Car Wash Hazards!!!

[fordfalconbaxr6]

Hi all

I've heard of a few hazards with those do it yourself car wash bays such as spraying the wheels with high pressure water and ending up with warped brake rotors, or my nephew who drove off and hooked the hose hanging from the ceiling with the rear spoiler resulting in a total boot and spolier replacement.

Anyone else have any car wash hazard stories?

[Mr Hardware]

not me, but not putting your aerial down

[Airmon]

rotors would have to be really hot to warp from high pressure. Not the best idea after a long cruise.
Gotta watch out for paint peeling off when using high pressure. That sucks.
Or forgetting you dont have door rubbers in.

Would hate it to happen to me, but I can picture someone driving off and getting the hose stuck in the spoiler, and cant help but myself laughing.

[onfire]

People who make a mess. Jesus, I dont need pink foam all over my pants.

[MYT]

My housemate mannaged to rip his front bumper off when backing out of the carwash, buggered if I know how he did it!!!

[asusdragon]

the other one i have heard of is dirt in the brush if people dont wash it off it can scratch your paintwork

I use them all the time on both my car never had a problem and for what $15 for the Falcon w/c a vacuum and bout $10 on the mazda im not complaining

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by asusdragon

the other one i have heard of is dirt in the brush if people dont wash it off it can scratch your paintwork....

this is a fact. when you use that brush, you are rubbing existing dirt into your paintwork. 99% of the time, the brush doest get cleaned from the person prior to you.

the high pressure hose is ok for caked on mud, but to me, thats the only thing these DIY car wash places are good for.

Do yourself a favor, and hand wash at home with 1 bucket of water, a clean chamois, and some waterless cleaner spray like Style Magic Waterless Wash which is 100% natural and pH nuetral. It will take about 20mins to do your entire car, you'll wont scratch ya paint and it will end being cheaper than throwing ya cash away to those carwash places. Ya car will also come away watermark free too.

Its up to you, but this how I clean my car every week.

[ea90gl]

Originally Posted by blueoval

this is a fact. when you use that brush, you are rubbing existing dirt into your paintwork. 99% of the time, the brush doest get cleaned from the person prior to you.

the high pressure hose is ok for caked on mud, but to me, thats the only thing these DIY car wash places are good for.

Do yourself a favor, and hand wash at home with 1 bucket of water, a clean chamois, and some waterless cleaner spray like Style Magic Waterless Wash which is 100% natural and pH nuetral. It will take about 20mins to do your entire car, you'll wont scratch ya paint and it will end being cheaper than throwing ya cash away to those carwash places. Ya car will also come away watermark free too.

Its up to you, but this how I clean my car every week.

yes very true, I wouldnt go near them brushes at the DIY car washes. However for them paint care freaks check out this site www.detailingworld.com. If you browse through the site you will get to learn that most sponges, chamois and using only one bucket to wash your car is the best way to enforce millions of swirl marks that appear on your paint and are really noticeable in direct sunlight. They look like millions of little spiderwebs and can make a nice clean car look crap once out in the sun. even though swirl marks are virtually impossible not to produce there are things that help to minimise them such as pre soaking the car in soap solution then rinse off before touching the paint, using a lambswool mitt instead of a sponge, use the 2 bucket method to wash the car (one bucket has clean water, other bucket has soap solution. Rinse the mitt in the clean water before dunking it in the soap solution to continue cleaning), try use good quality microfirbe towels instead of the regular chamois, and also try "sheet rinse" the car with the hose so most water slides off the car leaving small patches to wipe instead of millions of beads. It all adds up and for anyone who is really fussed about car washing that site is a great read and definately worth a look.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...ht=swirl+marks

a small look at swirl marks

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by ea90gl

yes very true, I wouldnt go near them brushes at the DIY car washes. However for them paint care freaks check out this site www.detailingworld.com. If you browse through the site you will get to learn that most sponges, chamois and using only one bucket to wash your car is the best way to enforce millions of swirl marks that appear on your paint and are really noticeable in direct sunlight. They look like millions of little spiderwebs and can make a nice clean car look crap once out in the sun. even though swirl marks are virtually impossible not to produce there are things that help to minimise them such as pre soaking the car in soap solution then rinse off before touching the paint, using a lambswool mitt instead of a sponge, use the 2 bucket method to wash the car (one bucket has clean water, other bucket has soap solution. Rinse the mitt in the clean water before dunking it in the soap solution to continue cleaning), try use good quality microfirbe towels instead of the regular chamois, and also try "sheet rinse" the car with the hose so most water slides off the car leaving small patches to wipe instead of millions of beads. It all adds up and for anyone who is really fussed about car washing that site is a great read and definately worth a look.

