If you care about your car, you’ll want to make sure it doesn’t just run at peak performance, but that it also looks its best. A simple way to keep your vehicle looking like it just rolled off the forecourt is to make sure it gets cleaned on a regular basis. But which way is better—a careful hand wash with soapy water and a sponge, or an automatic drive-through car wash?
In this blog, we’re going to look at the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to help you make the right decision for you and your vehicle. Let’s start with automatic car washes.
Advantages of an automatic car wash
Make no mistake, automatic car washes are usually quicker and more convenient than their manual alternatives, and this is often their big selling point—you’re in and out within minutes. Because the process is automatic, requiring little in the way of human intervention, they are often cheaper too. If you’re concerned about the ecological cost of regular car washing, most modern automatic washers include water recycling systems that reduce their impact on the environment.
Disadvantages of an automatic car wash
For all its benefits, the main disadvantage of an automatic car wash is a significant one. It simply cannot provide as deep and thorough a clean as a hand car wash. The rotating brushes will leave most of the bodywork shining, but they often fail to reach the smaller, tighter areas of the car. On a related note, they rarely clean the wheels or tyre wells—certainly not to the same standard as the rest of the vehicle.
Advantages of a manual car wash
Aside from getting a more thorough clean, as discussed above, the main benefit of a manual car wash is how versatile it is. If parts of your vehicle required particular care and attention, a hand car wash service can be modified to ensure those needs are met. Since manual car washing is usually performed with soft sponges and microfibre cloths, there is little risk of accidentally scratching the paintwork, unlike with the stiff bristles of an automatic car wash.
Disadvantages of a manual car wash
The downsides to a hand car wash service mirror the advantages of an automatic wash. It tends to be more time-consuming and more labour-intensive, both of which result in it being more expensive, though these are all the costs of a job well done. While many manual car wash providers do their best to conserve their water use, it is often more wasteful than an automatic car wash with an integrated recycling system.
Which is the right solution for you?
Ultimately, that’s a decision you need to make for yourself. If you’re looking for a car wash service that is quick, cheap, and delivers an okay finish, then an automatic car wash might be just the thing you need. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a more effective car washing solution—one that ensures a gleaming finish from end to end—a manual car wash is likely more your cup of tea, despite the added time and expense.
Exceptional Hand Car Washing Near You
For drivers in North London, North West London, West London, Central London, Greater London, and parts of Hertfordshire, we offer a professional, mobile car wash service that will have your vehicle looking as good as new. Book now for the region’s best manual car wash at a time that suits you, and add a variety of optional extras for a first-class clean that few others can beat.