Are car washes bad for your car’s finish?

Spring is in the air and there’s a line at the car wash...

According to Consumer Reports, unless that car wash is all hands or brushless – you might be better off washing it yourself. Those automatic brushes can be abrasive to your car’s finish. To preserve or restore some showroom shine – you’ll need to wash your car the right way:

• Don’t wash it if it’s hot or has been sitting in the sun. Heat softens paint and you could do some damage.

• Park in the shade, hose it off first – and plan to work in sections, changing dirty water often.

• Don’t use dish detergent, brushes or rags. They’re all too abrasive. The best tools are a lamb’s wool mitt, natural sponge and microfiber cloth for drying.

• Waxing is a nice finishing touch – but doing it right is labor intensive and that layer of protection only lasts about a month.