Suds up: understanding touchless car wash systems

Whether rain or snow, the elements are bound to take a toll on your car's lustre. See how touch less car washes can safely clean your vehicle.

If you drive a car, it’s likely you’ve heard of a touch less car wash. They're are an excellent alternative to car washes that use brushes and fabric to wipe your car because they are significantly better for the paint of your vehicle. After many washes, car washes can really take a toll on your paint job, so when it’s time to clean your ride, touchless is the way to go. How do they work? Let’s have a look.

With a touchless car wash, high-powered water jets carrying robust detergents spray your car, much like a power washer. These jets are able to clean most types of dirt and debris, but not quite as well as those that use brushes and fabric.

When you arrive, your car will enter a conveyor track. The start of the conveyor features a tool, which serves as a correlator. Its role is to make sure that the wheel is aligned to the automotive and the conveyor. The automotive is then placed in neutral status, thus allowing for the little conveyor rollers to crop up behind the automotive wheels. The wheels are then pushed forward with the roller through the tunnel, which is used for exterior purposes only.

It is also important to understand that there are two kinds of conveyor systems used in touchless car wash. One is the FWP or the front wheel pull, and the other is RWP or the rear wheel pull. The first one engages the front left wheel of the automotive while the RWP works with the left wheels.

The conveyor system automatically detects the length of your vehicle and adjusts accordingly. On most systems, it will also measure the height of your vehicle so that the water pressure system knows exactly how close it can get to your vehicle as it moves back and forth to clean it.

If you have a touchless car wash in your neighbourhood, it won’t hurt to give it a shot. The finish of your car will thank you for saving it from the destructive brushes of most automatic car wash services. If you are a car wash owner, consider upgrading to the much more advanced and high-tech touchless system. Keeping your car shiny and clean is easy and your car will stay looking sharp for years to come if you stick to touchless washes.