As long as people continue driving cars, it’s a safe bet there still a great need for car washes.
- The United States Census Bureau estimates there are more than 100,00 car wash facilities in the US.
- The Census Bureau also estimates that Americans spend about $5.8 billion each year at car wash facilities.
- About eight million cars a day are washed at car wash facilities and Americans spend about $15 for a car wash. By 2022, that number is expected to hit at least $9.95 million.
- The car wash industry sees an increase of about 2.1 percent more vehicles every year.
There’s no question that car washes are still an important part of the upkeep of a vehicle, but with so many places offering washes, you’re probably wondering where to get your car washed.
The best answer is that it depends on whether you’re looking to wash your car yourself and what type of services you’re looking for.
Self-service car washes are one option. If you want to wash yourself and are wondering where to get your car washed, self-service washes are the answer.
Self-service washes allow you to wash your car by hand, especially if you can’t do so at home. At one of these washes, you’ll pay to use water and brushes, but the bonus here is that you get to do the work yourself to provide your car with some TLC.
To get your car looking it’s best at a self-service station, try washing and rinsing one section at a time to prevent soap from drying on your car. Try to avoid giving it a wash after your car has been running since the heat from a car can cause soap and water to quickly dry.
If you don’t want to wash your car yourself, a hand car wash service may be the next best option. Quite simply, a hand car wash service has an employee wash your car with soap and water by hand. The vehicle is also rinsed and then dried with towels. Depending on how clean you want your car to be, a hand car wash service may also offer detailing and vacuuming services.
If you’re wondering where to get a car cleaning, but you’re also on a time crunch, an automatic car wash might be the best option. If you’re pressed for time on a lunch break, one of the biggest benefits of an automatic car wash is that it gets your car clean in just minutes.
Unlike the hand washing of self-service and hand wash service stations, an automatic car wash puts cars through a conveyor system that uses machines to wash and dry a vehicle. Depending on the facility, you can select from different types of wash packages that will offer more services and upgrades such as spray-on wax and undercarriage cleaning.
While automatic car wash systems and a drive through car wash are among the most commonly used, one of their biggest benefits, aside from speed, is that a touchless car wash offers less of a risk of cosmetic damage to a car when compared to other washing methods. Another benefit is air drying, which helps avoid inadvertent scratches from towels.
If you’re wondering where to get your car washed, consider whether you want to do it yourself and what kind of wash you’re hoping to achieve. While hand washing gives you the chance to wash your car yourself and take extra care, you may not be able to wash a car with the level of detail offered by an automatic car wash. Ultimately you want to pick the wash that you feel most comfortable with and the one that works best for your car.
