Car Wash Equipment Industry Information
IQS Newsroom Articles on Carwash Equipment
Car washes
are businesses that sell car cleaning in various different forms for
commercial and industry use. The equipment is sold to small, local
businesses that service the public, or to large companies such as bus
systems and taxi cab companies that need bigger car washes that can
handle heavy use. Car washes are located in most cities all over the
U.S. and are often attached to gas stations, detail centers or are free
standing. A car wash equipment manufacturer is a company that provides
the equipment and material necessary for various kinds of commercial
and sometimes industrial car washes. When starting a car wash business,
many opt to purchase
used car wash equipment. There are many diverse
car wash systems-some work without employees and some operate with many.
Automated car washes are popular, and either use brushes or are considered
touchless car washes. These
auto car washes are often housed in
car wash tunnels and use
car dryers.
Self service car washes are a do-it-yourself alternative to the automated type, and often either accept credit cards or are
coin-operated car washes. Customers can take their car to a
hand car wash, a more expensive option, where workers clean and do detail work by hand. Sometimes companies start
mobile car washes, which is when the car wash equipment is located inside a vehicle that travels to different residences.
Automated car washes have gained significant popularity in recent
years. They are very common and come in 2 different varieties-touchless
and cloth friction. Touchless uses high-powered water pressure sprayers
to clean the car, which either move around the parked car or are
stationary sections which the car on moving rails passes through. Only
the water and cleaning agent come in contact with the car, which
prevents scratching and marking the car's finish. The alternative,
cloth friction, uses soft yet powerful cloth to clean the car, which
are large, rotating brushes that use soap to scrub the car exterior
clean. Both forms of auto car washes use sensors called eyes that a
trigger digital control system to enable the washing sequence and
adjust to the car's size. All automated car washes are housed in a
tunnel, which is often made of glass, has 2 entrances on either side,
and sometimes has a set of moving tracks that progresses the neutral
car through the wash. Near the end of auto car washes is a drying
station, where high-pressure compressors blow air over the surface of
the vehicle, drying it before exiting the car wash.
Self service car washes are a less expensive, do-it-yourself
alternative to the automated type. They are composed of 1 or more bays,
a covered area with a drain where the car is washed. Inside, a water
gun with different settings like wax, spray and soap is set on a timer,
which is dependent upon the amount of money customers want to pay (the
more money they pay, the longer they have to wash their cars). Most of
these timed systems are coin operated, but newer wash stations now
accept credit cards. The pressure sprayer and foaming brush are joined
to a boom, which is a hose connected to a large central pump. The booms
are attached to the wall or ceiling of the bay, with plenty of slack so
the customer may move around their car easily. Because self service and
automated car washes rarely have employees on hand and are machine-run,
they are often open to the public 24 hours a day. Many offer waxing and
undercarriage cleaning services.
Aside from self service and automated car washes, there are other more expensive
and convenient systems that require no customer work. Hand car washes
offer hand washing with wool towels or mits, car detailing and hand
waxing in about 30 minutes. Some offer interior cleaning, carpet
shampooing and vacuuming, and can run up to around $100. Mobile car
washes are the most convenient option for car cleaning, as they come to
the customer's home with car wash equipment. Mobile car wash equipment
is able to fit in a truck or van, and are often on wheels for easy
maneuvering. Generally, they offer exterior cleaning, waxing, vacuuming
and interior cleaning. Like the hand wash system, this is a more
expensive option since customers pay for use of the equipment, man
power and the drive. Both of these car washes are for customers with
more expensive cars that take much pride in them and don't mind
spending a lot of money to have them fully cleaned.
Using commercial car wash systems has many benefits in comparison to
at-home driveway methods. They use much less water than a hose, which
is often recycled and always filtered. Using a hose at home, however,
is harmful because the un-biodegradable soap, oil and car grime drains
into sewers and into drinking water or local wildlife. At-home cleaners
can damage a car's finish over time, while the cleaning agents used at
car washes are designed specifically for car exteriors, and do not harm
the finish. Despite some common misconceptions, using commercial car
washes is also more economical, because less water is used per wash.