Car wash facts for kids

A multi-bay self-service car wash, with an automatic "touchless" bay at the far left and manual bays on the right.

A car wash is a special place where you can get your car cleaned. It's usually for cleaning the outside of your car, but some places also clean the inside.

There are different kinds of car washes. They usually fit into three main groups:

• Self-service car washes: Here, you clean your car yourself. You pay with coins or a card.
• In-bay automatic car washes: These are machines that move back and forth over your car to clean it.
• Tunnel car washes: Your car moves through a long tunnel. Different machines inside the tunnel clean your car as it passes by.

How Car Washes Keep Cars Clean

Car washes use special soaps and chemicals to get cars sparkling clean.

Safe Cleaning Chemicals

In the past, some car washes used strong, dangerous chemicals. But today, modern car washes use milder soaps. These are safer for both people and the environment.

Water Recycling for a Cleaner Planet

Many car washes now have to follow rules about water. They treat and reuse their water. This helps save water and protects our planet.

Foam Fun: Polish and Wax

When you get your car washed, you might see lots of foam! This foam can be polish or wax.

• Polish foam is usually cheaper. It helps make your car shiny. Sometimes it can be a bit harder to rinse off.
• Wax foam costs a little more. It rinses off easily and leaves a light, puffy layer on your car. This layer helps protect the paint.

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  Rotating brushes inside a conveyor car-wash.

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  A touchless car wash

Images for kids

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  A self service car wash in Kłodzko, Poland

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  A car wash in Warwick, UK

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  Ex Petrol station and now hand car wash in Bradford, UK

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  A truck wash in Savannakhet, Laos

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  This car wash in San Bernardino, California, is an example of Googie architecture

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  An in-bay automatic car wash performing a friction wash pass

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  A multi-bay, coin-operated self-service car wash in Seattle, Washington

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  Car wash tunnel at the ABC filling station in Joensuu, Finland

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  A vehicle exiting the friction zone of the wash. Visible are side brushes, wrap-around brushes, the conveyor, and a high-pressure rinse arch.

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  A typical "tunnel" car wash viewed from the inside of a vehicle

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  A glass car wash building containing an inbay automatic and freestanding blowers

See also

In Spanish: Centro de lavado de automóviles para niños