A car wash is a place used to wash the outside and, in certain cases, the inside of various car models. A car wash can be privately owned by an individual or it can be owned by a company as an employee benefit. Many car washes are operated by individual businesses and they do not necessarily hire employees. Most of the time, a car wash is run on a part-time basis. Full service car wash facilities often have several car cleaning services, such as washing windows, doors, tires, body parts, and interior detailing. Full service car wash facilities usually have an on-site technician and an inventory of washing supplies.
There are many reasons why car wash facilities are becoming more popular all over the country. One reason is the fact that car wash services are becoming more environmentally responsible. Self-service car wash facilities do not require using harsh chemical products or ozone gas. They also do not use petroleum-based cleansers or polishes because these ingredients can harm the surfaces of sensitive automobiles. When a customer enters a self-service car wash facility, he or she is given the option to choose the type of washing experience that he or she wants. Customers are free to use a mild soap or a strong degreasing agent if they so desire.
Many car wash companies have added a friction zone to their equipment to prevent car wash line swirls and slipping. The friction zone helps eliminate most lines and drips because of its smooth surface. Some car washes utilize a special wax mixture to provide extra wax protection and prevent oil build-up. Waxing is done in the car wash station and removed with a soft cloth, then rewaxed before returning to the car wash. There are a few companies that provide mobile drywares so that customers can complete the waxing process at home. These mobile drywares are often referred to as “drying servers”.
In addition to detergents and friction cleaning agents, car washes employ high pressure air or water jets. High pressure air or water jets are usually used in the case of a power washed vehicle. These are generally provided by automatic pressure washers or by hand-operated electric brushes. Cloth strips are also used on power washed vehicles in addition to the friction zone. Cloth strips are applied to the vehicle and allowed to air dry. Once they become excessively wet, they are removed and replaced by a fresh cloth strip.
Automatic car washes contain a pre-washing system which is programmed to complete the cleaning process. In the case of a manual car wash, all the car wash workers must manually activate the system. In automatic car washes, this process does not occur. The system is fully programmable to initiate the washing process whenever a car comes into the facility or when an automatic car wash robot is installed. Each car that is washed is sent to the auto-wash station where the car gets washed according to the preferences of the customer.
After the car is washed, it is thoroughly dried using heat and air dryers. Automotive finish specialists monitor the drying process using either digital or conventional meters to ensure the finish is satisfactory. Automotive finish manufacturers recommend that car washes use the best available finish materials available to avoid overspray or fade. Finishes such as paint, chrome, polyester, lacquer, and rubber are used in most automatic car washes.