When it comes to carwashes, there are two main types: Touch-Free and Soft-Touch. Both have their own benefits and drawbacks, so it can be difficult to decide which is the best option for your vehicle. In this blog post, we will discuss the pros and cons of both touch-free and soft-touch car washes, so you can make an informed decision about which type of wash is right for you!
Your car is a major investment. You should always take the time to clean it meticulously, but you can take your cleaning routine a step further by using a carwash that doesn’t require you to touch the car at all.
Touch-Free Carwash
Many carwashes now offer touch-free carwash options, which use powerful jets to wash your vehicle without you having to touch it. Touch-free carwashes are safer for your vehicle and for you since you’re not exposed to germs from other people touching the exterior of your vehicle. They’re also more convenient since you don’t have to stop at the carwash and get out of the vehicle.
The best touch-free carwashes are designed with your safety in mind. They have sensors that detect when someone is getting too close to the vehicle outside of their designated lane, and they won’t operate if there’s no one in front of them or behind them.
Touch-free Carwash Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Your car is not touched by the auto-wash devices except for the cleaning agents and water, so the risk of getting it damaged reduces.
- Sensors detect the shape and location of your vehicle in order to maximize the coverage of the water jets to clean it more effectively
- Using lasers to detect your vehicle’s shape allows water volume to be targeted and reduced, resulting in less waste and less negative impact on the environment.
- A touch-free car wash may be able to wash some vehicles that are not compatible with traditional wash tunnels – trucks with dual wheels, oversized tires, etc.
Cons:
- In the absence of scrubbing, it is extremely difficult to emulsify and remove dirt, grease, and numerous other contaminants
- Touch-free washes have a reputation for not effectively cleaning your vehicle, especially if the compound is considerable. If your vehicle has a lot of organic or inorganic compounds, they may not be completely removed.
- Cracks and crevices – hard to reach areas – may not receive adequate treatment
- If harsh chemicals are used instead of physical contact, some paint finishes may be damaged and many protective coatings like wax and paint sealants may be removed, minimizing the benefits these products could otherwise provide.
Soft-Touch Carwash
While touchless carwashes are a recent phenomenon, the soft-touch variety is nothing new. For years, carwashes have used soft brushes to clean the surfaces of cars without the need for direct contact between the brush and the paint. It’s still done today with a few modifications, but it’s important to know what types of brushes you’ll be using, how they work, and how they’re cleaned.
Soft-touch car wash brushes are made from many different materials, but if you live in a colder climate, you’re likely to find wool-based brushes because that’s what carwash shops traditionally use. Other materials used for soft-touch cleaning include polyurethanes and nylon bristles. Most soft-touch wash brushes are designed to be used once and discarded after use.
Soft-touch carwash Pros and Cons
Pros:
- By applying mild friction or scrubbing action, you can loosen contaminants that wish to adhere to the car’s surface
- It lifts organic matter off the ground, such as bird droppings, bugs, pollen, and dirt
- Removing inorganic matter, such as salt, hard water deposits, and road film
- It effectively cleans hard-to-reach areas such as the license plate, rocker panels, and the rear of the vehicle
- The vehicle is thoroughly cleaned as a result
Cons:
- Without proper maintenance, these soft cloth strips may cause damage to the vehicle’s loose parts and pre-existing issues
- Abrasive contaminants can cause scratches on the surface if the dirt and debris are not adequately rinsed and emulsified before the cloth strips are used.
- In some cases, certain vehicles (such as those with extremely oversized tires, dual-wheeled vehicles, and some with aftermarket accessories) cannot be washed through a drive-through soft-touch wash
In the end, one of the deciding factors in your decision should be the type of touch or wash you prefer. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but each offers a productive means to get your car washed without worrying about damaging it.