May 13, 2015  Ways to Save Money at the Self-Service Car Wash

car washing pic

Sometimes it might seem like washing your car at the self-service car wash is a better deal than going through the drive-through wash. But the truth is, the cost of washing your car in the self-service bay can really add up, once you go through all the settings on the dial…foam brush, tire cleaner, engine de-greaser, soap, multiple rinse cycles, wax and clear coat.

Fortunately, we have figured out a way to save quite a bit of money at the self-service car wash, and still get the convenience of washing your car at the car wash.

First step:  Go to the car wash at a quiet time, when there won’t be a line of people waiting to use the cleaning bays.  If you must go on a weekend, go early in the morning.  Otherwise, weekdays tend to be less busy days to use the car wash.

Second step:  Before you go, prepare a simple cleaning kit for yourself.  You just need a good-sized plastic container with a lid.  Fill it about halfway with water and a couple of squirts of regular dish soap.  Gather some rags.

Third step:  At the car wash, before you turn on the machine, give your car a good cleaning by hand, with your rags and soapy water. Focus on the particularly dirty areas.  This will save you a lot of money, because the time-consuming (and therefore, money-consuming) part of washing your car tends to be scrubbing your car down with the foam brush and soap.  You can also hit the tires with your soapy water and rags, to avoid having to use the tire cleaner provided by the car wash.

Final Steps:  We only use 3 settings on the self-service car wash machine:  high-pressure rinse, wax, and spot-free rinse.  After you have washed your car down by hand, give it a good rinse with the high-pressure rinse setting.  Finally, use the wax and spot-free rinse settings, and you are done!  Depending upon where you live, and the size of your car, you should be able to get the entire job done for under $3!

You Can Do This!

by See Jane Drill, Copyright 2015, All Rights Reserved