How to Use a Self Service Car Wash

Edited by kdweeb, Krystle, Travis Derouin, Haroldforbes and 17 others

The hollow bridge-like structure promising a clean car need not be intimidating. Sure, the directions may have rubbed off from years of wear, but most stations are the same. So, similar functions and similar equipment will give the car owner instant familiarity when driving up to a self-serve car wash. For several dollars less than a detail shop you can have control over how your car gets clean to prevent damaging external equipment like antennas or fancy grill work.

Steps

spaceplay / pause

escstop

ffullscreen

shift + ←→slower / faster (latest Chrome and Safari)

↑↓volume

mmute

←→seek

. seek to previous

12…6 seek to 10%, 20%, …60%

$\"\"$

1
Scope out the territory to find one with the car bays and spray nozzles.

Ad
2
Drive into an empty bay centering the car away from walls. Give enough berth so that you can walk all the way around the car and still hold the spray wand. The wand is on a boom and will swivel with you where you go.
3
Determine the cost of the wash. If writing is obscured or sketchy, go check another bay because they will likely be all the same price. Machines usually take quarters. New ones take a charge card, too.
4
Locate the change machine in order to get the right amount of quarters or bring your own. You may need from $2.00 to $5.00 for an entire clean.
5
Determine which direction the dial points to start. There are 4 or 5 stages of a car wash:
1. Pre-soak (to get initial gunk off and start the soak and loosen the road film).
2. Wash (where suds come out).
3. Foam Brush (Using the scrub wand).
4. Rinse (to get the soap off).
5. Wax (which is a light coating to make your car shiny or at least to help it shed dust and dirt for next time).
6
Be ready to move fast. Car washes are timed for your dime. Take floor mats out of the car and set them against the wall to be sprayed as you walk around.
7
Turn the dial to the pre-soak cycle if the car is heavily caked with dirt; otherwise, put the dial on soap or wash and put the appropriate amount of quarters in the slots. Give it a second and the machine will start to run.
8
Point the tip away from you and press whatever looks like a handle or trigger.
9
Quickly walk around the car blasting the first round of dirt off your car. One circuit should do it. Remember to hit the floor mats as you go around.
10
Rinse off the foamy brush with the high pressure nozzle before you activate the foam brush. Grit, sand, and mud could be lurking in the brush from previous washes, and can scratch your finish.