If you love to keep your car clean, visiting a self service car wash is a quick and cheap way to do it yourself. Moreover, they’re not that hard to find. You can usually spot a self-serve at gas stations, along highways or major roads, and shopping centers. Also, some of the bigger automatic car washes offer self service options. To help you decide if this type of car wash is for you, here’s what you need to know, including how to use it and the pros and cons.

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What is a Self Service Car Wash?

Car wash self service is the same as a coin operated car wash where you go to wash your own vehicle. You drive into a wash bay and pay to use the professional cleaning tools and supplies provided on-site. The term “coin-operated” simply refers to the traditional method of payment. I.e., you insert coins or tokens into a payment slot to access the high-pressure water lances and soaps for a pre-soak and a standard wash for a set amount of time.

Nowadays, you can choose between a coin or contactless payment options at the newer car washes. Some places may have an app, so you can pay on your phone. Using contactless payments can speed up your car wash experience because you don’t have to search for the correct coins.

Different Versions of Self-Serve

Depending on where you go, there are different types and sizes of self-serve equipment. Here’s an idea of what some wash systems include:

• A professional car vacuum cleaner with high suction power.
• High-pressure lance or “wand”.
• Power-foam lance.
• Combi wash tools (high-pressure lance and foaming brush).
• Wet or dry foam. Wet foam is often used for washing your car in winter, while dry foam is suitable for washing vehicles in summer.
• Upholstery cleaner foams for carpets and car seats.
• Multi-wash programs.

Some places have optional extras, such as a car mat cleaner, an air station for checking and adjusting tire pressure, and a water dispenser for refilling the windshield washer fluid.

How to Use Self Service Car Wash

Think of it as a do it yourself car wash, but instead of doing it at home, you use a professional self-serve wash system. The bays usually have written instructions and diagrams on the equipment and payment stations. Here’s the best way to use self car wash:

• Drive into a self serve bay and pay for your services and the amount of time you need.
• Select your wash program. Some places offer multiple wash cycles or additional services such as bug removal, foam polish and tire cleaner.
• Start with a pre-soak if your vehicle is dirty.
• Next, use the soap brush or foam brush provided to apply soap to your vehicle’s exterior surfaces. Rinse tires first to remove the worst of the dirt. Then clean from the top down to ensure thorough coverage.
• After scrubbing, switch back to the high-pressure rinse setting and thoroughly rinse your vehicle until it is soap-free.
• Select a wax option if desired.
• After the final rinse, or specialty spot-free rinse, exit the washing bay and leave. Alternatively, park in a designated area if you need interior detailing. Most self-service car washes have vacuum stations.

Self Serve Car Wash Pros and Cons

Like some of the other car wash services, a self-serve wash has advantages and challenges. Here is a look at the pros and cons:

Pros

If you don’t have a place to wash your car at home or don’t like the idea of a drive through car wash, the self service option makes perfect sense. Here are the pros:

• Affordable – just $1 to get started.
• Save on your water bill at home.
• No wastewater on your driveway.
• You don’t have to buy your own items from a hand car wash equipment list.
• Used properly, self-serve car washes can give your car a fairly good clean.
• If you have a taller or oversized vehicle that won’t fit in a tunnel or brushless car wash, self service bays often have higher ceilings.
• Full-covered wash bays are ideal for washing your vehicle in bad weather.

Cons

Naturally, you’ll also want to know are self serve car washes safe for your car and the environment before you visit one. There are other factors to consider, too. Here are points to bear in mind and some self service car wash tips:

• Are self service car washes bad for paint? Remember that foam brushes in self-serve car washes are used on dirty vehicles – dusty, grimy, gritty, salty, etc. If these contaminants get trapped in the wash brushes, you could end up with micro scratches or swirls on your car’s paint.
• The auto detailing foams and detergents used at some self-serve places may contain harsh chemicals that aren’t great for paintwork over time. See the common mistakes, below.
• You might not achieve the best results if you don’t know how to hand wash a car.
• What’s the water flow rate per pump? Some car washes get through a lot of water, so seek out ones with an environmentally friendly water reclamation system. For example, some systems use water treatments that save up to 98% fresh water. Meanwhile, the latest self-serves use green energy and rainwater instead of fresh water. Also, hot water can be generated by solar thermal energy.
• Cleaning a vehicle manually is quite a workout! If you need some help, a professional hand car wash is the answer.

