May 19 is International Car Wash Day. What should be remembered when washing a car?
A clean and well-maintained car is the pride of every owner. Clean headlights and windows are not only a matter of aesthetics, but above all safety. Dirty headlights, mirrors and windows interfere with visibility, and debris in the cabin causes the windows to fog up.
Dirty car windows are a safety issue. Studies have shown that a dirty windshield doubles the risk of a collision. Another consequence of neglecting car cleanliness is greater and faster driver fatigue compared to driving with a clean windshield (source: Monash University Accident Research Center). Driving with heavily soiled windows can be like seeing the world through bars, which limits your field of vision considerably.
– Appropriate cosmetics are the basis for keeping the vehicle paintwork in good condition. Therefore, car manufacturers recommend regular washing and waxing of the paint in the owner's manual. However, inept choice of cleaning methods can do more harm than good. The basis is a thorough car wash, which is recommended to be carried out at least once a month, says Lukasz Bereza from Allianz Property Damage and Corporate Clients. “With proper body care, there is also less susceptibility to corrosion and a much better appearance,” added Lukasz Bereza from Allianz.
Our calculations show that there are currently about 4000 car washes in Poland, and this number will increase in the coming years. We can choose between manual car washes, touchless car washes and automatic car washes. It is safest to wash the car yourself - but the downside is that this task is very laborious. With a touchless car wash, there is a risk of damaging the paintwork or flooding the interior with a jet of water under high pressure. Going to an automatic car wash, we are afraid of the risk of damaging the protruding parts of the body, accelerated wear and tearing of paint with brushes. Calm down - breakdowns at car washes do not happen often. However, it can be assumed that a moderately efficient car wash results in at most a few damages per year.
The expert advises what to do in order to properly use the car wash and not be afraid of possible damage:
1) Before entering the car wash, you should carefully read the rules and follow them.
2) Check the technical condition of the vehicle and remove any items that may come off during the wash (eg antennas).
3) Don't drive into an automatic car wash with a new car (most car manufacturers recommend washing your car in hand washes only for 6 months and not polishing it).
4) Avoid washing vehicles that are clearly in poor technical condition.
5) Avoid washing in automatic car washes repainted or covered with cheap varnish, as well as cars with factory soft and unstable paintwork.
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– The data shows that car wash breakdowns are often the fault of the client himself, who does not comply with the regulations – that is, does not unscrew the antenna, does not fold mirrors, or enters the car wash area with non-factory or torn external equipment, such as spoilers, thresholds or bumpers , said Lukasz Bereza of Allianz Property Claims and Corporate Clients. But the owners of car washes are also not without fault - most often their misconduct is the lack of cleaning of the photocells responsible for the correct operation of the brushes, which can lead to their movement in the wrong directions and damage to the car's paintwork. automobile. Less common, but also sometimes the cause of failure is the lack of proper maintenance of the device and the wear and tear of its components, adds an expert from Allianz.
By the way, it is worth noting that washing cars in yards and even on private property is prohibited. On the basis of the Act of 13 September 1996 on the maintenance of cleanliness and order in municipalities (i.e. Legislative Journal of 2005, no. 236, item 2008, as amended), local regulations regarding the possibility of washing a car are issued. As a result, on the basis of ordinances adopted by city or city councils, prohibitions are introduced on washing cars in inappropriate places. An unsuitable place is any place that is not intended for washing a car. Failure to comply with these provisions may result in a fine of PLN 500.
