Does automatic car washing damage the paint?
2 Answers
Automatic car washing does not damage the paint. The brushes used in automatic car wash machines are made of high-density polyethylene material, which has a smooth surface and does not stick to sand or dust, thus having minimal impact on the car's paint. The working principle of the car wash machine: when driving the car in, the front wheels need to be placed on specific tracks, the handbrake should be released and the gear should be in neutral, the rearview mirrors should be folded, and the engine should not be turned off during the washing process. As the car moves, the brushes on the car wash machine rotate rapidly, providing a thorough cleaning of the car body. By the time the car moves from the entrance to the exit, the entire body has been cleaned by the brushes of the car wash machine. When the exit light turns green, simply shift into first gear and accelerate to drive out.
In recent years, I often go to automatic car washes, and I feel it mainly depends on the type of machine. The car wash machines with large rotating brushes are the most concerning. If small stones get stuck in the brushes or they aren’t cleaned properly, the rotation can act like sandpaper on the car paint. My dark-colored car has had fine scratches on the sides, especially when the car wash is busy. However, the newer touchless high-pressure water jet car washes are much better. They rely on water flow to clean, and although they might not be as effective on stubborn mud spots, at least they don’t touch the car paint. Before going to the car wash, I usually rinse off any obvious large chunks of dirt to minimize damage. If I’ve just waxed the car, I need to be even more careful, as the strong detergents in car wash machines can strip off the wax layer.