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/foru...ht=swirl+marks

a small look at swirl marks

A good website no doubt.

However, swirl marks when using a chamois can be avoided if you use the appropriate techniques of removing the dirt in the first place. i.e. using 1 stroke of chamois with clean portion of the chamois each time, then cleaning it in the bucket after. Im not saying this is the only method, but it works for me, and I reduce the affects of swirl marks that way much easier.

I use microfibre towels when applying Aussie Gold final detail spray after a using the Style Magic Spray and chamois method. I find this removes fingerprints, and any streaks or marks left behind by any water particles.

I refuse to use a sponge as its too harsh, and have found that using lambswool is a haven for heavy dirt particles even in a clean state. Once again, this is my observations, and by no means does it supersede other personal methods that you think works.

The microfibre towels I get are excellent, I have 6 of them and I machine wash them after I use them so they are clean and fresh for the next car wash.

Using the waterless wash method for me is fast and simple, I only use 1 bucket of filtered water only, which reduces the need for wasted water.

In the end, I have found this method car washing very effective and efficient while leaving the car is a totally dry and clean state.

[ea90gl]

Your methods sound good, I suppose with car care its another one of them things where there are the do and don'ts but at the end of the day its up to the individual and what works best for them. There are a few people who still use the chamois and swear by them it's also a matter of how good the quality is of the products used. Some people still use sponges and swear by them, but obviously they use the good stuff instead of the budget Kenco gear or equivalent. Do you clay bar your car? Amazing how a car will look clean and fine but then once you hit the paint with the bar it picks up so much grime and gunk that you thought would never be there. I guess thats another topic all together maybe there should be a "paint correction" thread around here

[asusdragon]

yeah i give the brush i good clean out prior to using it anyway, i dont mind the using the DIY car wash give it a good clean then take it out and give it a good dry off i always got chamious it the car anyway. then give it a good vacuum. By the time i get home if i feeling like it a bit of a polish and tidy up inside, plus clean the engine bay

[alecrain]

Just make sure all windows are closed, I once used the high pressure carwash with one of my windows slightly open (I didn't even see the gap) and ended up with a wet seats

[blueoval]

are you talking about the carwashing places?

[FPV+fteT3]

Originally Posted by blueoval

are you talking about the carwashing places?

The ones with bays where you can wash yr self or godforbid the drive inn mechanical units. Can anyone remember the automatic rotating brush paint floggers of the past or is it just me showing my age? What a particularly wicked piece of equipment to torture your car with.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by fpv84d

The ones with bays where you can wash yr self or godforbid the drive inn mechanical units. Can anyone remember the automatic rotating brush paint floggers of the past or is it just me showing my age?

I remember those places mate, your not that old. lol

They dont do squat difference in clean IMO. Just a money grabbing machine.
We have a laserwash machine here and it cost up to $12 for a 7min wash and blow dry. and it does a half assed effort at that with their watered down detergents etc.

I use my cash in some waterless wash spray and detail spray. It does a way better job and I do it fairly quickly. I enjoy washing my car.

[The Monty]

Has anyone thought of hosing the brush out with the high pressure hose before starting?, lol

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by The Monty

Has anyone thought of hosing the brush out with the high pressure hose before starting?, lol

you could, but most people who go to those car washing places dont want to waste their money washing other things other than their car. They want their moneys worth as I have noticed that the timer's on those machines seems to run quicker than my watch shows.

The brushes I have used in the past are mediocre quality at best. Its still a risk to use those brushes even IF cleaned by high pressure hose. I personally wont tempt fate.

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by The Monty

Has anyone thought of hosing the brush out with the high pressure hose before starting?, lol

Yeah but thts not going to get everything. You'd spend all you cash making sure the brush was clean.

[ch33z1l]

Also heard that the contain alot of bacteria and can be harmful to the skin. Apparently a few people were getting sick and the narrowed it down to the car wash bays

[FTE72]

Originally Posted by ch33z1l

Also heard that the contain alot of bacteria and can be harmful to the skin. Apparently a few people were getting sick and the narrowed it down to the car wash bays

GIARDIA ANYONE?

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by FTE72

GIARDIA ANYONE?

Yes please!

[Charliewool]

I remember years ago when one of the 1st drive thru car washes was opened in Raleigh Rd Maribyrnong. Some dipstick tied a heap of hex nuts to the bristles of the overhead rotary brush. Some poor souls Falcon looked like the bonnet & roof had been shot-peened to bare metal!

