Car Wash Characteristics

With the approach of the long winter months, snow safety and winter weather precautions are all anyone seems to be talking about. Ensuring that your vehicle is running properly is crucial to how stress free the sometimes treacherous winter roads will be. Eventually, the snow, salt and gravel that are put down during winter weather can cause damage to your car if it is not cleaned and maintained properly.

One way to ensure that your car is protected from the harmful corrosive materials is by making sure that you are performing regular car washes on your vehicle. A car wash system is any collection of equipment designed to wash an automobile. They can be automated, self-service or full service.  These regular washes not only protects your car’s exterior and undercarriage from harmful salt, it also keeps your vehicle looking top notch and attractive. Some car washes also use a special soap that is designed to protect the paint finish. Car washes are an essential part of the maintenance of a vehicle, and regular car washes can actually extend the life of the vehicle, as well as make your car shine like new.

Each type of car wash system requires different components and equipment. The self service systems are usually coin operated, and allow the user to wash their own car by hand, aided by a high pressure hose system which allows the user to spray soap and water onto the car. This process often takes significantly longer than other methods, but allows the user to make sure every part of the car is cleaned and properly dried. The most popular form of car wash systems is the tunnel car wash. These systems use brushes and blowers to properly clean the car. The car stays stationary and is transported through a conveyor system while various cleaning systems work to spray water, cleaning solution and brushes on the car. When the car reaches the end of the system, it is dried by using a high powered air system. A touchless car wash system, as the name suggests, is a process that involves no direct contact between machine and car during the wash. It is first sprayed with water, then a cleaning solution, which sits on the car for a few moments and then is washed off. The car is then dried by a high pressure air system, which prevents the formation of water spots. Many consumers prefer this method because it prevents the damage to the car’s paint and accessories during the process, although it typically does not get the car as clean as a tunnel system does.

Car washes sometimes get a bad reputation because of their perceived environmentally harmful characteristics, but there have actually been several environmentally friendly additions to the car wash industry that are gaining popularity. For example, some are using environmentally friendly chemicals in the car wash systems, and environmentally friendly soaps and detergents. Other car wash systems make use of the extra water by collecting the used water, filtering it and then reusing it during future cycles, which saves money and prevents runoff water from contaminating surrounding environments. Even seemingly small changes, like using towels that are made from sustainable or renewable materials, can have a big impact on the environment.  Many car wash systems are becoming sustainably conscious, and consumers are realizing the positive benefits of choosing environmentally friendly services.