Car Wash

Car Wash

There are several different kinds of car washes: self-serve, automated, and full service car washes, in which servicemen clean and detail the car manually. Each kind of wash requires different equipment and components. Owners can choose from a variety of extras, including a wax coat, carpet shampoo, leather conditioner, and tire detailing.

Self-serve car washes have a large open bay with a pressure sprayer and foaming scrub brush, which is connected to a large central pump. They are usually coin operated; the number of quarters inserted determines the duration of the wash. Coin-operated vacuums are usually available onsite and can be used to clean the interior and upholstery. Automatic car washes, in comparison, are a popular system where cars are driven into the wash bay and either guided into the washing equipment by conveyors or the equipment moves around the stationary vehicle. Automatic car washes can be one of two varieties, either touchless or cloth friction.

Car washes can greatly extend the life of a vehicle. Caustic materials, such as salt, can corrode the vehicle's exterior and damage the undercarriage. Most car washes use special soap designed to protect the paint finish. Car washes are also ecologically-friendly, as many clean and reuse the water from wash to wash.