Car Wash Builders: Paving the Way for Success

Car washes are an enticing business idea for any entrepreneur. They cater to one of the biggest industries in the world: the automotive industry.

Wondering if owning a car wash is the right idea for you? Today, we'll discuss 7 reasons why owning a car wash business is a great idea! (We will also discuss some potential cons as well.)

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1/ Cars Need Washing

To begin, vehicles are a valuable asset. As cars gather dirt and grime and their owners will want them cleaned. With almost 290 million vehicles in the US alone, that's a high number of potential customers your business can serve! (Onedesk)

We're also seeing many more car owners who will pay to get their cars washed at formal car wash businesses, as opposed to washing their own car themselves (particularly during snowy, salty, cold winter months, when washing a car by hand on a driveway is much less enticing).

74% of consumers said they would be willing to pay to get their vehicles washed, which is a 47% increase from 1994! (CarWashCountry)

As the world gets busier, and customers seek quality results and convenience, it is estimated that this trend in car washing will only continue.

2/ Great Return on Investment with High-Profit Potential

Car washes can be a lucrative business as there are many cost-saving measures one can take such as water reclaim technology and finding chemicals that offer great cost-per-car cleaning. Premium car washes can also charge a good amount of money per wash and serve many customers within a day. This can all add up to your business generating high amounts of revenue and profit.

How profitable exactly will depend on many factors, such as your target market and the type of wash you're offering.

Depending on demographics in the area you are considering, an automatic car wash, self-serve car wash, or tunnel car wash may be more profitable as visitors will be willing to pay different amounts to get their car cleaned (more on car wash types later). Typically, a tunnel car wash in a big city will likely make more money than a self-serve car wash in that same city, as it comes with higher ticket prices and isn't as much effort of using hand wash equipment in self-service bays. That said, know your chosen location, nearby competition, financial strategy and the costs your customers are willing to pay. Check out this article on a car wash business plan to discover many factors that should be considered to start a car wash.

3/ Flexibility and Ability to be Unique

Car washes can come in all different shapes, sizes, and types. They can have a certain theme, be made to serve one car at a time or many, and the manner they wash cars can differ (practical self-serve washes supply customers with all they need, while tunnels often offer an exciting show and convenient, family-fun experience). This flexibility allows you to tailor your business to meet your expectations and be catered appropriately to your market.

A Reminder: What are the Different Basic Types of Car Washes?

Self-Service Car Washes

The first type is the self-service car wash.  

As the name implies, with a self-service car wash, customers clean their cars with the equipment you provide. This type of car wash uses self-serve bays where customers will park their cars and clean their vehicles with the soaps and pressure wash 0equipment provided on a timed-use basis. This often makes self-serve more time consuming than other wash options. It's also generally a cheaper car wash for customers (and owners).

Touchless Car Wash or In-Bay Automatic Car Washes

The second type is the touchless car wash, or in-bay automatic car wash, which automatically washes vehicles either with water and cleaning chemicals (if it is a touch-free car wash) or with additional brushes gently removing dirt. In this wash bay scenario, the vehicle has driven into the wash bay and doesn't move until leaving and being dried. In-bay automatic car wash equipment moves around the vehicle, and the single system applies the various chemicals and rinsing applications. One vehicle may be cleaned at a time.

Tunnel Car Washes

A tunnel wash is similar to a in-bay automatic car wash, as the equipment washes the car automatically (vs. a manual wash, or self-serve wash). That said, the vehicle will likely be on a conveyor system that will draw it through different machinery to apply various chemicals and rinsing applications, and dryers at the end. This wash type is generally the most thrilling for the customer, and tunnel equipment and chemicals can effectively manage a clean car, plus a show! It generally costs more for the experience (and is more expensive to start a car wash of this type). Unlike the in-bay automatic, there is enough room for tunnel washes to wash many vehicles at a time.

Full Service Car Washes

Another type of car washing we'll mention is the full service car wash. Full service car washes not only clean the vehicle exteriors (generally using one of the aforementioned methods), but they also clean the inside of them. A full service car wash details floor mats, seats, and all the difficult to reach areas which makes this service attractive to customers. This is definitely more labor intensive, and more expensive. Some car washes, while not full service, offer similar features like vacuums and towels for customers to do this on their own at the car wash location.

