Know Your Car Wash: Types Of Car Washes

Ganesh S E -

Car washing can often be a mundane task. Splashing water on your car with a bucket and then wiping it off with a strip of cloth, hosing it with a water pipe, or just wiping the dust off with a piece of fabric. All of these are different types of washes, and there are other types too. Want to know their names? Read on to find out.

DIY Wash

This washing type is the classic get-down-and-dirty approach. The washing method everyone knows. Here you just grab the cleaning implements at your disposal and give your car a good old wash. That might involve Wiping, Hosing, Soaping, Scrubbing, and Wiping, not necessarily in that order. The point is, this is something that you do at your home by yourself.

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Pro Tip: Start from the top

Self-Service

This car washing type is often mistaken for the DIY Wash. The only difference is the facility. Self-Service is when you take your car to a Car wash facility and use the cleaning implements there to wash your car.

If you want to compare this to the DIY wash, it’s just a location change. But you will be paying for the facility at the other location. Unless you own it or somehow manage to get a freebie.

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Pro Tip: If your car is too hot, the soap will dry quickly, leaving behind spots.

Manual Service

Manual Service is the wash type you obtain when you subtract DIY wash from Self-Service. If you are trying to make sense of it? Don’t worry, it will all be clear soon enough. And you won’t need math for this.

Manual Service is where you take your car to a service center and get it washed there, “Get it washed” being the keyword. Yes, you won’t have to get wet cleaning your car anymore. In fact, you don’t have to clean it by yourself either. You just have to pay someone else to wash your car for you. Very convenient, isn’t it? And obviously, this type costs you more than the previously listed types.

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Pro Tip: Tip the Pro, maybe?

Automatic Car Wash

Take Manual Service and replace the people with automated machines. That is how you get the Automatic Car wash. This wash consumes the least amount of time. But it is usually not as thorough as the Manual Service. It also has a low chance of leaving behind scratches and/or damaging delicate paint jobs.

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Pro Tip: Avoid Automatic Car Wash unless you are pressed for time.

Mobile Car Wash

Subtract the DIY aspect from the DIY wash and add Manual service to the resultant, and you obtain the Mobile Car wash. No more math, I promise. Mobile Car wash is for when you are lazy, busy, or both. You don’t have to go anywhere, nor does your car. Instead, the professionals will come to your Car and give it its well-deserved wash.

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Pro Tip: Ask your Pros beforehand and prep for their visit so you can remain undisturbed later on. 

Now that you know about the different kinds of Car washes, pick the best one based on your available resources like- time, money, and facilities. Don’t forget that washing your car is not just about keeping it clean and preserving its aesthetics. It is also a crucial part of maintenance.