It blows my mind...

Kinja'd!!! "n54 & s38" (straight6)
02/19/2016 at 16:55 • Filed to: None

Kinja'd!!!2 Kinja'd!!! 15

How many people at the self service wash will take the tire brush, turn on the foam and drag it along their expensive cars like they’re scrubbing off an elephant or something. Makes me cringe inside every time. That’s what the spray gun is for!! Why don’t you care about your paint?

Posted waiting in line at the car wash 


DISCUSSION (15)


Kinja'd!!! $kaycog > n54 & s38
02/19/2016 at 16:59

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They either don’t know or don’t care.............or both.


Kinja'd!!! DancesWithRotors - Driving Insightfully > $kaycog
02/19/2016 at 17:01

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Eh, I use it on my Mazda, because:

A: I really don’t care.
B: It only gets washed about twice a year, and in between, I do my best rally driver impressions on gravel roads, constantly. Plus salt... Plus mud, and anything else.


Kinja'd!!! MonkeePuzzle > n54 & s38
02/19/2016 at 17:07

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just as good as all the times the kids “help” me wash our cars. sponges in the dirt, sponges straight to the car GAAAAAH! NOOOOOOOOO!


Kinja'd!!! dailydoseofmindlessness > $kaycog
02/19/2016 at 17:08

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I cringe at folks who fail to dust down the exterior before wetting the vehicle.


Kinja'd!!! Svend > n54 & s38
02/19/2016 at 17:10

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After several years and wracking my brains and trying to educate people on how to wash a car safely (notice how I didn’t say correctly?) it has come to my notice that many people only see clean as free from dirt and don’t care how it gets done be it an open-cell sponge in a single bucket, drying with a chamois, self service car washes using a grit addled wash brush, etc...

At the end of the day it’s their car and to do with as they wish. If someone asks me on wash techniques and products I will happily sit and talk with them, send them some sample products to hone what it is they want to achieve and give my time to show them safe wash techniques.


Kinja'd!!! $kaycog > dailydoseofmindlessness
02/19/2016 at 17:10

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Never heard of that one.


Kinja'd!!! Birddog > n54 & s38
02/19/2016 at 17:12

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Meh. It doesn’t do nearly as much damage as everyone tries to make it seem.


Kinja'd!!! Berang > n54 & s38
02/19/2016 at 17:17

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If you’re scrubbing tires with that brush, you’re also doing something wrong.


Kinja'd!!! dailydoseofmindlessness > $kaycog
02/19/2016 at 17:18

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Dust/loose dirt is like an abrasive when worked with a wash sponge or mitt, bad for whatever it is one is trying to clean.

At decent hand wash operations here (in the Far East), the exterior is often dust off with compressed air or anti-static duster to remove loose dirt/grime/trapped leaves/twigs/etc, prior to wetting.


Kinja'd!!! aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > dailydoseofmindlessness
02/19/2016 at 17:22

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I made this mistake before. Never felt so dumb in my entire life


Kinja'd!!! Klaus Schmoll > Birddog
02/19/2016 at 17:27

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That complaint sounds like “I’ve seen somebody drive through the car wash at the gas station. How can they?”

The best thing for the paint would probably be licking it clean with my tongue. I don’t want to do that. I choose to go the coin operated washing booth that our VW/Audi/Merc dealer has in the back and which they use on their own cars, spray it, scrub it with said brush, and give it a good polish once a year. The paint on my 17 year old car looks better than that on some that are way younger, so there must be something that I am doing right.


Kinja'd!!! Urambo Tauro > Birddog
02/19/2016 at 17:28

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Agreed. (Especially if you take a moment to rinse the brush first.)

Besides, as the finish becomes more worn, washing techniques matter less and less. Some practices are only appropriate for cars that are still in pristine condition.


Kinja'd!!! $kaycog > dailydoseofmindlessness
02/19/2016 at 17:31

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Handwash, of course. I was thinking of the high-pressure wash.


Kinja'd!!! Bird > dailydoseofmindlessness
02/19/2016 at 18:34

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Dirt is an abrasive when moved by air too...


Kinja'd!!! Rico > n54 & s38
02/19/2016 at 19:16

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I only use it to spray water and go home and do a proper wash. My cars paint is in excellent condition.