4/ Expand Your Car Wash Business

A great benefit of car washes is that they are scalable both externally and internally. If things are going really well with your car wash business you can always expand it in the future by adding more locations to your existing car wash brand.

You could also grow your existing location to draw more customers (and revenue opportunities) through added features like vacuums or pet washes, or other services like detailing.

The possibilities are endless with what you can do and if things go as planned, then you can continue to scale up your business to even bigger heights!

5/ Remote or Hands-off Ownership

This benefit may not apply to every car wash owner, as some are very hands-on. But if you choose to do so, once your business is established (plus finding the right employees and managers, who are reliable for daily operations) you can watch your business run with minimal day-to-day tasks from yourself. On the other hand, many enjoy being thoroughly involved in this exciting business as an owner and operator.  

6/ Support and Resources to Start a Car Wash

Setting up a car wash can be daunting, but help is out there for entering and thriving in this industry!  If you have the right support, you can navigate the areas of business you may not be familiar or confident in: from fixing water quality to building marketing plans, or optimizing equipment and chemistry. There are many factors that go into starting a car wash which can be difficult to manage, but with the guidance of industry experts (such as Transchem and Turtle Wax Pro, for example), you can get your business off the ground with services and support in place.

7/ The Thriving Car Wash Industry

Great news; it's important to note that the car wash industry is booming!  This industry is growing every year (CarWash News) and it is an excellent opportunity to jump in as an investor or owner-operator!

In fact, the global car wash market is worth more than 29 billion dollars today! (Grand View Research) There is also room for small players and local businesses to join the industry as the largest 50 car wash companies only make up 20% of the market share. (OneDesk)

Other Considerations of Owning a Car Wash

Though there is much good to gain from owning a car wash, it's not always rainbows and sunshine. It would only be fair to discuss some of the cons when it comes to car wash ownership. Here are a few to be aware of:

1/ Seasonal Traffic

Car washing in seasonal climates does have busier and quieter times of year: for those that experience cold winters with snow and salty roads, these conditions create a generally busier time of the year for car washes. Car owners see their cars with snow and salt marks and make a dash for their favorite car wash. And while business might be great for you in the winter season, it might face some slow periods once it becomes warmer or in the rainy season (Sunny, warm weather is an incentive to wash cars at home on the driveway during those nicer months).

Business might slow down in the spring and summer and as a car wash owner that may hurt your profits. However, if you can drive a large portion of customers towards a subscription model, you will have more consistent and reliable income for your business, and customers will be encouraged to continue using your business year-round.

2/ More Than Just Washing Cars

A car wash business faces many other aspects than just washing vehicles well.  You'll also be working with suppliers, hiring employees, training and managing, engaging in customer service, repairing/maintaining equipment, and managing a financial strategy. These are a few examples of other factors that are important to running a successful car wash.

3/ Building and Maintaining your Customer Base

Opening a car wash is one thing but now you will need to get (and keep) customers. You will also have to get your name out there through various marketing strategies and having a brand and plan in place. If you want to learn more about car wash marketing you can read our article on it here!

Once you get a customer, keeping them a customer is another battle (such as navigating customer complaints and negative reviews).

A profitable car wash has great customer service and a good quality wash but they may also use keep their customers coming back with great marketing, subscription programs or rewards.

Questions about Owning a Car Wash?

Reach out to Transchem and Turtle Wax Pro

There's a lot of opportunity and potential profits that comes with owning car wash businesses today.

So whether you are considering opening your car wash, looking for marketing support, or looking for a car wash supplier, feel free to reach out to us!

Why Us?

The Turtle Wax company is an industry leader in the car care industry, and has been for over 75 years. We, Turtle Wax Pro (the professional car wash side of the brand), and our parent company Transchem, offer some of the best car wash chemistry in the market to car wash owners and their businesses all over the world.

Also, we have been supporting car washes in the various challenges they face for decades. Let our experience be an aid in your success.

The car wash industry, with its dynamic landscape and diverse opportunities, presents an intriguing avenue for potential investors.

Whether you're already involved in this sector or are considering dipping your toes in, understanding the different types of car wash businesses can provide a valuable perspective.

