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Valeting vs Normal Car Wash

Date Published
21/11/2020
Published by
somarketing

The question of whether we should take our vehicles to a car wash or to a specialist valeting services provider often comes up amongst car care enthusiasts and we’re clearing up the differences today so that car owners can make the most informed decision for their vehicles.

What does a car wash provide?

A normal car wash can either be hand wash or drive-through style with automatic cleaning machines doing all the work on the car’s exterior only, using rotating rubber brushes, pressurised water and sometimes applying a wax layer. As these are automated, there is only typically one solution applied to every surface, including the glass, which doesn’t always make for the best clean. Hand car washes often can be more precise, using a particular cleaning agent for wheels, paintwork and glass but again, they mainly focus on the car’s exterior.

What do valeting services involve?

Valeting services offer more of an in-depth clean than the traditional car washes and often have interior options too. Valeters tend to be more experienced, have more specialise product knowledge, and be able to use a wider range of products making sure that each one is suited to the materials, colours, and cleanliness of your vehicle. Traditionally, you can choose from a range of valeting options that may include add-ons such as a wheel clean, boot cleaning, interior cleaning, decontamination and sometimes even paint correction or more specialist services.

How Often?

How often you clean your car will depend on how often you use it and where you drive it, but as a minimum once a month is recommended to keep it in tip-top condition. Valeting, on the other hand, has longer-lasting results because of the specialist solutions used and the attention to detail that goes into the process and so is needed much less regularly. To see lasting results, we recommend booking valeting services once every six months. Or you can enroll in a valeting course yourself, and learn how to valet your own car.