Avoid These Common Mistakes at a Self Serve

You need to keep an eye on the clock when using a self-serve because you buy “minutes”. Therefore, you may feel under pressure to get the job done in time. However, being prepared and organized makes all the difference. Also, ensure you avoid these 10 mistakes:

1. Not moving fast enough: The clock keeps ticking! So, make each moment count. For example, read the posted instructions or signs first before you pay to use the equipment.
2. Using dirty equipment: Not checking the condition of the wash tools, such as the soap brush or foam brush, before you use it can lead to swirl marks from dirt trapped in the bristles.
3. Not bringing your own tools: If you want to avoid using the communal brushes on-site, bring microfiber cloths and sponges from your own car wash supplies list.
4. Skipping pre-wash: It might feel like a timesaver, but skipping the pre-rinse before applying soap can make it tougher to remove stubborn marks if your car is very dirty.
5. Not rinsing properly: Self-serves use chemically laden soaps to speed up the cleaning process. So, you must rinse off all traces of soap; otherwise, repeating this mistake will dull your paint finish in the long run. Also, a soapy residue can result in streaks or spots on your car’s surface once it dries.
6. Forgetting to clean floor mats: Your floor mats gather all sorts of dirt, from mud to grit. Take them out, shake them vigorously and place them against the bay’s wall. Spray them with soap and water as you do your washing. Some places might have an automatic mat cleaner.
7. Wearing jewelry: Your watch, rings, or bracelets can potentially scratch the surface of your vehicle. To avoid any unintended damage, it’s best to leave them at home or put them in your pocket when washing your ride.
8. Not drying your vehicle properly: Never skip drying after washing your vehicle because dried-on water spots can be very difficult to remove later on.
9. Not going green: Some self-serves are more environmentally friendly than others. Look for ones that include dry foam options that can reduce the car wash’s water consumption by up to 90%. Or check out a waterless car wash.
10. Leaving windows open: A common mistake that can cause a lot of bother. If water gets into your car and saturates seats and carpets, it can take forever to dry. You don’t want to end up with a damp, mildew smell. If this happens, seek out a full service car wash that offers a deep interior clean to remove bad odors.

Where to Find Self Serve Car Wash

The self serve car wash is popular with car owners, so there are plenty of places to meet the demand. You’ll find big brand names and smaller service providers when you search online. It depends on your location. For example:

• Brown Bear is a Seattle-based self-serve with 45 locations. Most of its self-serve locations are open 24 hours. If you like the convenience of washing your car outside business hours, check out the 24 hour car wash.
• Check the IQ Car Wash website for locations across the US. As well as soft cloth car wash options, it has self-serve bays offering 10 different selections like pre-soak, high-pressure hot soap, spot-free rinse, and hand blow dryers. Its vacuum area is free.
• Splash Car Wash offers 24/7 self-service options if you prefer to do it yourself and automatic services including a flex car wash.

Cost

One of the reasons car wash self service is so popular is because it doesn’t cost much. Prices are based on how much time you use. Are self service car washes coin-operated? Most places have various payment options, from coins and tokens to credit cards and apps. Here is an idea of what you can expect to pay:

• The minimum wash charge is usually $1, which gives you 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the service provider.
• Or you can pay $3 minutes for 4 minutes, plus $0.50 per additional minute.
• Some places operate with tokens instead of quarters, which you can buy from machines that accept $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills.

Prices vary between service providers. A typical wash takes around 10 minutes but it’s up to you because you’re doing the car washing!

Conclusion

The self serve car wash is the obvious choice if you want a convenient and cost-effective way to keep your vehicle looking clean and shiny. Moreover, you have control over the wash process, using the supplies and equipment on-site. Also, it is ideal for vans and trucks that don’t fit in a “regular” size car wash. Just remember there is no pause button, so you have to work fast without cutting corners to achieve the best results.

Note that self-serves may not be the most environmentally friendly option due to high-pressure water usage and powerful detergents. So, look out for places with biodegradable soaps and efficient water treatment systems. Alternatively, explore other water-saving car washes. For example, DetailXPerts uses innovative steam-cleaning technology to clean and shine cars brilliantly, using minimal water.

To learn more about our eco-friendly mobile detailing, download our Eco Wash Benefit Guide: