When is an automatic car wash the cleanest?

[Owen Lucas]

When is an automatic car wash the cleanest? Is there any maintenance to the fabric rollers, curtains and brushes to remove accumulated dirt?

I don't know anything about car washes but I presume there would be some type of self care cycle or does this happen after or during every wash?

We have some winter weather here and our vehicles are heavily covered in road grime and salt. I can imagine car wash equipment being extra dirty from the increased dirty on everyone's vehicles and I don't want to go through a dirty car wash and have grimy salt and dirty covered fabric flappers scratching my paint.

 

[Kira]

I do believe there's a school of thought which has no acceptance for those flappers and drag rags.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I do believe there's a school of thought which has no acceptance for those flappers and drag rags.

So just hand wash with the 2 bucket method?

 

[proveitwithdata]

The cleanest would be when they open a new car wash, and you are their first customer.

 

[Warstud]

When is an automatic car wash the cleanest?

I've seen them clean the brushes etc. off at the end of the day so first thing in the morning when they open . They do have touchless car washes at gas stations around here .

 

[proveitwithdata]

So just hand wash with the 2 bucket method?

You could go next level.

Prewash
neutral contact 2 bucket or one panel one microfiber
spray wax
leafblower
towel dry

 

[rcs]

I've seen them clean the brushes etc. off at the end of the day so first thing in the morning when they open . They do have touchless car washes at gas stations around here .

 

[rcs]

I've seen them clean the brushes etc. off at the end of the day so first thing in the morning when they open . They do have touchless car washes at gas stations around here .

Touchless car washes are great. But just be aware that the detergent mix they use is very harsh since there are no brushes etc removing the grime, so the soap mix is very strong. I mention this because if you have any protection on your car over time it can strip it. But there are times when you have no choice,like now in Michigan it is 10 degrees.

 

[Rand]

not too many options to hand wash in the middle of winter here

There is a difference in washing my daily driver vs a car I'm not trading in within 5 years.
Salt truck blew by me earlier while I was waiting to make a left.
got hit with the salt blast at 65MPH.. I'd think that is worse than any modern swirl-o-matic car wash.

 

[Jdeere562]

In my small town, they block the drive and clean it every morning.

 

[oldcodger]

In my area I do not think they clean anything until something wears completely out or breaks. As long as it is running they don't touch it.

 

[oldhp]

In my small town, they block the drive and clean it every morning.

How do they clean the brushes etc?

 

[Chris142]

. They do have touchless car washes at gas stations around here .

Those will blow paint off!

 

[Jdeere562]

How do they clean the brushes etc?

No brushes, touchless.

 

[fantastic]

You'd have to call the local cleaner your going to & see what they tell you.

 

[Owen Lucas]

You'd have to call the local cleaner your going to & see what they tell you.

I just called them. Every hour there is a rinse cycle and the guy mentioned there is soap and water being sprayed directly onto the brushes when they are running. He did say the machine is cleanest in the morning, so there's the answer!

 

[fantastic]

I just called them. Every hour there is a rinse cycle and the guy mentioned there is soap and water being sprayed directly onto the brushes when they are running. He did say the machine is cleanest in the morning, so there's the answer!

Making progress, Did they say what makes them cleaner in the morning?

 

[Owen Lucas]

Making progress, Did they say what makes them cleaner in the morning?

No, I'll have to follow up when I get there in the morning lol.

 

[paulo57509]

I stay away from the washers at the gas stations. Most of them are running without any "soap". Therefore I figure they really have minimal maintenance, if any.

 

[Aredeeem]

I dunno. I’ve had the same Versa for 13 years. Nothing but a weekly run thru a touch less wash with a light drag rag. I’ll touch it up with a Griots Speed Shine. Good enough.