Blog Post

Hand Wash vs Machine Wash?

John Kleven • October 13, 2020

A machine is fast, but is it good?

The 3 Most common automated Car Wash Types

Standard car wash machines are known by many as a "Swirl-O-Matic", this is a machine that uses a combination of detergents and high speed spinning brushes to rigorously wash away dirt and grime from your vehicle's body. The brushes are made from a stiff plastic like material so they stay clean wash after wash but they induce major swirls and scratches. Another problem with this type of machine is that the spinning brushes can't always reach contours and hard to reach spots well.

Brushless car wash machines work in the same manner, but the stiff plastic bristles are replaced with microfiber swabs spinning at high speeds. The brushless machine's microfiber swabs do not stay as clean as the bristles, but they are slightly less likely to scratch when they are clean. If you're planning on entering a machine and notice the vehicle in front of yours is extremely dirty, it may be worth a trip back at a later date. Brushless machines will also miss hard to reach spots.

Touchless car wash machines work by spraying large amounts of acids and extremely harsh detergents to loosen dirt and grime on cars. It's then blasted with high powered washers to remove dirt and grime. Ceramic coatings are very chemically inert and due to their hydrophobic nature, dirt and grime are released easily. If you don't have ceramic coatings applied, touchless washes can cause damaging effects on glass, trim, paint etc.

I can only use automated washes!

This can happen to some people as their busy schedules don't align with using our Express Center, and don't have the time to wash at home. If you're going to only wash from a machine, the best-case scenario is to have your vehicle fully ceramic coated and use a touchless wash. In this case, you will want to choose the most basic option as any additional sealants they offer will be far inferior to a quality and professionally applied ceramic coating. The next best option would be a brushless wash, but the trick is to visit them frequently. Sometimes you can purchase a monthly pass and visit them twice a week or more if you can make the time. The most important strategy when using this type of machine is to bring them a clean car. If you come in with a car that hasn't been washed in weeks, it's likely going to leave some marring, swirls, or scratches in the finish. You definitely don't want all of the dirt and grime that has accumulated on your vehicle's finish getting rubbed around at full speed. If you are regularly using an automated car wash then we recommend detailing your exterior at least once a year to help reduce some light swirling and re-enhance luster. If you have heavy swirling and scratching then you may need Paint Correction, a multi-stage polishing process for eliminating swirls and scratches.

What's the point of hand washing?

Hand washing is valued because it is gentle to the finish. Some people believe that hand washing is a great excuse to give your car a great scrubbing. However, this isn't the reason why car enthusiasts hand wash their vehicles. Hand washing gives you the opportunity to get your mitt into all the hard to reach crevices that would be missed by a machine, but most importantly it gives you the opportunity to clean your wash mitt as you are working so you're not spreading around the abrasive dirt that you're trying to wash off. Think about it this way, an automated wash is a one size fits all solution where as hand washing is specific to your vehicle. This is why we always perform a 2 bucket hand wash, this method consists of one bucket of body wash and the other with only water. Before dipping your wash mitt into a bucket for some more soap and water, the clean water bucket should be used to knock off debris and grime from your mitt before dipping into the other bucket for some clean soapy suds. We recommend washing the top of the vehicle first, then working around the vehicle and cleaning everything that is 12" above the bottom of the vehicle, saving the lower sections for last as they are typically the most contaminated. Wash small sections at a time and remember to rinse your mitt frequently. The only real downside to hand washing is time and labor. It takes more than five minutes and requires physical labor to get done.

What's the difference between hand washing and detailing?

A key difference to understand is that hand washing is the first step in detailing. If your car is very dirty or heavily contaminated your instinct may be to get your vehicle washed. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, a hand wash may not be the proper solution. Contaminants such as sap, hard water spots, paint transfer, and road tar will not come off with a gentle hand wash. A hand wash is for regular cleanings to keep your vehicle looking it's best. If you go for months without washing and let the car sit outside then the contaminants that land on your vehicle create a bond to your paint. This requires a decontamination whether chemically for ceramic coated vehicles, or mechanically for really tough contaminants. Additional steps after the wash may need to be taken. We recommend that before trying to scrub something off contact us. We can do our best to advise you and of course you can always bring it in for an estimate as well. Some issues you may want to leave to a professional.

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Are there precautions that should be taken for a proper maintenance hand wash?

I'm so glad you asked. If you can spend the time to perform all of these steps, you'll be rewarded with a glowing paint job that won't need major paint correction work time after time. I recommend the following:

Rinse the entire vehicle to cool the surface and loosen debris.
Pre-Foam the vehicle with STEK Foam or CarPro Reset to loosen dirt and grime. Gravity will help lift dirt and grime from vehicle's painted surfaces.
Spray all wheels including barrels and brake calipers with STEK Wheel Cleaner.
Rinse foam away from the vehicle rinsing the wheels and brake calipers.
Move the vehicle forwards or backwards making sure to rotate wheels 180 degrees.
Spray all wheels including barrels and brake calipers with STEK Wheel Cleaner for a second time.
Rinse wheels and brake calipers completely.
Perform a 2 bucket hand wash. This includes 2 buckets with Grit Guards on the bottoms. One bucket with clean water and the other with clean water and STEK Shampoo or CarPro Reset. With a high quality microfiber Wash Mitt, hand wash starting on roof, wash small sections at a time, working around the vehicle and doing the lower sections like the rocker panels and wheel wells last. After a small area is washed, dip your wash mitt into the clean water, inspect for debris in the mitt and clean it off if necessary.
Rinse away from entire vehicle.
Towel dry with a plush Microfiber Drying Towel including all paint and door jambs.

When is the best time to wash your car?

In the PNW, your vehicle tends to get the most dirty during the winter and rainy seasons. Maybe not the most ideal times to go outside and wash your vehicle, but it's probably the most critical time of year. You want to keep it clean as grime accumulates quickly from rain and standing water kicked up from your tires. Summertime is a great time to wash your vehicle as everyone wants to look good during this time. However, it's critically important to avoid washing your vehicle in direct sunlight this will cause your soap and water to evaporate quickly leaving deposits all over your car that can lead to hard water spots, stains in the clearcoat, and potential marring from attempting to remove these contaminants. Sooooo...... around 5am or nighttime is ideal ;)

Our trusted staff at Metropolitan Detail Express is available 52 weeks a year to properly hand wash your vehicle for you while you explore Redmond Town Center, grab coffee or a bite to eat.

We love making your car look amazing!

We are even more rewarded when we see the results of our protective products applied on your car, and your proper care keeping it in it's best condition possible.

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