once every few weeks?
I wouldn't go crazy, but it's kinda a waste at this point.
Maybe once every few weeks?
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