The brushes in an automatic car wash can sometimes be very abrasive, and the brushes may also have a buildup of dirt and grit from earlier vehicles. They will then lightly scratch the paint. The “No-Touch” car washes, are safer than conventional car washes, but No-Touch washes use very powerful and caustic soaps. They can remove previous paint protection and dry out the paint’s surface.

After a thorough wash the material that remains stuck to the surface is the contamination. It can be felt by hand and can feel almost like sandpaper. Small particles have worked themselves into the pores of the paint’s surface. If not removed the particles can work deeper into the paint, shortening its life. Having a rough surface also reduces the gloss and water beading. The contamination is removed with “clay”. This clay is no longer made from natural clay but is now a synthetic compound somewhat like Play-Doh, or a specially engineered rubber pad. Using clay with lubrication grabs and lifts the particles out of the paint’s surface.

Minerals come from sources like road salts during winter, tap water from lawn sprinklers and improper washing. As the water evaporates, the minerals stay on the surface and work themselves into the paint. The minerals on the surface will diminish the water beading of a wax, sealant, or coating. If the concentration of minerals gets high enough it can cause water spots and will etch into the paint surface, requiring polishing to remove.

All three leave a thin film on the surface of the paint. They all add gloss, ultraviolet (UV) protection, a degree of chemical resistance, and hydrophobicity (water beading). Wax is a natural product, Carnuauba wax, but it is also reproduced synthetically. It gives a warm glow but only lasts a few weeks. The synthetic version can last a bit longer. Sealants are polymer based. They have very strong water beading and can last from a few months to almost a full year in some cases. Ceramic coatings, often shortened to “Coating”, is a strong polymer coating that cures and cross-links after application across the surface and to the paint’s surface. Coatings have excellent chemical resistance, very strong water beading, high gloss, and can last many years. Ceramic coatings are expensive. They usually require 6-8 hours of preparation, including lightly polishing. The vehicle has to be kept dry for a few hours after coating, and not washed for about a week while the polymers are cross-linking.

YES!! Bird droppings and bug guts are very bad for your paint. They are both very acidic and will quickly start eating away the paint’s surface. Over time, the damage may become permanent, requiring polishing to remove the etching, or chip paint repair to fill a hole made by the bug gut. Both should be safely removed as soon as possible. Use a waterless wash or detailer spray with a plush microfiber towel trying not to rub the waste into the paint. Both are very abrasive and can scratch the paint. 

A full detail, inside and out, will take about 4-5 hours. An external wash, decon, and seal will take about 1-½ to-2 hours.  Of course, your detail will depend on your vehicle’s size, condition, and add-ons.