AT THE CAR WASH – ISSUE NO. 213

I admit to using the quarter car washes from time to time. They are quick and easy when you're on the go. They now even have the automatic car washes for when you don't want to get out of your car. I never tried the automatic version before so I thought I would give it a try. It was like parking your car in a giant cart washer that you see in hospitals. When the door opens, you pull your car in and stop. Once stopped, the cleaning begins with automatic soap and rinsing sprays circle your car. Once the cleaning is finished, the door in front of you opens so you can exit from the washing area. When I exited my car, I noticed that my newly cleaned car wasn't quite as clean as I expected. The automatic car wash missed the bottom part of the side door panels, leaving some dirt behind. Had my car been a cart in a hospital cart washer it would have been considered a risk to cause cross contamination. They should have testing devices at car washes like the CartWashCheck™ to ensure that the equipment is cleaning properly. These tests are designed to be placed on carts where it is suspected to be the most difficult place to clean. The CartWashCheck™ helps you test that your facilities cart washer is reaching the target areas at the optimal temperature.