The Different Faces of Car Wash Businesses: Self-service, In-Bay Automatic, Tunnel, Mobile

Self-Service Car Wash: Empowering Customers

Self-service car washes allow customers to wash their vehicles themselves using provided machinery and cleaning agents.

This hands-on approach is often appreciated by car enthusiasts who prefer a personalized touch. A self service car wash business will typically also be the cheaper alternative compared to other car washing solutions.

In-Bay Automatic Car Wash: Quick and Convenient

For those seeking speed and convenience, in-bay automatic car wash reigns supreme. Customers drive into the bay, and automated machines do the rest, offering a thorough wash and dry without the need for manual labor.

Tunnel Car Wash: Efficiency at its Best

Tunnel car washes deliver a highly efficient washing system. Vehicles are placed on a conveyor belt, moving through a tunnel equipped with various cleaning and drying devices. It's a speedy solution that can handle high volumes, making it a favorite among busy customers.

Mobile Car Washes: Car Care at Your Doorstep

Finally, mobile car washes bring the entire car wash service to the customer's doorstep. Known for their convenience and personalized service, they're especially popular in urban areas and among car owners with hectic schedules.

Comparing the Different Car Wash Types

Cost Comparison

Self-service car washes, due to their simple operations, are generally the least expensive to establish. A self serve car wash will usually use involve basic machinery and can be operated with minimal staffing.

In contrast, in-bay automatic and tunnel car washes demand a higher initial investment due to their more specialized car wash equipment.

Mobile car wash services require an investment in a vehicle, cleaning equipment, and professional training, but they also have the advantage of low operating costs due to the absence of a physical location.

Analyzing Space Requirements

Space is another critical aspect. A tunnel car wash needs more space than an in-bay automatic one, while a mobile car wash has virtually no space requirement, making it ideal for urban areas where real estate prices are high.

Customer Preferences

Understanding your potential customer base is key. Some customers appreciate the quick, hassle-free experience of automatic car washes.

These customers, often busy professionals, value efficiency above all. Others, such as car enthusiasts, may prefer the control that self-service car washes offer, allowing them to ensure every inch of their vehicle is cleaned to their satisfaction.

For customers with hectic schedules or those who value convenience, mobile car wash services can be a perfect fit.

Launching Your Car Wash Business

Crafting a Business Plan: The Blueprint of Success

Your business plan should include a detailed market analysis, identifying your potential customers and their preferences.

It should also include a competitive landscape review, highlighting how your car wash business will distinguish itself from existing competitors.

Your marketing strategies, detailing how you will attract and retain customers, and how much revenue, should be carefully outlined. Lastly, solid financial projections, estimating your expected revenue, costs, and profitability, are crucial.

Exploring Financing Options

While some entrepreneurs self-fund their car wash business, others may seek out loans or investors. Understanding your financing options and choosing the one that best suits your situation is an important step in the process.

Navigating the Regulatory Maze: Compliance is Key

In addition to securing appropriate business licenses, a car wash owner will need to understand and comply with any environmental regulations pertinent to your operation.

This can include water use and disposal regulations, noise restrictions, and more. Engaging a local attorney or business consultant familiar with the car wash industry can be a smart investment to ensure you're on the right side of the law.

Emerging Trends in the Car Wash Industry

From Traditional to Touchless: The Evolution of Car Washing

Touchless car wash technology uses high-powered water jets and special cleaning solutions to clean vehicles without physical contact.

This can be a selling point for customers concerned about potential damage from brushes or cloths. This causes some to believe the future of car washing is in touchless washes rather than friction ones.

In addition, friction wash technology, which uses soft cloth materials and controlled pressure to clean vehicles, has seen advancements that increase cleaning effectiveness while reducing the risk of vehicle damage.

Car Wash Subscriptions: Consistent Revenue Potential

Subscription-based services, where customers pay a monthly fee for unlimited car washes, are gaining popularity. This model provides steady revenue for the car wash and convenience for the customer.

The Power of Automation: Increasing Efficiency and Profitability

Automated car wash machines, this set up needs no employees from start to finish of the car wash process.

Customers are able to pay for their car wash, start up the wash process, have their car cleaned and leave without any human intervention. This enables car wash businesses to use less labor and thus, save on staffing costs.

