Washing your car is a crucial part of keeping it in good shape. Most cars have a clear coat and a paint coat that protect the metal body. Regular washing helps maintain that fresh, new-car look. However, keeping your car clean isn’t always quick or easy, especially if you want it to shine like it’s fresh from the showroom.
For many drivers, washing their car by hand at home isn’t practical. That’s why lots of people use automatic car washes to keep their vehicles clean. But some car owners worry about how these car washes might damage their tires. In this article, we’ll look at how car washes can affect tires and offer tips on how to minimize the risk.
Types of Car Washing:
Automatic Car Wash:
An automated car wash can therefore be defined as a car wash in which a system and machine are used to wash the car without human intervention. Some of the automatic car washes are tunnel car washes, conveyor belt washes, brushless car washes, and laser vehicle washes.
Self-service car washes:
On the other hand, this is a kind of vehicle wash where customers clean their vehicles using devices and supplies furnished. This includes cleaning the car with a foam brush, washing it, and using soap.
Can car wash damage tires?
Yes, a car wash can damage your vehicle, including the tires. Car washes can harm tires, especially the sidewalls if the brushes or equipment are not properly maintained. Harsh chemicals used in some car washes can wear down the rubber over time, and high-pressure water jets can cause damage if aimed too forcefully. While both automatic and self-service car washes have their benefits, they can also pose a risk to your tires.
Disadvantages of Automatic Car Washing to Tires:
Conveyor belt friction: Even with stainless tires, this comes about due to heat that is generated by friction between your tires and a car’s belt. This may over time result in slits, scratches, or even holes in the fabric that is used to make the shield.
Brush damage: Even though car wash brushes are designed to operate in car wash exterior environments, those brushes can make contact with your tires. It is also important to reduce the intensity of the sideways forces, as excessive pressure results in the wearing or damaging of the sidewall of the tire.
Chemical use: Car wash soaps must not be used for many years because they affect the tire rubber in such ways.
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Disadvantages of Self-Service Car Wash to Tires:
Self-service vehicle washes can nevertheless damage tires even though they’re generally safer.
High-Pressure Water: This is remarkable since with high water pressure, dust, and other abrasive materials are shot into the tread to minimize punctures.
Chemical contact: When using cleansing agents, it is understood that the rubber of the tire can be damaged if the translucent cleansing agents are put to the wrong use.
Tips to minimize risks of tire damage:
Use the following steps to protect your tires from car washes.
- Go to a trustworthy car wash without compromising on equipment maintenance to ensure that a car gets the least harm as can be expected.
- Do not wash the car frequently, especially through the automatic system this will cause the tire to wear out very fast.
- Check tires carefully after washing the cars to ensure that they are not developing cuts wearing out, or containing debris.
- Follow the right tire pressure, and let there be enough ventilation to avoid harming the tire systems in the process.
In case you have some concerns about possible tire damage, then try to think about some other methods of washing, for example, hand washing.
Conclusion:
In case you do not wash your car properly, you are likely to harm the tires of your car. By identifying the types of car washing that harm the tires and taking measures how to minimize the risks, you will ensure the safety of the tires. Anyone willing to clean the car should use a mild car wash it is essential to avoid applying pressure washing too large, or applying poor quality material, it will help to maintain the tires.