This is possibly a question that’s been in the air for as long as: “Which came first – the chicken or the egg?” If not for men as for cars, but certainly for women. Below is the story of Paula and her “spotted” Volkswagen.
When a car wash destroys your car
After several hours of shopping in Tartu Lõunakeskus, Paula came up to her car and the satisfaction after a stroll disappeared when she saw her spotted “Dalmatian”. The shampoo wash at home did not work wonders. The spots of dirt became even more visible and Paula could not understand whether she was washing it incorrectly or if she had chosen the wrong products… That day she learned: shampoo alone is not enough. The right wash works in sequence. Scrubbing harder, on the other hand, will scratch and damage the body of the car.
Shampoo is good for a finishing touch, but pitch wash fights the real dirt
If you wash your car more often, shampoo is perfect: it washes gently, smells good and does its job with everyday dirt. However, asphalt pitch, resin and bitumen stick to the body like gum under a sneaker. The only thing that saves you here is a pitch soak, which dissolves the sticky dirt before it reaches the main wash. This way, there are fewer scratches and the shine is cleaner than ever. In other words, the following washing order brings the best results:
Pre-wash → pitch wash → shampoo wash → drying → protection.
- Pre-wash (foam) removes loose dust and sand.Eelpuhastus (vaht) eemaldab lahtise tolmu ja liiva.
- Pitch wash dissolves tar and resin streaks.
- Shampoo wash ensures a safe contact finish.
- Drying and protection (e.g. ceramic maintenance) make the next washes easier.
Why is it most effective? The most scratchy stuff comes off before the brushes touch the body. Can a pitch wash damage the cover? It can, but it is not the pitch wash itself that is dangerous, but its incorrect use. If the wash is too long and the temperature is too hot, the cover can be damaged. The best option is to reapply protection after the wash. The dirt spots left on Paula’s car body turned into spots… and spots are not the only damage that can be seen on a car body here in the Estonian climate.
Estonian weather is anything but kind to cars.
Four alternating seasons. Warm summer, cold winter. Insects, winter salt, road dust… and this list could go on and on. What could possibly help against all this?
- Sticky bitumen in the summer heat: pitch wash or nothing.
- Insect residue: bug remover instead of dry rubbing.
- Brake dust on rims: rim cleaner that binds iron particles in addition to separate brushes/gloves.
- Winter salt: foam + pH-neutral shampoo; deep wash if necessary.
Paula tried to wash everything with just shampoo, but it only dragged rough dirt along the body, with scratches and spots on the way. She was lucky to have found Autoilu car wash in Lõunakeskus and learned how to properly wash her faithful car for each separate season:
- Spring: salt recedes, pitch from under the thaw. Complete cycle of the road, i.e. foam, pitch wash, shampoo, protection.
- Suvi: kuum asfalt = rohkem pigi. Pigipesu umbes iga 4–6 nädala järel; pikalt sõites õige vahendiga putukaeemalduse eelpesu.
- Autumn: rot and rain. Maintenance wash every 2–3 weeks; tar wash according to the eye.
- Winter: salt + dirt. More frequent pre-cleaning, moderate tar wash + keep the protection alive.
Pille „ahhaa“-hetk Lõunakeskuse autopesulas (mitte “AHHAA!” Keskuses)
After seeing the spots, she quickly took her car to the nearest car wash. Yep, you got it. Straight o the Autoilu hand wash, where the car was pre-cleaned, pitch washed and thoroughly rinsed. Only then was a shampoo wash. With straight movements, from top to bottom. It was dried thoroughly + a protector was also applied. Her trusty Volkswagen, which previously looked tired and spotted, got its shine back.
Should you wash the car yourself or take it to a specialist?
Do it yourself if you have a cool place to wash, knowledge, patience, and the right tools. Take it to a specialist if the surface is full of pitch, the rims also need de-ironing, polishing, or ceramic coating… or you need a simple and reliable result quickly.
Autoilu car wash in Tartu is a nest of professionals in its field. Paula was 100% convinced of this after her visit. The scratches and swirls didn’t disappear immediately with a wash. That’s why the car was also polished and got a ceramic coating finishing touch at the end.
… and to sum it all up
The question is not whether to pitch wash or shampoo wash, but the correct order of their implementation. Pre-cleaning, pitch wash, shampoo wash and protection – keeps the car clean, shiny and scratch-free… and in Estonian conditions it should be more of a common prevention than a luxury.
So. If you want a reliable result, choose a hand wash performed by professionals.
Your car will thank you every time you see beads of water running smoothly down the body instead of stuck-on dirt.