When your car has that showroom shine, it not only looks great— it makes you feel great. A clean and polished vehicle protects your paint and helps maintain resale value. But what’s the best way to clean it? Is a quick trip to the car wash the best way to go? You’ve also heard about professional car detailing, but what is it really?
Understanding the difference between a car wash and a full service Ottawa car detailing will help you make the best decision for your vehicle’s health. Many car owners are surprised to learn the truth.
Car Wash vs Detail Table of Contents
What is a Car Wash?
A standard car wash uses soap, water, pressure washers, and brushes to get the dirt, dust, and debris off your vehicle. Car washes are either done by hand or automatic, with the main focus being getting your car’s exterior clean quickly and cheaply.
Types of Car Washes
- Manual Car Wash: You drive your car into a bay, add money, and hand wash your car with soap, water, sponges, a soapy long-handled brush, and finally rinse it down with a pressure washer. While you do have control over the cleaning process, manual washes still cause scratches if the soaps and brushes used aren’t gentle on your paint.
- Automatic Car Wash: The most common option for busy drivers, automatic car washes are often found at gas stations. Rotating brushes scrub your car and pressure washers spray it down while it moves through a tunnel on tracks. Although it’s convenient, automatic car washes are notorious for causing scratches and swirls due to the harsh cleaners used. Sand and debris from past cars can also stay on the automatic brushes, scratching your car as it gets scrubbed.
- Touchless Car Wash: A safer option than automatic washes, touchless car washes use high-pressure water jets and strong detergents to clean the car. However, the chemicals can still harm your car’s paint, and there’s some debate over how clean these car washes really get your vehicle.
Pros of a Car Wash
- Convenience: Car washes are quick, usually taking less than 10 minutes.
- Lower Cost: You can get a basic wash for relatively cheap, usually around 10-15 dollars.
Cons of a Car Wash
- Risk of Paint Damage: There’s a reason people say car washes can be bad for your car. Automatic washes use stiff brushes and abrasive soaps that can scratch or dull your car’s paint. On top of that, sand and debris can get stuck on the brushes from previous cars, further scratching your paint.
- Surface-Level Cleaning: Car washes only clean the exterior of the car. They don’t protect your paint, clean your interior, get rid of stains, polish your car, remove smells, etc.
What is Car Detailing?
Car detailing goes far beyond an ordinary car wash. It’s a full hands-on cleaning, protecting, and restoration process. The interior and exterior are both done by hand. Exterior detailing includes washing, polishing, waxing, and protecting the paint, while interior detailing includes cleaning and restoring the inside of your vehicle, removing stains, smells, and protecting your seats and dash.
Steps Involved in Exterior Detailing
- Washing: A slow and detailed hand wash gently removes all dirt from your car’s surface, using high-quality, paint-safe products without the risk of scratches.
- Clay Bar Treatment: This step removes any contaminants stuck to the paint’s surface, leaving it smooth and clean.
- Polishing: A professional hand applied polish with a machine buff restores the shine to your car’s paint by removing light scratches, swirl marks, and other imperfections.
- Waxing or Sealing: Applying a protective layer of wax and sealant helps protect the paint from UV rays, road debris, bird droppings, and other hazards, keeping your car looking new for longer.
Pros of Auto Detailing
- Comprehensive Cleaning: Detailing your car gives it a deep clean beyond just the surface, taking care of every part of your vehicle both inside and out. A comprehensive detailing service can even get that smoke smell out of your interior.
- Paint Protection: Waxing and polishing protects your car’s paint from long-term damage and keeps it looking showroom shiny.
- Preserves Car Value: A well-maintained, detailed, clean-smelling car keeps a higher value when it comes time to sell or trade it in. Regular detailing can also extend the life of your vehicle’s paint.
Cons of Car Detailing
- Time-Consuming: Detailing does take longer than a car wash, often taking several hours depending on the level of service you request.
- Higher Cost: The skills, attention to detail, and use of specialized tools and high-quality cleaning products comes at a higher price compared to a cheap car wash.
Key Differences: Car Washing vs. Car Detailing
The difference between a car wash and car detailing are pretty clear. A car wash offers a quick, surface-level clean, while detailing is thorough, protective, restorative, takes time, and gets your car to as close to brand new as possible.
- Surface-Level vs. Thorough Cleaning: A car wash quickly removes mud, dust, and dirt, while detailing thoroughly and slowly deep cleans both the inside and outside, bringing additional benefits like smell and stain removal, paint correction, and paint protection.
- Speed vs. Thoroughness: Car washes are fast, but detailing takes the time to ensure every inch of your car is clean and protected. Car wash services rarely include interior cleaning.
- Potential Paint Damage: Car washes, especially automatic ones, can damage your car’s paint. In contrast, detailing actually corrects and protects your paint, extending its lifespan and shine.
What Can Damage Your Car’s Paint?
Here are some common ways that a cheaper car wash can harm your car’s exterior:
- Scratches from Brushes: Automatic car washes use brushes that can trap dirt and debris, turning them into abrasive tools that scratch your paint.
- Harsh Chemicals: Some car washes use strong chemicals to clean the exterior, which can strip away protective layers like wax and leave your paint vulnerable to damage.
- Micro-Scratches from Dirt: If the car is not properly rinsed before washing, dirt and grime can act like sandpaper, creating micro-scratches on the surface.
- Improper Drying: Leaving water droplets to dry on your car can cause water spots or etching on your paint.
Why Detailing is Worth the Investment
Car detailing does take more time and money than a regular car wash, but the benefits far outweigh the cost. If you really want to protect your vehicle, a professional car detailing service is the best option. Here’s why it’s a worthwhile investment:
- Preserving Car Value: Regular detailing keeps your car’s interior and exterior looking great and protected, gets rid of dirt, dust, and road salt, keeping its resale value as high as possible. Potential buyers are more likely to pay a higher price for a car that looks like you took care of it.
- Enhanced Paint Protection: Think of detailing as your car’s armour. A coat of wax or sealant adds an extra layer of defense, keeping your paint looking new longer. Detailing protects and helps prevent damage from UV rays, road debris, and environmental contaminants. At BEMAC, we use high-end, quality cleaning products, Windshield Aquapel Treatments, done-by-hand wax applications, and a specialized machine buff to ensure your paint stays in pristine condition.
- Aesthetic Appeal: A freshly detailed car looks and feels new. Not to mention it’s healthier. Dust, allergens, bacteria—all gone. Whether it’s for a special occasion or simply to enjoy driving a showroom shiny vehicle around town, detailing makes your car look better.
Your car’s paint deserves more than just a quick and cheap wash.
At BEMAC, our professional car detailers treat your car like royalty, using the best products and giving it the most thorough yet gentle clean it can get.
Our auto detailing process begins with a thorough hand wash, using high-quality, paint-safe products, before we move on to more specialized services, such as paint correction, where we remove scratches and swirl marks, and apply protective coatings that shield your paint from the elements.
All our detailing services are performed at one of our four state-of-the-art facilities across Ottawa-Gatineau.
Request a quote and book your car’s detailing appointment today!
