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It seems as if technology is influencing virtually every aspect of life even down to keeping your car nice and tidy. While being able to just hop in the automatic car wash seems like a godsend to many people, there are still some folks who prefer the traditional way of keeping their car spotless. If you are wondering which method of washing a car is the best, here are some pros and cons of both.
Washing by Hand
Not only is this the original method of washing a car, but in some cases, it can actually be the best. Of course, choosing the method in which to wash your car is all about your personal preference, and what you want the finished product to look like. Although some people may think that hand-washing a car is slower than going through the machine, they might actually be wrong.
For starters, because the automatic wash cannot perform fine detailing to the more inconspicuous parts, it can require additional work and time on your behalf even after the wash has finished.
When you are washing by hand, you can kill two birds with one stone as you can perform the detail work while you are doing the general cleaning, which can end up making the process go faster. In order to give you an objective viewpoint, here are the pros and cons of hand-washing your vehicle.
Pros
Hand washing your car can achieve a more flawless finish. It also allows access to areas that a machine can’t reach. Since hand washing a vehicle can be done right in your driveway with just a sponge and a bucket, you have the convenience of making your own schedule and not working around a facility’s hours of operation. You also don’t have to worry about long lines you might encounter on busy days.
Cons
While there are many benefits to washing your car by hand, one of the major drawbacks for most people is the risk of ruining their paint job. For this reason, you might find yourself moving a bit slower as you want to ensure that you do not scratch your paint.
However, if your car is very dirty, it might require a bit more elbow grease than you can muster in order to clean it properly. Therefore, although handwashing can give you a perfect result, you will typically have to exert a lot of energy in order to do so.
Machine Washing Your Car
While car wash digitalization solutions might not be as precise as a hand wash, it certainly has lots to offer in many other areas. One of the obvious draws for using an automatic car wash is the amount of time that it saves you. Not only can you wash your car much faster with a machine, but you can usually have it done practically any time of the day.
Furthermore, unlike handwashing, an automatic wash can be much gentler on your car’s paint job as it doesn’t use hard brushes that can result in scratches. Instead, the machine wash is virtually “touchless” as it gently cleans your vehicle’s body thoroughly without missing any steps. And because it is a machine and not a human, it doesn’t get tired, so you can have it perform the wash, wax, etc. in a few quick steps.
Which Is More Efficient?
Although the traditional wash only requires the use of a bucket, a sponge, and some soapy water, washing this way can lead to excessive use of product as well as water. With the automatic wash, the machine only uses the amount of product and water that it needs. In fact, in some automated systems, the water that is used in the wash is recycled, cleaned, and even reused for future washes.
When it comes to choosing between automated or traditional car washing, each method has its pros and its cons. For instance, although the machine wash might seem faster at first glance, you will probably have to spend time drying some more by hand if you do not want to have water spots on your finish.
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This content is brought to you by Mary Aderholt.
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