What Makes a Car Wash a “Good” Car Wash?
We all know that a clean car not only protects the resale or trade-in value of your vehicle, it also makes a huge difference in the lifespan of your car as well.
That’s why washing your car regularly is considered good car maintenance. But finding a good car wash can be difficult. Especially for the great people of the Montclair, New Jersey area.
Because let’s face it, not all car washes are created equal. So, let’s look at what makes a car wash a “good” car wash near Montclair, NJ.
Car Wash Foam & Wash Material
While the outside of a car wash might look high-end, you need to pay attention to what type of car soap, foam, wax, and cleaning materials are used when washing your car. This is important for even those auto detailing joints.
A good car wash doesn’t just spray your car down with any ol’ car soap and call it “good”. No, no, no …
A good car wash uses a sequence of specially formulated foams that help remove built-up grime without damaging your car’s finish.
If there’s one thing you need to be on the lookout for when finding a good car wash, it’s that the car wash uses deep-cleaning foam.
This kind of foam helps break down the many environmental allergens and pollutants that often become attached to your car. We’re talking about:
- Dirt
- Dust
- Pollen
- Bird poop
- Bug guts
- Asphalt
- Winter salt
- Sand
- Gravel particles
- Tree sap
- Mud
Once the deep-cleaning foam loosens up all that grime, it then helps provide a long-lasting polish to your car’s coat. Leaving you with a very clean and brand-new-looking vehicle.
From there, the car wash should use biodegradable soap and a soft-touch approach to wiping your car clean.
A soft-touch car wash is exactly how it sounds. They use closed-cell foam material to wipe away all that nastiness from your car.
Because let’s get real for a second … a touchless car wash, while it might sound good in theory, doesn’t do much to rid your car of all that mud, dirt, bird poop, etc. You need gentle contact from a soft cloth material to help wipe it away.
Think of it like this … your car is like a fine piece of china. After a delicious, yet messy meal, you need more than water and soap to get all that grease, caked-on sugar, cheese, and what-have-you off that china plate.
Water and soap can only do so much; that’s why you have to take a soft cloth to help remove the rest of that grime. It’s no different for your car.
A good car wash will use high pressured water and soft foam material to gently remove anything built up on your car. They steer clear from those damaging nylon/plastic brushes that cause scratches on your car’s finish.
Also …
Look for a Car Wash That Uses Biodegradable Car Soaps
Biodegradable car soap is a must for many reasons. For starters, most car soaps contain horrible acids, fillers, and other toxins that cause damage to your car in the long run. But because biodegradable soaps are formulated more naturally, they help protect your car and they don’t pollute our environment. Win, win!
It can be really difficult to find a car wash near Montclair, New Jersey that uses closed-cell foams, biodegradable car soaps, and a soft-touch approach, but a quick Google search could get you looking in the right direction.
Next, look for …
High-end Ceramic Coating & Natural Car Wax
One of the things that Montclair, NJ is known for is cold snowy winters, lots of rain, and sometimes humid summers.
A good car owner should know that with each new season your car should have a fresh layer of car wax and ceramic coating.
You see, a coat of high-quality car wax helps protect the exterior of your car from UV Rays and oxidation.
If you don’t stay on top of ceramic coating and car waxing, you may find yourself paying big money for a repaint job for your car. That’s why it’s cheaper and part of good car maintenance to stay on top of it now rather than later.
The best ceramic coating is usually the one that offers a mirror-like shine. They not only help protect your car from UV Rays, but they shield it from tree sap, bugs, and much, much more.
A good car wash will also offer hot car wax that’s fortified with real Brazilian carnauba wax. You know, the same kind of wax used in hand waxes. The more natural the car wax is, the better and safer it is for your car.
Next, a good car wash will always provide …
Detailed Undercarriage Wash & Rust Inhibitors
An exterior car wash is more than just what you see with your two eyes, it’s what you don’t see as well.
The undercarriage of your vehicle gets the most dirt, mud, road salt, asphalt, magnesium chloride, and other grimy things than any other part of your car. That’s including your car’s front grill.
That’s why you must choose a car wash that prioritizes cleaning the undercarriage of your vehicle.
But cleaning underneath your car is a delicate process. Too much water pressure can cause some damage. And if the water sits up there long enough, along with all that built-up nastiness, it could cause rust and maintenance issues.
That’s why a good car wash uses the right technology to get the undercarriage of your car clean. But they don’t stop there. They will then apply a rust inhibitor that protects your car’s value parts from rusting over time.
Next …
A Good Car Wash Offers Quality Auto Detailing
Given that the Montclair, New Jersey car washes are focused more on auto interior detailing, it won’t be hard to find someone extremely professional to clean the inside of your car for you. So, this tip for finding a good car wash is somewhat optional, depending on your personal preferences.
That said, if you’re anything like us, then having a group of strangers clean the inside of your car can feel a little too personal.
After all, the inside of your car is more like an extension of your home office or bedroom, are we right?
If you can’t stand the idea of having a bunch of strangers poking around the inside of your car, or you don’t have the budget to do so, then you need to find a good car wash that offers a do-it-yourself auto detailing center.
There are a few car washes that do provide vacuums and paper towels, but the vacuums are weak and they cost money. And the paper towels are just wasteful and leave those annoying streaks when you go to wipe things down.
That’s why we encourage you to find a good car wash that offers high-powered vacuums, complimentary glass cleaner, 100% scratch-free microfiber towels, and automatic floor mat cleaners. All free of charge. We know, wishful thinking, right?
Now, if you’re able to find such a car wash near Montclair, NJ, then friend, you’ve hit the good car wash jackpot.
This brings us to …