Eco-Friendly Practices: The Green Shift in Car Washing

On the environmental front, many car wash businesses are adopting more sustainable practices. This can include water reclamation systems that recycle water, solar panels to offset energy consumption, and the use of biodegradable cleaning solutions.

Additionally, using environmentally friendly car wash chemistry is becoming more and more common as these type of chemicals can do the cleaning job just as well but without the harsh impacts on the planet.

Turtle Wax Pro is proud to say all of our chemistry is eco-friendly and formulated without phosphates and other harsh chemicals.

Winning Hearts: Effective Marketing and Customer Retention Strategies

Building Your Brand: Stand Out in the Crowd

Creating a strong brand extends beyond a catchy name and memorable logo - it involves crafting a distinct identity that resonates with customers.

Think about your brand values and how you can incorporate them into every aspect of your business, from your customer service to your car wash facility's design and aesthetics. Your brand should communicate the unique benefits customers can expect when they choose your car wash.

Customer Loyalty Programs

Customer loyalty programs have evolved beyond traditional punch cards. Digital solutions now allow customers to track their rewards on their smartphones, offering a convenient way to engage and retain your customers. You could also consider special promotions, such as birthday discounts or referral rewards, to further incentivize repeat business and improve customer satisfaction.

The Magic of Upselling: Boosting Your Bottom Line

Upselling is a delicate art. It involves identifying customers' needs and providing them with valuable solutions.

You could offer packages that combine popular services at a discounted price or introduce premium services like ceramic coatings for customers who want the best care for their vehicles. The key is to ensure that your upsells offer genuine value and meet your customers' needs.

A Worthwhile Journey: Contact Turtle Wax Pro if you have Questions Regarding Starting a Car Wash

Owning a car wash can be a very rewarding opportunity with lots of upside. But like an other industry, the car wash industry faces challenges, including fluctuating weather conditions, increasing environmental regulations, and competition.

But with careful planning, keen market understanding, and the ability to adapt to evolving trends, these challenges can be effectively managed.

If you have interest in opening your own car wash business, get in touch with us!

We support car washes of all types all over the world with their chemical, equipment, operational, marketing needs and more.

If you're contemplating opening a new car wash or searching for ways to cut costs in your existing business, buying wholesale supplies should be on top of your list. There are significant benefits associated with purchasing car wash supplies, chemicals and equipment at wholesale prices, from saving money to ensuring you have ample stock on hand.

In this guide, we will explore the importance of investing in quality products, the benefits of buying wholesale, and how to discern the right car wash supplier for your business.

Quality Supplies: The Key to Exceptional Results

A successful car wash business relies on using top-notch, dependable chemicals and equipment. With the utilization of high-quality products, your customers' cars receive flawless finishes, which can lead to increased satisfaction, successful repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Contrary to popular belief, quality doesn't always equate to expensive products, especially when purchasing wholesale. As long as you identify the right suppliers, you can obtain premium products at affordable prices.

Benefits of Buying Car Wash Supplies Wholesale

Buying wholesale offers numerous advantages, making it an ideal choice for any car wash operator looking to stay competitive and in order to maximize their business potential.

Cost Savings

Purchasing chemicals and equipment at wholesale prices allows you to save significantly on costs. Wholesale suppliers offer products at lower prices than their retail counterparts, resulting in substantial savings over time. Moreover, many suppliers often provide additional discounts on some items for bulk orders, leading to even better pricing and increased profitability for your business.

Consistent Inventory Management

Running out of stock of essential supplies during peak seasons can cause significant disruptions to your car wash operation. Wholesale purchasing helps maintain consistent inventory levels and ensures you have sufficient stock to meet high customer demands throughout the year. This allows you to offer uninterrupted services and better handle busy periods.

Broader Selection of Products

Wholesale suppliers typically offer a more extensive range of products, including various chemicals, equipment, and accessories. Dealing with wholesalers can allow your business access to a more extensive selection of items tailored to its specific needs, ensuring you can always find the right sort of product to suit any requirement.

