One of the known joys (or obligation) of vehicle ownership is the need to wash your car regularly to keep it clean and looking fresh. Whether it’s done at home with a few mitts (yup no mixing the cloths used on different areas of the car!) and your choice of shampoo, or relying on the neighbourhood shop for the weekly duties, you need to be sure that it’s all done to preserve the condition of your vehicle and not unwittingly hurrying it down the ageing cycle.
While dirt and stains left sitting on your car can start to etch in and stay permanently, overzealous washing and scrubbing also leaves a trail of unsightly blemishes such as swirls and light scratches. When these things happen to you, your car will no longer me the awesome, shiny and new kid on the block. Soon it’ll be relegate to the category of washed up (pun intended) grandpa wheels that has been neglected or abused for too long.
So first, how often should you wash your car?
The safe answer mostly prescribed is once a week. To us that makes sense, although in this unpredictable weather of ours, rain and mud will often leave your car soiled before the week is up. So once or twice a week would be your recommended routine. Unless your car needs to be spotlessly clean and sterile 24/7, there really is no need to go over the top and wash it every other day. That’s borderline OCD and you’re doing the environment a disservice as well.
Home washing vs gas station express wash?
If you know what you’re doing and you don’t mind sweating it out, then home washing will be a great option for you. Besides being able to use the best products that you can afford, it’ll also grow the bond between you and your ride! Besides, there are times when you do not need a complete wash, and all’s required is a quick hose down with your water jet, so the options are always on the table according to your needs and schedule.
When you send your car in to the gas station, you might first want to observe for awhile how they get things done. Over there, speed and volume is the order of the day. They need to get as many cars cleaned as quickly as possible. Firstly people get impatient waiting outdoors where it’s hot and stuffy. And secondly, they need to turn a decent profit and the only way to do that with low charges is through washing a high number of cars and cutting costs wherever feasible.
This means that materials used will not be of the best quality. Wash cloths would need to be torn to tatters before they’re replaced. Washing detergent are harsh and quick to act so that less time is spent on each vehicle. So it doesn’t take a lot to figure out that this is not the ideal choice, but sometimes it is the only option. Maintaining your car more regularly at your detailing studio will then be important if you want to keep your paintwork at its best after it takes a beating week in and week out.
In some neighbourhood shops or even in the mall parking lots, you’ll see quite a number of detailing vendors, many of which will offer a car wash service, but at a slightly higher fee compared to the RM12-15 ones at gas stations. Most of the time, they will be worth the money spent as the focus on quality here is higher and they’d have a reasonable amount of training to reduce the incidents of paintwork damage from improper washing techniques.
So go out there and explore what’s available.. figure out what works best for you, your time and your budget. We’re sure you’ll be alright with the right advice and guidance!
P.S. If you choose to go the glorious DIY route, come by our studio to check out some really cool tools and accessories available for sale by GYEON that will make your wash that much more fun and effective!