tradewraps

Can I Take My Custom Wrapped Vehicle Through a Car Wash?

sedan covered in soap suds in the car wash

Most business owners want to get their name and branding out to as many people as possible through various means. Traditional advertising, billboards, and social media campaigns have become some of the most popular options. However, one method that has exceptional staying power has been a custom vehicle wrap. Once you have decided to custom wrap your vehicle, the next question becomes, how exactly can I clean it?

If your first thought went to going through a car wash, it’s a natural direction to take. However, an obvious concern that might come to mind is whether or not the car wash will end up causing damage to your freshly made custom wrap. When it comes to a customized vehicle wrap from TradeWraps, the answer to whether you can take your custom-wrapped vehicle through the car wash is simple — it depends. 

When Can I Take My Wrapped Vehicle Through the Car Wash? 

The style of car wash you take your wrapped vehicle to will determine whether it can damage the vinyl wrap. Most standalone car washes utilize one of two methods of cleaning their customer’s cars: brush and contactless. For the purposes of getting your custom-wrapped vehicle through a car wash, contactless remains the superior choice. 

The brush style of car wash requires direct contact with the vehicle to get the dirt and grime off, and that abrasive contact can cause damage to the vinyl wrap. A contactless car wash helps limit the chance of such abrasive contact damaging your wrap while delivering a high level of cleanliness. 

Can I Use a Pressure Washer?

If you want to take the variables out of the equation, power washing your vehicle can ensure you don’t accidentally go to the wrong car wash. However, power washing holds its only caveats that you need to take into account. Not every power washer will combine the right amount of power to effectively clean the car without damaging your custom wrap. 

Some guidelines to keep in mind when using a pressure washer, as you want to get one that meets these specifications:

  • PSI under 2000
  • Water temperature under 176° F
  • Spray nozzle with a wide-angle spray pattern
  • Kept a foot away from the vinyl and held at a 90° angle

How About Hand Washing?

If you decide that powered car washing holds too many variables for washing your freshly wrapped vehicle, hand washing can provide the level of cleanness you’re looking for when it comes to your custom vinyl car wrapping. It will require a bit more elbow grease to get the top-quality clean you want in a car wash experience, but you can control the variables and take greater care with your high-quality custom wrap designs. 

Getting the Right Vinyl Wrap for Your Vehicle 

Now that you know how to properly wash and take care of your wrapped vehicle, you need an eye-catching vehicle wrap for your business. With the help of TradeWraps, one of the top car wrapping services out there, you can transform your fleet of cars or trucks into mobile advertising and get your name out there to a broader audience! 

Contact our team to request a free quote today!

Share this