We’re giving you all the answers to the most frequently asked questions on car washes near you! From clearing up bug splats to preserving your car’s clear coat, we’re breaking it all down in this post on Car Wash FAQs – All Your Queries Answered. Read on to know more.
This blog has been updated on May 24, 2021.
Ideally, you’d want to have your car washed and cleaned once every week. Once-a-week car washes will help you keep the paint and exterior of your vehicle well preserved.
Most car wash facilities accept vans, trucks, and cars (maximum of 84 inches in height on average, with a minimum ground clearance of 4 inches). If you happen to own a vehicle with dual sets of wheels, you might want to call your local car wash ahead of time and check if they can handle oversized vehicles.
We recommend that you ensure that your car wash location does not utilize any acidic cleaning agent in their wash process. Most automotive manufactures advise against automatic washes that use acids on polished aluminum tires. Typically, car washes will use a soft cloth as washing material for your tires, so your wheels are in perfectly safe hands.
As long as your car’s paint job has been effectively cured, it is safe to pass through your local car wash. A fresh paint job on most parts of the vehicle typically requires 30 days of curing time. Keep in mind that cars that come out of a dealership are entirely cured. However, we highly recommend consulting with a body shop near you, just to make sure.
Provided the roof or canopy is latched and secured correctly, yes, by all means – take it to a car wash near you!
Yes – just ensure that the pickup bed is empty before it goes into the wash.
In most cases, a cracked windshield will hold up easily in almost any car wash. However, windshields that have rock chip damage may be affected by temperature changes. We’d say it’s far easier to replace a broken windshield as soon as you can.
Most wash tunnels and self-service car washes will remove bug remains, especially if washed shortly after the splat has occurred.
A dull-looking car is typically a case of the oxidation of your car’s paint, which happens from prolonged exposure to sunlight as the paint naturally ages and decays. We recommend cleaning your car two to three times a week and coat of wax at least once a year. This helps maintain that dealership shine on your vehicle.
You’ll need to be quick about it – do your best to wash the remains of the egg off before it dries off on your car’s exterior. The dried egg remains can be very corrosive and begin to attack your car’s paint job almost instantly.
Most car wash locations offer free vacuum services.
Depending on the severity of the road tar or tree sap that has accumulated, it is doubtful that automated car washes can get rid of everything. We recommend asking your car wash for a special cleaning agent (usually provided at an additional charge).
The RFID tag is a small square or rectangular sticker stuck to the windshield’s lower left-hand corner. This sticker instantly identifies the vehicle using radio frequency identification technology as it approaches the car wash pay stations. Once a vehicle is detected, entry to the wash tunnel is granted.
Websites and apps like Way offer professional and top-rated car wash services at great prices. What’s more, the whole family can get in on the sudsy action thanks to Way’s Carwash Voucher and Family Carwash Pass that can be used on multiple (that’s right, multiple) vehicles!
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