Choosing the Right Car Wash Supplier

An excellent car wash supplier will have a significant impact on the success of your business. Consider the following factors when selecting a wholesale supplier for your car wash needs:

Reputation and Experience

Choose to work with a supplier that has an established reputation in the car wash industry and demonstrates ample experience providing wholesale supplies. This ensures you're partnering with a reliable business that is well-versed in your industry's intricacies and can offer expert advice, support, and quality products.

Product Range and Quality

Select a supplier that offers a comprehensive and diverse range of high-quality car wash chemicals, soaps, cleaners and equipment. This will guarantee you can find suitable products for your specific business needs and ensure consistent cleaning results for your customers.

Customer Support and Training

An exceptional supplier should be dedicated to providing excellent customer support and training resources. This includes offering technical assistance, troubleshooting guidance, and product-related education to help you maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their supplies in your car wash operation. Always opt for a supplier who provides comprehensive training on chemical usage, equipment operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting information, ensuring you and your team can utilize their products to their full potential.

Marketing Assistance

A great car wash supplier should actively support your marketing initiatives by offering tools and materials that can help promote your business, strengthen your brand identity, and attract more customers. Look for suppliers who can provide customizable signage, banners, arches, and other promotional materials that align with your branding and messaging.

Competitive Wholesale Pricing

Lastly, consider a supplier's pricing structure, particularly when it comes to wholesale discounts and bulk order deals. Partner with a supplier that offers competitive wholesale pricing, without compromising on product quality or customer support. This will ensure you get the best value for money while maintaining a consistent supply of top-notch products for your car wash business.

Final Thoughts

Investing in quality supplies at wholesale prices can significantly benefit your business by reducing costs, ensuring you have adequate inventory, allowing access to a diverse range of products, and ultimately leading to improved customer satisfaction. By choosing the right supplier with a strong industry reputation, a comprehensive product range, excellent customer support, marketing assistance, and competitive pricing, you set your car wash operation on a path to long-term success and growth.

Every car wash ultimately has the same goals of producing the perfect wash, resulting in loyal, happier customers, and making a great profit.

However, the perfect wash business does not come easily, and there are many factors that need to be met first.

We have talked about some of these previously, most notably car wash chemicals (check out our blog archive)!

But one significant aspect of having a great car wash is knowing the importance of training for your staff. For instance, it is very important for car wash staff to know exactly how to use the specific products, equipment, promote and upsell wash packages, and be able to tackle unique car and customer situations.

Training Geared for your Team

The perfect training regiment comes down to understanding your specific wash facility and ensuring your team knows exactly how to use their tools to their greatest potential. It also supports developing new skills to build the business, plus improving the wash experience for customers.

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Achieving the perfect wash

The car wash process may look simple from the outside, and as any and all experienced car wash owners or workers would know, it is complex and can change on many small factors.

Your wash quality can differ from many different aspects such as water quality, equipment types, chemicals, and much more. If one factor stops working well, the whole wash operation can suffer.

This is precisely the reason that your staff must know the ins and outs of their tools, to be sure the best car wash can be achieved. This can be achieved with regular training, equipment upkeep, and fine tuning.

Effective training is not an easy feat to accomplish, and can be a big time commitment, but you will want to be sure to do so to make your business a success. Hopefully, you have a strong supplier (like us!) who can help car wash operators in their training efforts, and take some of the burden off their shoulders.

The Car Washing Industry is a competitive one, and every advantage is key

Training your team in how to upsell wash packages, set customers onto a loyalty program, maintain equipment, manage a backroom safely, and other necessary skills will ensure you are making steps to improve your business, and get ahead of the competition. Every advantage your car wash can get should be taken within such a competitive industry.

Car Wash Training: How To Do So Effectively

The best way to train your staff is to make it a priority, not only for new hires, but to build skills across your team. Taking the time and ensuring it gets done will pay off down the road when wash results, customer satisfaction, and hopefully profits have improved.

There are numerous different types of training areas and techniques that can be used to help your team learn the ins and outs of the business.

A big asset for you here is your car wash supplier, who should act as your partner to help you get ready and best situated in using their products.

The Importance of Chemical Training

Managing carwash chemicals is a huge aspect of any car wash business. This is why you will need to understand the wash process that makes cleaning successful, and how to properly and safely harness chemistry for best results. Work with your chemistry manufacturer or distributor with their expertise on the product line.

