So I took my truck to the car wash for the 2nd time today.......

RaisedByWolves · November 27, 2019

Both times I wound up with nasty water spray coming out of the wheel wells making my freshly washed truck look I was out running through puddles.

How do you deal with this if you need to spray the wheel well liners out?

OnTheReel · November 28, 2019

I don’t really have this problem in the touchless wash I use (Kwik Trip).

Apart from trying some other wash locations, you might wanna just carry a bottle of waterless wash and a couple microfibers to clean up whatever the wash leaves behind. I do this on my tailgate and grill because the dryers don’t blow off the front or back of the truck worth a crap. In a perfect world I would pressure wash the wheel wells every time but that ain’t happening 6 months out of the year around here.

JAshworth03 · November 28, 2019

I go thru Mikes Car Wash on basic pretty regularly. I fully know that even with the dryer I’m going to have to use some Meguiars quick detailer and micro fiber to clean up water spots.

i know I could go to a full service wash and towel dry place, but I thoroughly enjoy cleaning my truck!

SilveradoRST · November 28, 2019

3 hours ago, OnTheReel said:

I don’t really have this problem in the touchless wash I use (Kwik Trip).

Apart from trying some other wash locations, you might wanna just carry a bottle of waterless wash and a couple microfibers to clean up whatever the wash leaves behind. I do this on my tailgate and grill because the dryers don’t blow off the front or back of the truck worth a crap. In a perfect world I would pressure wash the wheel wells every time but that ain’t happening 6 months out of the year around here.

I’ve read touchless washes strip your wax. Not sure how true that is.

tbarn · November 28, 2019

2 minutes ago, SilveradoRST said:

I’ve read touchless washes strip your wax. Not sure how true that is.

All the more reason to use a ceramic finish.

CamGTP · November 28, 2019

Any time you wash a vehicle that has been waxed, the wax slowly goes away. Good touchless car washes have several stages of soap and some offer a tri-coat wax soap spray dealio stuff. It can help some but regardless it's not doing any harm.

I run my truck through the wash a few times a week if the weather is bad. Doesn't bother me at all if I get drips or wheel well spray up again because it's going to happen anyway with the winter weather here in minnesota.

2016 Sierra Owner · November 28, 2019

12 hours ago, RaisedByWolves said:

Both times I wound up with nasty water spray coming out of the wheel wells making my freshly washed truck look I was out running through puddles.

How do you deal with this if you need to spray the wheel well liners out?

Are you sure you are not seeing the tire shine being slung off? The spots it makes will have dust stick to it.

diyer2 · November 28, 2019

I don't use touchless car washes.

25 cent do it yourself washes.

Never use the soap.

Rinse only.

Only in winter.

HONDABBQ · November 28, 2019

When I was buying my new truck recently, I was in the lot with the sales guy. I was deciding on the red or the white. They were about 2-3 trucks apart in the lot. I said i didnt want black as it was a bitch to keep clean. looking. He says well if that the case go and wipe your hand across each hood and tell what your see. So I did. I bought the white one. Tri coat actually. I washed it for the first time yesterday. I didnt have time to wipe after the wash. I got home and it looked great. no water spots at all. well worth it.

KARNUT · November 28, 2019

My last three dailies. 14 blue GMC, 15 Santa Fe black, 17 Camry white were, are on monthly pass for 12$ per month. All were the same a little residue around the mirrors. I every once in a while do a quick detail. Usually washes are 2-3 times a week. Moisture on vehicles most every morning. That’s usually where the spots come from around south Texas. My others as needed same place. Quick Quack good place.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nanotech Environmental · November 28, 2019

18 hours ago, SilveradoRST said:

I’ve read touchless washes strip your wax. Not sure how true that is.

I will speak as someone that is in the cleaning products business. All car waxes will gradually strip off from normal use, environment, weather, and washing etc.
Touchless car washes shouldn't be stripping wax any more than the normal rate of degradation, unless they are using too strong a mix on either their presoak or main wash, or both. That is very unlikely to happen. They are going to use the lightest mix rates they can get away with, so they can keep their input unit costs as low as possible.
It's possible that you could get a dummy working at one who screws things up and sets the mix rates waaay too strong. However, it won't be long til the boss/owner figures out what's up and gets it fixed.
At any rate, in the worst case scenario, you put another coat of wax on. Nothing else is likely to be harmed.

OnTheReel · November 28, 2019

I haven’t really noticed any significant loss of protection/ beading, even with no added wax at the wash itself.

I use Meguiars Ultimate Wax which is a synthetic product that is much more durable. It will hold up a lot better against the harsher chemicals than old school carnauba wax.

Either way, I know touchless automatic wash is not ideal, just the lesser of two evils VS leaving salt all over the thing.

SilveradoRST · November 29, 2019

2 hours ago, Nanotech Environmental said:

I will speak as someone that is in the cleaning products business. All car waxes will gradually strip off from normal use, environment, weather, and washing etc.
Touchless car washes shouldn't be stripping wax any more than the normal rate of degradation, unless they are using too strong a mix on either their presoak or main wash, or both. That is very unlikely to happen. They are going to use the lightest mix rates they can get away with, so they can keep their input unit costs as low as possible.
It's possible that you could get a dummy working at one who screws things up and sets the mix rates waaay too strong. However, it won't be long til the boss/owner figures out what's up and gets it fixed.
At any rate, in the worst case scenario, you put another coat of wax on. Nothing else is likely to be harmed.

Thanks! I’m always learning on this forum. Good info.