When you go to a car wash, the goal is to come out the other side with the car looking better than it did when you went in. You certainly don’t expect damage! Unfortunately, rear window wipers can easily be damaged during a wash. In this blog post, we’ll share with you a few tips on how appropriately protect your vehicle.

Why Are the Rear Wipers a Concern?

The rear window wiper on your car is at the most risk in a car wash because of the vehicle’s design. In a soft-cloth wash, the brush that comes into contact with the rear window can catch on the wiper. When the brush and the car separate, the wiper can get torn off or damaged.

Front windshield wipers do not have this risk because they are more stable and often contained in a location car wash brushes can’t touch.

How Can You Protect Your Rear Wipers?

Even with this risk, your car still needs to be washed! So how can you protect your rear wiper? To protect your rear wiper in a car wash, it’s best to choose a touchless car wash instead of a soft-cloth one. This eliminates the possibility of a brush snagging on the rear wiper.

If you do choose to use a soft-cloth wash, though, you have two other options. The first is a wiper bag. This is essentially plastic covering that is placed around the rear window wiper before you enter the car wash. The bag prevents the brush from getting hooked and caught on any part of the wiper. Some car washes will provide these for your wipers before the wash starts, but bring your own just in case.

A second option is to tape the rear wiper down. Many car washes will use this option instead of covering every wiper with a wiper bag. The best type of tape to use is blue painter’s tape. Blue painter’s tape is better than the green, in this case, because the blue has a smaller chance of damaging the car’s topcoat.

While this type of tape should be safe for use on your vehicle, remember there are always risks to taping your car and accidents with adhesives and paint can occur.

Do You Need to be Concerned about Vehicle Decals?

One of the joys of owning a car is all the customization options available. Maybe you enjoy sprucing up your car with unique vehicle decals. So, how will your vehicle decals fare in a car wash?

It’s best to hand wash your car and vehicle decals, but a touchless car wash should also be safe. Attempt to avoid soft-cloth washes, however, because the scrubbing could affect the decal.

What Is the Best Way to Protect Your Rear Window Wipers in a Car Wash?

Overall, the best way to make sure your rear window wipers are safe in a car wash is to wash the car yourself. Of course, we all know this isn’t an option for everyone, which is why car washes exist. If you use a car wash, your best bet for protecting your wiper is to opt for a touchless car wash. If you need to use a soft-cloth car wash, ensure your rear wiper is secure with either tape or a wiper bag.