They can teach you which chemistry combinations will perform optimally at your location, show cost-per-car analysis methods, and how to dilute, monitor and manage chemistry for the best car wash performance.  

Understanding and managing carwash chemicals and how to optimize them will have your team ensuring it is bringing out your wash's best results.

The Importance of Equipment Training

Whether a tunnel, in-bay automatic or self-serve, knowing how to best utilize, set up, and maintain your equipment will prove to be invaluable to your total car wash success as it can make a large difference in your end results. A car wash business utilizes a lot of different operational equipment ranging including water softeners, conveyor belts, payment systems, robust tunnel systems and dryers and much, much more. All are vital pieces that must be running smoothly.

Knowing how to do some repairs and regular maintenance is a much needed skill as you want to have as little downtime as possible, (also getting your business back running as fast as possible).

Having team members who understand general and tunnel equipment maintenance, including basic repairs, managing equipment performance optimization and the electrical components controller, preventative maintenance techniques, or a just general equipment overview are a few examples of important skills in a successful car wash. Reaching out for support from suppliers with up to date knowledge can be a great first step in gaining a thorough understanding of the systems in your wash.

Hands-On Experience

Offering your staff practical hands-on workshops, especially if new to the industry, is a great option for a car wash operator to build success for his business. It can be led by a visiting product representative, if related to a specific chemical line or piece of equipment. For more specific training to a particular car wash, often car wash owners can train their teams in any educational gaps they perceive. Training can even be led by a more experienced staff member during non-peak or off-hours, ensuring that your team is comfortable, competent and safe in handling large machinery or commercial chemicals. Distributing this practical knowledge will be essential especially if more experienced staff are not available, or move on to a new company.

Other Training Areas  

There are many more aspects to a car wash than just chemicals or equipment. Training must be done for other areas such managing inventory, operational, finances, marketing and customer service, which are some broad areas that will need to be part of any business. More specifically, inventory management, effective budgeting, and people management are examples of skills that will acted in your business. Teaching your staff to upsell products to customers, educate them on premium wash packages, and encourage visitors to join a loyalty program can be of huge value to a car wash business as well, encouraging a more reliable income with higher profit margins.

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Turtle Wax Pro can help you Train

Your car wash supplier is a powerful asset that can help get your team up to speed quickly and easily on car wash methods, products, and more (we have a blog detailing the importance of your car wash supplier).

Here at Turtle Wax Pro, we have a strong focus in ensuring our clients and partners have training resources that will help their staff use our chemicals more effectively. Our biggest tool for car washing facilities is our exceptional Training tool, FREE and available online for all our customers:

TWP LEARN: Turtle Wax Pro's Online Learning Center

Turtle Wax Pro not only is premium car wash chemistry, with exceptional marketing and branding advantages, but also offers exclusive online training in subjects across the car wash industry.

This is because we understand the importance behind providing training to car wash staff: your car wash can thrive and employees can become actual car wash professionals.

Simple and Convenient Training

This tool is so easy for car washes to use for training their teams, as they can use any device at any time to complete online courses and quizzes. Participants will receive a solid education and certificates at the end of each of the training courses. This saves time for car washing operations as they don't need to build and execute fancy training seminars, and best of all, it's FREE for our customers and their staff.

Over 20 Hours of Video Content

From learning about the five factors of car wash, the chemistry of cleaning, to marketing with the Turtle Wax Pro brand, chemical setups, cost-per-car analysis, titration, advanced car wash knowledge and much more, TWP Learn has content plans for all skill levels.

How Training can Help your Car Wash Business

The importance of training your staff should not be understated, as it can be the difference between a good car wash and a great one. A well-trained team will know how to use their tools better than anyone else, meaning they can provide a higher quality finished product and happier customers, helping your business stand out from the rest!

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Contact Turtle Wax Pro for your Car Wash Success

Training is just one facet of the car wash world that we strive to help our clients with.

Turtle Wax Pro is one of the most recognized car wash brands in the world for a good reason, we have over 75 years of car care experience and decades in providing national carwash solutions (and international) to car wash industry operators and businesses.

Contact us if your business could use some better support whether that be with your chemicals, marketing, or training.