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Writer's pictureRodolfo Cruz

Drive Thru Car Wash vs. Hand Wash?

Hello readers! Happy new year! This is the first blog for the year.

In this post we will discuss the difference between car washing businesses.


The quick Drive Through Car Wash

This type of car wash come really in handy when you need a quick wash, in and out. They are cheap and quick, but will damage your vehicle one way or another. There are two types, touchless which doesn't "scratch" your paint, and the other use rollers and different types of brushes that at times are not properly maintained.


Touchless Car Wash


The touchless car washes oftentimes use acidic cleaners to be able to clean your vehicle. These acidic washes can and will damage any existing protection your vehicle may have, such as ceramic coating, wax, etc. Does it scratch your paint? Well they may not, but since the washes are really aggressive they could damage your clear coat if the vehicle is not properly rinsed. Another downside is that these car washes will miss spots in your vehicle, so you will have to clean them yourself.



Roller Car Wash


The other quick wash have brushes, and rollers that do touch your vehicle. Dirt and mud are an abrasive, if the vehicle is not properly washed before the brushes or rollers start their cycle, scratches are almost avoidable. Yes they both DO clean your car, but in return for that quick wash they scratch and damage the paint.


So what is a better alternative?


Hand Washed


Not all hand washing businesses are the same, some use high end microfibers, others use brushes to wash your vehicle, so you have to be careful who you trust with your vehicle.

At Neat Auto, we prefer to take our time washing your vehicle, we DO NOT use brushes to wash/scrub your paint, we use microfibers. Why is it better? Well, the microfibers are generally softer than other washing tools, versatile and you can use as many as needed. We like doing the two bucket method since we introduce only clean towels to each panel. This avoids cross-contamination from panel to panel, greatly reduces chances of scratches, and is just the best way to wash your vehicle. Does it take longer? Yes, yes it does, but the results are much, much better. We also use PH balanced chemicals to make sure we are not damaging your paint.


Let us know if you have questions or would like to learn more about our processes.


Rodolfo Cruz

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