Did You Know?

Using a car brush to wash the paint of a car will lead to scratches and swirl marks in the clear coat, which can only be removed by polishing.

Why brushes Scratch Car paint

There are two reasons why brushes are not suitable for cleaning the painted body panels of your car. First of all, clear coat is extremely sensitive and everything rough will leave scratches.

Second of all, wash brushes are almost always made from singular polyester bristles, which might not seem stiff and rough to the touch, but are extremely abrasive to the clear coat.

Moreover, the bristles that come in contact with the paint are the ends that have been cut off during manufacture. no matter how soft the material is that the bristles are made of, the tip will always be sharp due to the manufacturing process, damaging your car.

Do The Brushes At A Car Wash Scratch Car Paint?

Brushes at drive-in car washes are highly likely to scratch the clear coat of the car. Most car washes use brushes made from cheap plastics that are often not properly maintained. The dirt and contaminants inside the brushes are then brushed agains the car paint, which leads to scratches and swirl marks.

So yes, car wash brushes also scratch car paint for all the same reasons as mentioned previously concerning the issues with brushes.

These contaminants are then rubbed against the car during the washing process, leading to scratches in the clear coat.

Can I use sponge to wash my car?

The Quick Answer. Sponges should never be used to wash a car because they are very likely to cause scratches. Sponges are too abrasive to safetly wash it. Sponges also trap dirt and drag it over the paint causing hundreds of tiny scratches.