[Dave R]

I've been going to a do-it-yourself carwash for a few months now and have noticed swirls start to develop on the car. Not sure if its the bristles on the brushes they provide, or even the chamios that I use. Either way, I won't be going back.

I grabbed some Meguiars microfibre cloths today and some of their paint cleaner. Hopefully the swirls die...

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

I've been going to a do-it-yourself carwash for a few months now and have noticed swirls start to develop on the car. Not sure if its the bristles on the brushes they provide, or even the chamios that I use. Either way, I won't be going back.

I grabbed some Meguiars microfibre cloths today and some of their paint cleaner. Hopefully the swirls die...

You probably needs some paint correction there mate. You will need to buff these out.

[ea90gl]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

I've been going to a do-it-yourself carwash for a few months now and have noticed swirls start to develop on the car. Not sure if its the bristles on the brushes they provide, or even the chamios that I use. Either way, I won't be going back.

I grabbed some Meguiars microfibre cloths today and some of their paint cleaner. Hopefully the swirls die...

As blueoval mentioned you will need some paint correction work done with a buffer to remove the swirl marks, if they are real light you MAY get away with using something like Autoglyms SRP which has synthetic fillers that help reduce the appearance of the swirls. However that method will work if your lucky, but SRP gives a real deep glossy shine that feels great. Best to use something like Meguiars Scratch X (or Megs #80 + #83) with a dual action orbital polisher with correct grade pads. There are hundreds of combinations between machine (DA orbital/Rotary polisher), pad type and polish used depending on severity of swirls. Megs works well as well as a brand called Menzerna and also 3M which is quite popular. If you wanted to tackle polishing yourself the Megs G220 polisher would be a great way to start, some use the orbital sanders you can get from bunnings etc etc you can get them to work and get results but they have less of a throw in the orbit so they need to be used a little more. As i mentioned before refer to that detailing site which has great more in depth info. Thats where I learnt a bunch of stuff before putting it into practise

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by ea90gl

As blueoval mentioned you will need some paint correction work done with a buffer to remove the swirl marks, if they are real light you MAY get away with using something like Autoglyms SRP which has synthetic fillers that help reduce the appearance of the swirls. However that method will work if your lucky, but SRP gives a real deep glossy shine that feels great. Best to use something like Meguiars Scratch X (or Megs #80 + #83) with a dual action orbital polisher with correct grade pads. There are hundreds of combinations between machine (DA orbital/Rotary polisher), pad type and polish used depending on severity of swirls. Megs works well as well as a brand called Menzerna and also 3M which is quite popular. If you wanted to tackle polishing yourself the Megs G220 polisher would be a great way to start, some use the orbital sanders you can get from bunnings etc etc you can get them to work and get results but they have less of a throw in the orbit so they need to be used a little more. As i mentioned before refer to that detailing site which has great more in depth info. Thats where I learnt a bunch of stuff before putting it into practise

I have the Megs G220 orbital and I LOVE IT. Not as fast as a rotary polisher, but heaps safer for a beginner like me. lol
I use Lake Country buffing pads for the orbital as well as Lake Country hand pads to do the job. Not cheap, but certainly give an excellent result. (I can recommend you to the person in SA that distributes them).
Also speak to SVR73 as he owns his own Detailing business in Burton and will happily advise you in your needs.

[mickyyyy]

I have never liked using car washes places as i u hear ppl saying they ther paint gets damaged and so on

[Xyra]

I have never liked using car washes places as i u hear ppl saying they ther paint gets damaged and so on

I had the same attitude until water restrictions banned washing the car at home in any fashion. Until a few days ago, I never had a problem with the high pressure spray/soap ones. This time I went to one I hadn't been to before and couldn't believe it when the high pressure spray knocked a big chunk of clear-coat off. I wasn't even standing that close!! :

[Creampuff]

I have been using these car washes for awhile now but, I never use the brush.(never let the car get that dirty). I just soap the car and rinse the car, microfibre the car at site, go home and detail ...simple. I can't wait for water restictions to lift so I can wash my car properly!!!

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by Creampuff

I have been using these car washes for awhile now but, I never use the brush.(never let the car get that dirty). I just soap the car and rinse the car, microfibre the car at site, go home and detail ...simple. I can't wait for water restictions to lift so I can wash my car properly!!!

You know you can use the hose to wash cars between 4.30pm and 5pm on Saturdays (odd numbers) and Sundays (even numbers)? My car gets a hose wash every Saturday.