# A little question about car wash **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** volkswagen\ **Created:** [March 22, 2018, 9:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196 "2018-03-22T09:52:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![alierainy123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@alierainy123](https://community.cartalk.com/u/alierainy123)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 9:52am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/1 "2018-03-22T09:52:22Z")
How often do you all wash your car? When you do, what type of wash do you use? I have been using a soft touch closed cell foam car wash. It cleans great, but o had a couple of people tell me they’re bad to use. During the summer, I hand wash, but as the temps drop, I use an automatic wash Has anyone used a foam bristles car wash without any ill effects? [google](http://google.com) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 10:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/2 "2018-03-22T10:02:22Z")
I usually hand wash the cars and auto-wash the truck. Frequency depends on color and level of dirt. Figure about every 2 weeks to a month. They get waxed 1-2 times a year. I will use the auto-wash on the cars, though. I use the foam-brush automatic wash because it does a better job than a no-touch. When I was in a salt-state, the touchless would never get the cars clean. I use the same, well maintained wash every time to reduce the possibility of damage. My 2001 and 2004 vehicles have been treated this way since new and they both still look good but, I give them a machine polish every now and again to buff out the scratches they accumulate. ---
**Author:** ![alierainy123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5ac83/32.png) [@alierainy123](https://community.cartalk.com/u/alierainy123)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 10:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/3 "2018-03-22T10:38:07Z")
please help me ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/4 "2018-03-22T12:26:08Z")
Our local Co-op has a touchless car wash and we use it once a month for both cars. I used to hand wash in the summer but the car wash does such a good job at a reasonable price. ---
**Author:** ![BillRussell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/billrussell/32/3179_2.png) [@BillRussell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BillRussell)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 1:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/5 "2018-03-22T13:22:49Z")
I rarely washed any of my cars, and then only at an automatic car wash. Rain and snow do a good job of removing dirt, and I usually keep them for 10-12 years, at which point the value is pretty low anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 1:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/6 "2018-03-22T13:35:59Z")
Car washes are fine. My car is 12 years old, stays outside, routinely goes through brush type car washes, paint still looks like new. As far as frequency: PRN (as needed). ---
**Author:** ![Ben-T\_Spanner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@Ben-T\_Spanner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-T_Spanner)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/7 "2018-03-22T13:41:47Z")
I hand wash my cars. I’ve been doing since I was 11, and I’m 72. If you use an automatic car wash find one that is well maintained. We have a local car wash in a very affluent area which is owned by a member of the Ferrari club. He is obsessive about maintenance. I live in Southwest FL and seldom wash my cars. When new I clay them and seal the paint. I frequently clean them by wiping them down with Lucas Oil Slick Mist or Wizard mist. I also have a California car duster. Cleaning cars is like making Chilli; everyone has their own method, or they go to Wendy’s. Do what makes you happy. If you want too much information go to the Dallas Paint Correction channel on You Tube. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/8 "2018-03-22T14:09:21Z")
A drive-through car wash is fine if you don’t have the time or money to get it done the right way, but you’re better off getting a full service wash and wax by hand using a good paste wax. Mobile car wash services can be great for this. If your car is red or black, and you live in the sun belt, you’re going to want to give it a proper wash and wax every month, or every two months. Otherwise, you can probably go six months between hand-waxing, especially if the car is kept in a garage. If you’re so busy that drive-through car washes are all you can work into your schedule, I’d go once every two weeks, but there is probably a good mobile car wash service in your area, where they will come to your home or your place of work to do a proper wash and wax by hand. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/9 "2018-03-22T14:10:54Z")
I hand wash my cars in the summer…impossible to do when it’s -5 outside…so I use a automatic wash (usually touch-less). During winter months - once a week. Summer - depends…usually once every other week. But it depends. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/10 "2018-03-22T14:12:04Z")
How much do you care about how perfect your paint looks? If it looks like this in bright sunlight: ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/0/09afe7d804b1dccb4b44eecfe54c335b63c54c1b.jpg) would it upset you? If not, then don’t worry about using the touch-washes even as often as once a week. If it would, then just know you’re either gonna have to hand-wash it, or plan to get the paint corrected professionally from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![london](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/76d3ee/32.png) [@london](https://community.cartalk.com/u/london)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 3:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/11 "2018-03-22T15:41:19Z")
