How Does a Touchless Car Wash Work?

Most people today drive some sort of vehicle, whether it is a truck, car or SUV.  At some point in the year, in fact, at several points throughout the year your vehicle will get dirty.  When it does get dirty, you will have to hit up a car wash to get it clean once again.  Many people prefer the convenience of a touchless car wash.

• Using a touchless car works using high powered jets of water and potent detergents to clean vehicles.  The reason that these types of car washes are called touchless is because only the water and soap touches the vehicle.


• Entering the car wash tunnel requires you to shut your car off and put it in neutral. The vehicle rolls onto a conveyor track and rollers pop up to guide the car.  The rollers are responsible for pushing the car to the front of the car wash tunnel.  When the car is inside the tunnel, it goes through an infrared beam between two "eyes."  The eyes have a job to send a signal to the Digital Control System.  The DCS controls the car wash.  The length of the car is measured and the per-soak starts.


• Getting the car wet before any detergents are applied is the job of the pre-soak cycle.  It also loosens dirt, mud and grime from the car, making it easier to clean later on.  Some car washes have special equipment that sprays the tires to get rid of brake dust.  The mitter curtains are long cloths that go over the car.  The foam applicator applies a detergent to the vehicle to make it foamy. 


• Scrubbing the car is the chore of some huge cylinders that are vertical that contain many tiny cloths which clean the vertical surfaces of the vehicle.  A high pressure washer then sprays water onto the car.  Even though these are just sprays, they are very powerful sprays.  In some places that experience winter, there is a thing called an undercarriage wash.  This cleans underneath the car to get rid of salt and dirt from the snow.


• Getting the car rinsed is the job of the rinse arch.  The rinse arch gets rid of residue left behind.  Some car washes have three rinse cycles.


• Representing that the car is washed, it is then waxed with a wax arch.  Car wash wax can be used on glass, chrome or rubber.


• Finalizing your car wash experience is the drying cycle.  A huge dyer goes over your car and blows air through it to dry it off.