Although it is not a common occurrence, some car wash users experienced situations where their cars got damaged during the cleaning process. It is an unpleasant and surprising situation, and it leaves you in a “Car wash scratched my car. What to do?” dilemma.
There are several exits from this sticky situation, one of the obvious ones being to take your car to professional car polishing or the DIY option if you want to cut some expenses. The bottom line is that you will have to prepare your vehicle for polishing. We will touch on this subject in-depth and provide you with some handy solutions for this problem in this article, so let us start without further ado.
Options You Have When You Find the Scratch
There are plenty of services that you can opt for when you find your car-wash-inflicted scratch. In the section below, you will find several options you can go for if this unfortunate thing happens.
1. Contact the Car Wash Manager as Soon as Possible
If you find a scratch on your car after the services of the car wash, the first thing you should do is contact the car wash manager as soon as you can. The sooner you do it, the better your case will be, as there will be less time between your visit to the car wash and your complaint.
If the scratch is minor, you can try to get rid of it on your own if you would like. Make sure to buff out the scratch and check if it goes as deep as the metal beneath the paint job. If this method does not work, it would be best to contact the car wash manager.
2. If Everything Fails, Take It to the Professional
In case you are unable to resolve the issues on your own and cannot settle with the car wash manager, you will have to take the car to a professional to get rid of scratches. There is plenty of services that can help you get rid of these pesky scratches and resolve these issues.
What Options Do Car Professionals Provide for Removing Scratches?
In the section below, you will find the services the car professionals can provide you for scratch removal. All of the methods we are about to list are effective and will get the job done.
1. Car Detailing
Car detailing is one of the most effective methods to get rid of scratches on your car. Detailers possess special tools and commercial cleaning products that will make your car look spotlessly clean and brand new. Moreover, they possess supplies you likely will not be able to get in your average car supplies shop.
Detailers are able to make minor color corrections and eliminate any type of discoloration that may occur during a car wash. They can also remove particles or any type of debris from a car’s paint, even those persistent ones such as tree sap.
One of the best things about a detailing job well done is that it can also prolong the life of your car, as it will remove dirt, grime, salt, and dust from its body and keep the paint job and body of the car healthy and clean.
2. Car Polishing
Car polishing, by definition, refers to eliminating any scratches, scuffs, or subsurface defects from the car’s body. This method is usually done by using a professional buffer that gets the job done.
Polishers are special chemicals that are developed to remove any particles from the car’s paint job. The professional polishing job will do excellent work at removing most swirl marks and scratches and will smooth out the surface of your vehicle.
This method is intended to keep the car’s paint job and clear coating intact and shiny. It is important to mention that this is also best done by professionals, so if you do not possess the necessary know-how, it is best to avoid doing it on your own, as the poor polishing job can lead to burning the car’s paint job and uneven finishes on it.
On the other hand, if done appropriately, it will remove swirl marks, scuff marks, nicks, scratches, or any type of physical damage. It will also get rid of any imperfections when rebuilding the car’s clear coat and will protect the paint job effectively.
3. Paintless Dent Removal
Even the tiniest dents on your vehicle can compromise the car’s structural integrity and lead to a wide variety of problems you can experience while on the road. A paintless dent removal specialist can smooth out these dents you may have suffered in the car wash establishment.
It is a process that involves suctioning and gentle dent pushing out without damaging the car’s paint or clear coat. It is a delicate process that is best left to licensed professionals.
4. Auto Body Painting
Auto body painting is a drastic method that you should resort to only if the car wash-related nicks, scratches, and dents are too serious to even touch with other methods we have listed so far.
This method will add a new paint job to your car that will protect it from corrosion and rust, and once it is all done, your vehicle will look brand-new. It is important to mention that this process is by no means cheap and that you will probably break the bank when resorting to it.
In the section below, you will find a step-by-step explanation of how auto-body painting works.
- Paint gets sanded down to the metal, and then it is cleaned
- The next step is to apply a corrosion-resistant primer and then leave it to dry
- Primer gets sanded, smoothed, and cleaned to get rid of all dust particles
- Paint gets applied (typically in several layers) onto the vehicle
- The paint job is allowed to dry for several days in a dust-free environment
- The final touch is to add a clear coat to protect your vehicle’s paint and give it a nice, shiny, brand-new look
Final Words
Scratches in car wash stores are something that does not happen commonly as they are professionals that take care of the job effectively, but accidents do happen, so it is important to stay prepared and have some solutions in mind if this unfortunate thing happens to you.
We hope you find sufficient information regarding this topic in our article and that you will keep them in mind if your car ever gets scratched. Make sure to share this article with other car owners, as it might help them resolve similar problems in the future.