Oh No! Not Again!

Whew, it’s hot out here in the Midwest -- most days in the triple digits!  Driving in this heat can make even the most sanguine person downright cranky. If you are like me, the first parking place you will look for is in the shade - under a tree. 

The problem is, this is also where our fine-feathered friends gather to stay cool.  I know this mostly because of the “gifts” they leave on my car.  If not treated quickly your car’s paint can be permanently damaged.

And it's not just the acid in the droppings eating your paint. The real culprit is the sun -- which heats and then expands the paint on your car. When the sun hits the bird droppings, it hardens at the same time the paint is expanding. When the sun sets and your car cools down, the paint then contracts and forms itself around the hardened bird droppings.

This wrinkling/cracking is what happens when paint is unprotected

Bird droppings that are exposed to the sun can do damage in less than 10 minutes. To remove droppings that have been on your vehicle for more than 10 minutes, place a moist cloth over it for a few minutes to soften the deposit before rinsing or wiping it off.

But what about those days when you cannot take care of the mess while on the go? This is where Autowash rises above the competition and comes in for a full rescue.

First, we apply Bug Buster, which is an application that literally dissolves stuck on messes like bird droppings and bugs.  Next, Patented Soft Maxx brushes are guaranteed to scrub off stubborn elements without scratching or causing swirls like the lesser-expensive types of brushes can.  Using a wand won’t even come close.

Autowash then applies Rain-Shield which protects against bug splats AND bird droppings.  This miraculous product leaves a nice armor of protection against future birdie infractions – all the while leaving your car’s paint fully waxed, protected and lustrous.

At $10 (max) per wash experience, you won’t find a better value anywhere.  It is worth it to us to invest in only the best products and equipment money can buy.  After all, we want to assist you in extending the value and life of your car. And we want you to come back!

So go ahead, park under the trees.  We've got you covered.

For added value, we offer a Loyalty Program (Buy 5, Get One Free), Unlimited Wash Pass (Wash your car every day if you want!) and Fleet Accounts.

Top Ten Reasons to Wash Your Car

#10: The bubble machine and bubblegum scented colored foam will make your kids stop screaming for 5 minutes.

#9: Your boss is riding with you tomorrow, and you want to keep your job.

#8: You keep getting pulled over because someone wrote expletives through the grime on your rear window.

#7: Your kids and the dog have made their mark on your car.

#6: Your wife wants you to clean the car, but you really want to go fishing.

#5: Your friends are asking you, "What color WAS your car?"

#4: You have good reason to believe that something is growing under one of your seats.

#3: You’re selling your car, and you want the buyer to think that you took really good care of it.

#2: You are sick of your tree-hugger neighbor's nasty looks when washing your car in the driveway.

#1 You can cancel your $150-per-hour psychotherapy
session. It has been proven that washing your car boosts your self esteem and gets your mind off your depressing childhood.

*Btw, we're tree huggers too, and use minimal high-pressure water and eco-friendly chemicals.. 

WINTER: The Most Important Time To Wash Your Car!

You might think that the best time to wash and wax your car is in the spring in summer.  Actually winter is the best season - especially in cold climates when dirt, corrosive road salts, and melting snow can do a lot to destroy automobiles.  

Keeping the elements off your car is much like brushing your teeth.  The more you eat, the more you need to brush and floss!

Waiting to wash your car until the weather and roads clear up is even worse!  The longer the sludge stays baked in the undercarriage and on the paint you are virtually taking years off the life of your car.  If you are planning on selling or trading it in later, this kind of corrosion will cost you thousands. 

“Salt is by far the biggest car culprit - it can attack even the toughest paints and finishes if not washed off consistently," explains Mark Thorsby, executive director of the International Carwash Association.

"Nearly $24 billion a year is spent battling automobile corrosion damage. This winter, getting your car washed at least once or twice a month - or more if you see or feel build-up - is essential to protect your investment."

Here are some of the culprits to avoid this winder:

SALT  Icy roads are treated with a corrosive mixture of sand and salt often in the form of sodium chloride.  In recent years, another corrosive salt mixture - sodium magnesium - has been used on roads, which some experts say is even more corrosive.  The salt gets caked on the undercarriage can promote rust, especially in older vehicles. It can also affect how well the car drives.

ACID RAIN  According to studies compiled by ICA, it is critical to wash a vehicle immediately after a rainfall. As rain falls, it collects pollutants from the air, a concept commonly referred to as acid rain and triggered in North America by industrial and automotive pollution. The water eventually evaporates leaving a thin film of pollutants that can damage a car's finish permanently.

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS   Bird droppings, road grime, and tree sap can also mar a car's shiny finish and paint, leaving it dulled and permanently damaged.

Once you make the commitment to take better care of your car this winter, here are a few things to note about winter-washing: 

Do: Use a professional car wash with SoftGloss™ brushes.  They will get rid of the grime without scratches or swirls.  

Don't: Use a wand wash. Using a wand may spray off the surface but will leave the harmful elements. This makes matters worse by causing layers of sludge and grime.  

Do: Use a carwash that waxes and has a paint/surface protectant like RainX™ or RainShield™.  These eco-friendly chemicals create a barrier between your clean car and future elements.

You spent a small fortune on your car, do not let the winter months ruin it.  Even if you need to bring it in a few times per week, it is worth every penny.  

Drive safe out there! 

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Car Washing and The Environment

Did you know taking your car to a car wash saves not only gallons of water but also traps all that dirt and other nasty pollutants? Here are just few reasons why coming to Autowash is good for the planet!

• Professional, commercial car washes use water management technology developed through industry and university research that enables them to wash cars thoroughly with a fraction of the water a home car wash uses.

• A ten minute home wash can use as much as 140 gallons, based on engineering studies that show a 5/8” hose running at 50 psi uses 14 gallons of water per minute (WCA figures). Other estimates: San Francisco Water Dept- 180 gal. San Antonio Water System- 150 gal. City of Toronto- 116 gal. 

• Professional car wash equipment can clean a car in just a few minutes, using between 15 and 60 gallons, depending on the equipment used, especially conveyor wash.

• Comparison with other water uses: Dripping faucet: 25-30 gal./day Toilet flush: 5-7 gal. 10-minute shower: 25-50 gal. Washing machine at top water level: 60 gal. Brushing teeth: 2 gal. 

• A car washed professionally does not waste water. There are few industries which use water as a resource that carefully manage water as well as the modern car wash.

• For most people, their car is their second most valuable asset. Keeping it clean extends the life of the car.

• Wastewater from driveway and parking lot car washing flows into the stormwater system and then into our waterways.

• Driveway and parking lot car washing discharge consists of oils, grease, elements from brake linings, rust, trace amounts of benzene and possibly chromium. Adding soap to the mix introduces phenols, dyes, acids, and ammonia

• The Seattle Stormwater Grading and Drainage Control Code listed unregulated car washing second in the eight high-risk pollution-generating activities.

• Past EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman has been quoted as saying, “It may seem like a small amount of oil and grease, but collectively, these little sources add up to (the equivalent of ) 23 Exxon Valdez oil spills in the contental United States per year.”

• Effluent from professional car wash facilities is filtered and piped to the sanitary sewer system.

Aside from environmental reasons, most detergents people use to wash their car in the driveway damages paint and leaves it vulnerable to the elements. Save the headache. Save the environment. Do your part! Come see us at Autowash!