A Guide to Car Washes and Windshield Crack Prevention

If you like to keep your car in nice shape through car washes, you should understand how car washes can impact a cracked windshield. Several factors go into the process, and there are numerous ways the cracks can spread and worsen due to a simple cleaning.

Keep reading to learn more about how car washes can affect a crack or chip in your windshield.

Car Wash Moisture

No matter what type of car wash you put car through, one of the worst elements for a chip or crack is the moisture that the wash will apply your vehicle. Soap and water can seep into a windshield crack, putting pressure on the glass and causing a crack to expand outward. Rain can often impact the windshield in the same way, but car washes provide a lot more direct pressure.

Ideally, you want to contact an auto glass repair professional as soon as possible. When the crack is smaller than the size of a quarter, glass techs will have an easier time repairing the glass rather than replacing the whole windshield.

Car Wash Water Temperatures

The temperature of the water that the car wash uses can have an impact a windshield crack. Many car washes use warm or hot water to help break down dirt and debris for a clean and clear windshield.

When you use hot water, the warm temperatures cause the glass to expand. This expansion can cause cracks, and these are commonly referred as stress cracks. As the temperatures cool, the windshield will contract again and directly impact a crack. During hot days, a car wash with cold water can cause the same process to occur and result in a stress crack. A crack may spread outwards like a spiderweb.

The climate in the air can also impact the reaction to the water. If warm water comes into contact with freezing temperatures, then the cooling process happens much faster and your windshield could become vulnerable to large and more widespread cracks. Many of these cracks are known as thermal fracturing, and the process can take place no matter what the origin of the original crack was.

Car Wash Types

One of the easiest ways to clean a car is with a trip to an automated car wash. While these car washes provide convenience, the process is a way to cause more damage to your windshield. Along with warm water, the cleaning tools inside a car wash put a lot of pressure on the windshield.

Scrubbing brushes and large hanging cloth curtains are all pressed into the windshield. The mix of moisture and pressure can result in changes of any cracks you have. The end of a car wash often features a high-powered air dryer, which could increase the pressure of moisture stuck between the cracks of a windshield.



The same problems can also occur with manual car washes. Some people rely on high-pressured hoses or power washers to clean off a car windshield. If a direct stream hits the impact point of a crack, then you can easily weaken the glass. And cloth drying may put extra pressure on the glass.

If you do want to manually clean your car, stick to lower sections, like the tires and under body, so you can avoid the windshield as a whole. Many auto glass professionals will complete repairs on the same day or the next business day, so ideally you should avoid a car wash until the vehicle is fixed.

Damaging Quick Solutions

A lot of drivers seek quick solutions to keep a car clean, but the options can result in more damage. While driving, it's natural to clear bugs and dirt off with the windshield wiper fluid. But the fluid itself can get caught in the cracks, and the wipers may push and force debris right into the cracks.

If you have visual distractions on the window, then you should carefully spot clean without excess water or any extra pressure applied to the crack. At the gas station, avoid any squeegee use until a professional can repair the crack. As you press down on a squeegee, the crack can expand and moisture can leak inside.

Even with major obstructions of view, you are often better off manually hand cleaning the windshield then relying on a squeegee. If the crack expands across the driver's side of the window, law enforcement may consider the damage hazardous. You should repair the cracks quickly to avoid tickets, especially if the crack has spread further due to car washes.

For all of your glass repair needs, contact us at MS Glass Outlet. Our quick service options will help repair your cracks and allow you to wash your vehicle whenever you need to. The quicker you contact our team, the quicker your glass repairs will occur.