I am averse to using high pressure and/or mechanised brushes on my truck. The way things are going with the winters up here it seems there are usually one or two days a month where the temps get above 5 C. At the very least I will get the hose out and rinse all the sand and salt off the undercarriage. As long as the wind is not blowing and I’ve got rubber gloves on I can manage a passable job on the rest. My truck is 24 this year and remarkably rust free. I should add I also get it oil sprayed every couple of years. One more thing. I remember when I was a boy fifty plus years ago all the fathers hand washed their cars and trucks. Nowadays I don’t see anyone in my neighbourhood washing their vehicles, let alone putting a coat of wax on them. I guess I’m just an anachronism but I actually still enjoy doing this work myself. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 3:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/12 "2018-03-22T15:55:33Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > If not, then don’t worry about using the touch-washes even as often as once a week I use touchless car wash once a week…and my paint looks EXCELLENT. The trick is WAX. Maybe you heard of it. The alternative is worse. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/13 "2018-03-22T17:41:30Z")
During the spring and summer, I tend to wash my daily drive once a week on average (more often during pollen season). These are hand washes, after an initial once over with a pressure washer/foam cannon. I agree with @Mustangman , you need friction for an effective wash. During late fall and winter, when it’s cold out I go to a local full service car wash place about every other week (or soon after a snow where the roads have been salted). But even eventually you will get micro-scratches, I take care of those, simply by using a mild polish followed by a sealant in the spring (I tend to wax/sealant my car in the early spring, then again in the middle of summer, and then once more in late fall/early winter. The car get’s clayed on every other waxing. > [@alierainy123](#): > > Has anyone used a foam bristles car wash without any ill effects? Absolutely not. Around where I live the _rubicund of nape_ tend to use the coin-op DIY wash bays to clean their trucks off after an evening of mudding. Those foam bristle brushes are loaded with dirt/mud/debris from previous users. I would not willing use them. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/14 "2018-03-22T17:45:01Z")
> [@FoDaddy](#): > > Those foam bristle brushes are loaded with dirt/mud/debris from previous users. I would not willing use them. We use to have them near me…but have turned to touch-less. But when I use to use them…first thing I did was take the high-pressure hose and clean the foaming brush…problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/15 "2018-03-22T17:45:16Z")
> [@FoDaddy](#): > > These are hand washes, after an initial once over with a pressure washer/foam cannon. Please note that (I hope) this is one of those wands available at a self-serve car wash, not an actual pressure washer, which can take off the clear coat if you’re not careful. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/16 "2018-03-22T17:46:03Z")
It’s a pressure washer…just not a powerful one. ---
**Author:** ![wentwest](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wentwest/32/6073_2.png) [@wentwest](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wentwest)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/17 "2018-03-22T17:47:29Z")
My feeling is if someone washes their car at all, ever, it’s better than not doing it. How you do it is a personal choice. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/18 "2018-03-22T17:52:12Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > I use touchless car wash once a week…and my paint looks EXCELLENT. The trick is WAX. Maybe you heard of it. Not entirely sure where the sarcasm came from, but as OP asked about the _soft-cloth_ car wash he uses, and not _touchless_ car washes I thought maybe I’d answer what was asked. 😉 As others have pointed out, I too have found that touchless washes manage to knock the 3-dimensional dirt off, but they leave behind a film of crud that makes me wonder why I bothered to spend money on them. BTW, many of us have moved on from wax and now use synthetic sealants. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/19 "2018-03-22T17:56:27Z")
I’ve had good luck with Slick Mist. It tends to have a bit more of a cure time than other typical spray wax/spray detailers. I’ve used several Meg’s Ultimate quick detailer is probably the easiest to use, but doesn’t “pop” as much as some of the others. Slick Mist works well, and tends to have a bit more durability, but requires some mild buffing and then a few hours of curing before it looks it’s best. Griots is pretty easy to use, but will streak if you’re not careful, but leaves a better than average gloss, and doesn’t need any curing or much buffing. I’m using CG V07 detailer right now ( bought a gallon for $20 on Black Friday and am just now starting to use it). This stuff is different. It doesn’t streak much, but it does require some light buffing, no real cure time as best as I can tell, it definitely has some kind of solvent in it (alcohol maybe), gives a good “pop” (not as good as Slick Mist IMHO), and leaves a nice slick finish, but it isn’t as hydrophobic as the the others. Still a good value for money if you can catch it on sale. At $20 a gallon it’s about 1/3 the cost of the others. When I use this stuff up, I want to get Meg’s D155 a shot. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196/20 "2018-03-22T18:05:30Z")
No, it’s a gas powered 4000 psi Kärcher paired with an MTM PF22 foam cannon. No need for concern, I’m not blasting the paint from inches away or anything. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-little-question-about-car-wash/114196.md?page=2)