Are Automatic Car Washes Bad For Your Car?
The short answer is yes, unfortunately…
Automatic drive-thru car washes may seem like a convenient way to keep your vehicle looking clean, but repeated use comes with serious downsides. Over time, these quick washes can leave your car’s paint scratched, marred, and dull, while also wearing down protective coatings. If you value your car’s finish and long-term appearance, it’s worth understanding the risks before you roll into that drive-thru again.
Below we’ll cover the biggest problems with automatic car washes and why they damage your car’s paint.
BRUSHES CAN CAUSE MARRING AND SCRATCHING
The most important issue with automatic car washes is that they will damage your paint over time. The rotating brushes and cloth strips used in these tunnels are rarely cleaned during the day. Even if they are rinsed at night, hundreds of dirty cars pass through daily. After just a few dirty vehicles, grit and debris cling to the brushes, turning them into abrasive pads that rub directly against your paint.
While a single trip might not cause noticeable damage, repeated use results in heavy marring and micro-scratches. Over time, this makes your paint appear hazy, diminishes its natural shine, and may even lead to deeper scratches that require polishing to fix.
DIRTY TOWELS IN THE DRYING PROCESS
Another overlooked danger happens at the drying stage. Some automatic car washes rely on attendants to towel-dry cars, especially when air dryers aren’t enough. When workers are busy, they often use the same towel on multiple vehicles without properly cleaning it. That towel may already contain dirt, dust, or small debris from previous cars, which then gets rubbed into your paint.
This repeated contamination is another major cause of paint marring and swirl marks, especially noticeable under direct sunlight.
THEY USE HARSH CHEMICALS AND STRONG SOAPS
Automatic car washes typically use very strong, high-pH soaps to quickly strip away dirt and grime. While this might leave your car looking clean in the short term, these chemicals can deteriorate any paint protection you’ve applied, such as waxes, sealants, or even some ceramic coatings.
Weaker protection layers, like traditional wax or entry-level sealants, can be stripped away in just a few washes. Over time, your car is left more exposed to the elements, making it even more susceptible to damage and fading.
SPEED OVER QUALITY
At the end of the day, automatic car washes are high-volume businesses. Their profit comes from pushing as many cars through as quickly as possible. This means your vehicle is not getting the attention it deserves. It’s common to see:
Missed spots of dirt or grime
Streaking on windows and paint
Uneven cleaning, especially in tight areas
While fast, this “assembly line” approach prioritizes speed, not quality.
DO-IT-YOURSELF ALTERNATIVES ARE SAFER
Here’s the ironic part: in the time it takes to drive to a car wash, wait in line, and go through the wash tunnel, you could have cleaned your car at home—more safely and with better results.
If you have access to a hose, the traditional two-bucket wash with quality car shampoo is the safest way to clean your vehicle.
If you don’t have a hose (for example, apartment living), you can use a rinseless wash solution. These products are designed to safely encapsulate dirt and provide high lubrication, minimizing the risk of scratches.
Both methods are far safer than repeated automatic washes, and they allow you to control the products and techniques used on your car’s paint.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While convenient, automatic drive-thru car washes come at the cost of your car’s appearance and protection. Repeated use leads to marring, scratches, diminished shine, and weakened protection layers. Dirty brushes, reused towels, and harsh chemicals only accelerate the damage.
For anyone who cares about their vehicle’s finish, the better choice is to wash it yourself using safe products and proper methods. Whether you go the traditional route with a hose or opt for a rinseless wash, your paint will thank you in the long run.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS & CONCERNS
I don’t know how to wash my car and I think it will just take too long.
Washing your car at home is a very simple process. With the right tools and equipment, anybody can do it, and it does not take long at all. If you have access to a hose, check out this article. If you do not have access to a hose or just want the all-around fastest way, check out this one – this method can be done in 30 minutes or less!
I don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on tons of different equipment.
You don’t have to! For most cars, you do not need much. A proper wash chemical (soap or rinseless), wash media (microfiber mitt/towels or rinseless sponge), a bucket or two, and a proper way to spray on your solution (a foam cannon or pump sprayer. Most of the tools you will need can be found for around $50 or even less. The beautiful thing is that you can go as simple or as crazy as you want, as far as what tools you buy.
What about during the winter? I either don’t have a garage or my garage does not have a drain.
If you live in an area with cold Winter weather and do not have an indoor spot to wash your car, you have two options. Our first pick would be for you to go to a self-serve car wash and bring some of your own supplies. That way, you can still do the wash by hand, you would just be using their water. Unfortunately, if that is not available, then we would suggest going to an automatic car wash once a month during the winter. The potential damage from leaving dirt and salt on your car for over a month will likley be worse than going to an automatic car wash just a few times out of the year.
My car is ceramic coated, does that mean it’s safe from any marring at automatic car washes?
NO! Ceramic coatings are mainly for chemical protection only, and maybe an extremely small level of protection against micro-marring. Going to an auto wash just a few times will most likely not degrade the coating very much, BUT it will not do much to protect against the likely marring/scratches that will occur.