Car Wash 101

Many car owners prefer the option of a DIY car clean using self-serve car washing bays. For them, the convenience of leaving the bucket, sponge and hose at home is a godsend.

Self-service bays are typically card or coin-operated and give the customer a set amount of time to wash their car. They allow the customer to choose the amount of time allocated to each part of the wash process e.g. soak, soap wash, rinse and polish.

During the washing process, the car is parked inside a covered bay with cleaning equipment including a foam brush and high-pressure hose.

The customer uses a combination of cleaning techniques generally available by dialling up and paying for the desired service on a wall mounted controller including:

• Pre-soak and/or tyre and engine cleaner chemicals and applicators
• Foaming soap and brushes
• High- pressure spray rinsing
• Low-pressure wax applicators
• Spot-free final spot free rinse.
• Vacuum stations are usually available on-site outside the wash bay.

Check out the ACWA supplier list for manufacturers of self service equipment

Keep your feet dry and leave the cleaning to modern technology.  The Automatic allows customers to kick back and relax while their car is washed around them.

The in-bay automatic provides a facility for the car to be cleaned while the customer remains in the car.  During the cleaning process, the automated washing equipment and dryer systems roll back and forward over the customer’s stationary vehicle.

Customers using these facilities are often looking for an easy, quick wash at a competitive price

There are several forms of in-bay automatic systems including touchless or soft cloth/foam brush equipment (often called roll-overs) and some wash sites have a mixture of both.

Brush (roll-over) washes use a combination of high-pressure sprays, chemical cleaners as well as friction cleaning provided by a range of cloths and brushes.

Many of Australia’s in-bay automatic car washes are located in service stations.

Touchless car wash forgoes brushes and uses high water pressure plus chemicals to clean the car.

Vacuum stations are usually available on-site outside the automating wash.

Check out the ACWA supplier list for manufacturers of automatic equipment

Tunnel wash systems provide the most thorough wash of all automated systems provide a range of wash options from inexpensive express wash services to washes including wax and even undercarriage washing.

A tunnel car wash is an automated wash with the vehicle being wash moving through a tunnel via conveyor belt.

As the car moves through the tunnel it is subjected to a range of treatments including the application of cleaning chemicals, a series of rollers and cloths, followed by automatic high-pressure water hoses that spray chemicals off the vehicle and finally a process for drying.

Some conveyor tunnel wash operations add to their service by providing staff for interior and exterior detailing once the tunnel wash has been completed. In other situations, customers clean the inside of their car using vacuum stations available on-site.

Check out the ACWA supplier list for manufacturers of tunnel wash equipment

The hand car wash provides the highest level of car cleaning.  There is a range of levels of wash available from a simple external and internal clean to a full car detailing service

The Australian economy has seen strong sales of new cars and many of these car owners select hand washing as a service to keep their new vehicles in the best possible condition.

Hand car wash is the most labour-intensive form of car wash and often provides a range of wash levels from a simple external and internal clean to a full car detailing service.

• Hand washing is made up of two service types
• In-store washing
• Mobile car wash

During the in-store process, the customer leaves the car with an attendant and the car is washed using a series of manually applied internal and external cleaning processes.

Most often the external process includes high-pressure washing, manual soft-cloth chemical application and washing, pressure rinsing, waxing and hand drying.  This is followed by internal vacuuming as well as upholstery and window cleaning.

It is not uncommon for some modern hand wash services to incorporate a tunnel wash system for the external clean followed by manual internal cleaning and external hand drying.

Many hand car wash facilities are tapping into Australia’s cafe culture and provide an on-site cafe allowing customers to relax while waiting for their car to be delivered.

Mobile car wash services travel to the car owner’s residence or business. Mobile car wash services often provide their own water and pressure cleaners.  Customers are attracted by the convenience of the wash coming to them and satisfaction in the knowledge their car is receiving hand wash care.

Many mobile car wash services are provided under a franchise model.