What Kind Of Car Wash Is Best For A New Car?

Getting a new car is exciting; the shine, look, smell, and everything new about it is great.

Sadly, it might not mean anything when there’s dirt all over the car.

Dirt on a new car makes it less attractive, so how do you get it clean again?

Quick Answer

It is best practice to wash a new car by hand. This is the most gentle and thorough method. If you prefer to safe time, the only viable option is a touchless car wash.

You shouldn’t make the mistake of washing your new car with just any washing method because it might ruin the vehicle’s outlook.

However, a hand car wash isn’t as simple as it sounds; you need to get it right.

Table Of Contents

What Kind of Car Wash is Best For A New Car?

Car wash options vary from brushless to hand wash, rinseless, tunnel, touchless, automatic, and more.

Each car wash type has its advantages and disadvantages and what they can do to your new car.

However, not all are great options for washing a new vehicle.

Quick Answer

As a whole, a hand wash is the best kind of car wash for a new car because it’s more effective in cleaning your new car without using harsh chemicals or equipment that may damage your car’s finish.

Your best bet at protecting your new car is a hand wash. Get the proper cleaner and equipment and wash your car gently.

Use the two-bucket washing method to clean your car to prevent transferring contaminants to different areas of the car.

Start with a pre-rinse using pressure water, spritz sud on the car with a foam cannon, and use a soft mitt to scrub off the dirt and clean.

This way, you won’t need harsh chemicals to remove the dirt.

Then, you can dry the car properly without leaving streaks, scratches, or water spots that will ruin the vehicle’s aesthetic and finish.

While hand washing is great, many people can’t deal with that much stress, and automatic car washes are the alternatives.

However, of all automatic car wash options, you should only use touchless for your new car.

It’s the safest of all automatic car wash options for your new car.

No brushes, bristles, or clothes touching your car to scratch your new car paint.

Just pressure water, chemicals, and pressurized air. That’s great for protecting your car coat; however, the harsh chemicals may cause future problems for your car’s finish.

Nevertheless, you should remember that a hand wash is the best way to clean your new car.

Why is A Brushless Car Wash Not Good For A Car?

Brushless car wash uses a soft cloth to wash your car instead of brushes, making it gentler than the latter.

While this may be a better option than the regular automatic car wash, it is not the best option to wash a car.

In total, a brushless car wash is not good for a car due to the reasons below:

Ineffective cleaning
Uses chemicals
Prone to scratches
Transfers grime
Unsatisfactory drying methods

Washing your car with a brushless car is convenient and fast; however, they are not the greatest option for washing a car, and here is a list of reasons it isn’t:

Ineffective Cleaning

A Brushless car wash doesn’t clean as effectively as you think.

It can’t get the grime off efficiently and doesn’t reach all the nooks and crannies of the car.

A Brushless car wash might miss some spots on the vehicle and leave contaminants.

Uses Chemicals

Many brushless car washes use harsh chemicals to remove dirt.

The harsh chemicals supplement the soft touch to help get off the dirt from the car.

Therefore, this process may damage the car’s finish, make it fade, and leave it vulnerable.

Prone To Scratches

While brushless car wash is soft, it doesn’t completely prevent scratches from cars.

It may be minimal, but there’s no assurance that it won’t leave swirl marks or scratches.

Transfers Grime

The soft cloth can transfer grime and contaminants from one car to another, and the more cars it has washed before yours, the more prone your vehicle is.

Unsatisfactory Drying Methods

Sometimes, the drying method may be unsatisfactory.

Some brushless car washes use huge blowers to dry and may not work effectively, leaving water spots.

Why is A Tunnel Car Wash Not Good For A Car?

A tunnel car wash is not a totally bad option; however, they’re not great either.

While it gets your car clean, it can cause damage as well.

As a whole, a tunnel car wash is not good for a car due to the following:

Leaves swirl and scratches
Risk of cross-contamination
Doesn’t clean completely
Low-quality products and older equipment

You don’t have control over what washes your car at a tunnel car wash, which might be a disadvantage.

Here are reasons a tunnel car wash isn’t good for cars:

Leaves Swirl And Scratches

Tunnel car washes use brushes that can leave swirl marks and scratches on your vehicle.

Sometimes, the brushes are harsh and won’t spare your car from any damage.

Risk Of Cross-contamination

Washing your car at a tunnel car wash puts it at risk of cross-contamination.

Contaminants from other cars may latch onto the cleaning equipment and transfer to your car when you go through the car wash.

Doesn’t Clean Completely

While tunnel car washes use brushes and powerful cleaning agents, they don’t clean your car completely.

The brushes might miss spots on the car, and rinsing might not be enough to get off the dirt.

Low-quality Products And Older Equipment

Some tunnel car washes use subpar cleaning products.

They may use harsh chemicals to reinforce inadequate brushing, and other times, the equipment might be old, such that it might damage the paint and dent your car.