There may come a moment when you don’t have time to wash your car by hand and instead choose for the far speedier automatic car wash. If you find yourself in this circumstance, you may be wondering how long an automatic car wash take.
In short, automatic car washes, on average, take 5-7 minutes to clean your car. However, depending on the sort of machinery utilized in the wash bay, the timing may vary.
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How Long Does an Automatic Car Wash Take?
An automatic car wash requires about 7 minutes on average, which is quite speedy. It’s impossible to physically wash a car and get it as clean as this in less than 10 minutes, but automatic washing can.
However, just because automatic wash appears to be quicker and makes your car look nicer doesn’t imply you should use it all of the time. Automatic car washes are said to cause harm to your vehicle that you won’t notice right away.
Factors Affecting the Time It Takes to Wash a Car
Because they are not all manufactured and programmed the same, the length of time that automatic car washes take varies from one to the next. Their differences can have an impact on how long it takes to wash an automobile. These elements are mentioned below.
1. Different types of automatic car washes
Touchless or soft-touch automatic car washes are available. The time it takes to wash a car varies depending on the type of car wash. Aside from that, they each have their own set of advantages and disadvantages.
If you’re looking for a car wash, you should consider the benefits and drawbacks of each type of car wash, as well as the length of time it takes to wash your car. You’ll be able to choose the ideal alternative for your car washing needs this way.
Touchless Car Wash
A touchless car wash normally takes no more than three minutes to finish.
Unlike the soft-touch vehicle wash, this automated car wash does not go through the scrubbing procedure, which makes it faster. Instead, it uses strategically placed hoses to efficiently spray high-pressure water and strong chemicals on a car to properly clean it.
Furthermore, because no brushes come into touch with a car during the washing process, your car is unlikely to be damaged. This automatic car wash type may deliver the highest level of safety wash for your automobile because of its extremely speedy washing with little to no harm.
Soft-Touch Car Wash
The soft-touch car wash takes up to four minutes to finish, which is a minute longer than the no-brush option, but it is more successful at removing dirt and grime from a vehicle.
With the addition of brushes that are precisely supposed to achieve the different portions of the automobile, this automated car wash type cleans a car even more thoroughly. The brushes would come into touch with the surface of your car and then travel back and forth to remove the dirt and grime.
Brushing may add a couple of minutes to the time it takes to wash the automobile. However, the somewhat longer duration might be worth it if the results were cleaner. While the touchless car wash is faster, the soft-touch car wash is more effective in terms of cleaning.
A soft-touch car wash, on the other hand, can be hazardous to your vehicle. Although the brushes are efficient at eliminating dirt and grime, they may scrape the paint, remove vehicle wax, and damage the ceramic coating.
2. The automatic car washing process
In the automation of car washes, there is no set protocol. Varied automatic car washes have slightly different car cleaning steps.
Some automatic car washes, for example, just rinse a car at the beginning and conclusion of the wash, whereas others rinse every time a new detergent is applied. Additionally, certain soft-touch car washes may complete multiple brush cleanings.
3. The time it takes to complete each car washing step
The time it takes to complete each step varies between automatic vehicle washes, which might affect the total time it takes to complete an automatic car wash. For instance, some automatic car washes would rinse for only a few seconds before spraying detergents, whilst others would rinse for a longer time before proceeding to the next phase.
4. A car wash’s resources
The amount of resources a car wash has also has an impact on how long it takes to wash a car. The more or better equipment they have, the faster and more effective cleaning will be.
In particular, the more brushes a soft-touch vehicle wash has, the more efficient the cleaning procedure will be. A speedier way of spraying water will cut cleaning time in the touchless car wash.
Does Using an Automatic Car Wash Harm Your Vehicle?
The majority of people who give automatic car washes do not keep the brushes that clean your car clean. The brushes appear to become extremely dusty over time, and if not cleaned properly, they may leave dirt deposits on succeeding automobiles instead of washing them smoothly.
Similarly, touch-free washes aren’t as amazing as they seem. Despite the fact that nothing comes into contact with your automobile, there’s no way this car washing system can clean it completely. Furthermore, the washing chemicals may harm your car’s finish.
There are a lot of things to think about before getting your car washed by automated equipment. Also included are some important points about automatic car washes.
Check out This Video for How to Use Automatic Car Wash!
FAQs
#1 Do automatic car washes scratch your car?
In reality, automatic vehicle washes and cleaning bays are one of the most common sources of minor clear coat or paintwork damage on cars and trucks. Whereas many automatic car washes are safe and clean, even slight flaws might cause scratches and abrasions in the finishes of your vehicle. For example, if a car wash’s brushes aren’t properly kept, your automobile will be smacked with cloth strips that can cause the same damage as a large, dirty mop. Brushes can leave deep micro-scratches known as swirl marks due to dirt, dust, and particulates.
#2 Is touch-free or manual washing better?
Touch-free washing, as previously stated, appears to be attractive. However, the chemicals used to loosen the dirt and filth on your automobile can be very harsh on your paint, leading it to fade over time.
If you go the brush route, keep in mind that most of these men don’t properly clean and maintain their automatic car wash brushes, which could result in the brush spreading dirt on your car’s body rather than wiping off the residues.
Manual washing with a soft towel, on the other hand, can be more effective than machine washing. Because the car washer will most likely employ car wash treatments to remove stains, grime, and tenacious dirt, this is the case. However, because this process takes a long time, some individuals prefer automatic washes.
#3 Does an automatic car wash remove stains, tar, and other debris?
Automated car washes, on the other hand, are continually improving. However, if you wash your automobile manually right now, don’t expect it to be completely clean.
Some particles, in particular, cannot be removed from your car’s finish by just spraying water jets. Cleaning such particles necessitates the use of particular combinations. Thus, handwashing the car is the best approach to remove watermarks, tars, and other contaminants.
#4 What type of car wash is best?
It all depends on what you consider to be a good standard. If you want to avoid scratches on your automobile, a touchless car wash is the best option. Your car will not be scratched by touchless car washes. It will remove large parts of dirt and debris and clean the automobile adequately overall.
Conclusion
Automated car washes give car owners an easy and quick way to clean their vehicles. Although there is no perfect answer to the question “How long does an automatic vehicle wash take?” you can rest confident that it will only take a few minutes.
The usual wait time for your automobile after it has been passed into the washing center is between 5-7 minutes.
Hi everyone, My name is Ollie Barker.
As a seasoned auto expert I have 25 years of experience working in repair and detailing shops. I love to share my tips & tricks to all car lovers, so that’s why I’m here at Automotive Gearz publishing my content, sharing my passion. Also, I’ve been giving my recommendations on which products are the best to have on the market. I always thought it was hard to pick the right part, so hopefully I can make that a bit easier for you.
Hope you enjoy your time on my little blog!
