Car Wash Maintenance Checklist

An automatic car wash can seem like a complicated facility, but that’s because at least to most people, it is. On top of that, automatic car washes are insanely expensive, setting up a single car wash bay can set you back as far as $80,000. So, as a car wash owner, you want to make sure that everything works perfectly to conserve the investment and keep the customers coming. One way to do this is by following a car wash maintenance checklist.

Preliminary Checks

Immediately after opening up the establishment every day, you need to run some daily routine checks before admitting any vehicles into the wash bay. Begin by cleaning the wash bay and decluttering the area around the building. Then, check your water supply and restock the detergent levels. After that, runs some checks to make sure that everything works, from the conveyor belt, spray nozzles, blowers, and friction curtains. Also, check for leaks and any other warning signs that something might be wrong.

Periodic Inspection and Repairs

Thorough inspections and checks should be done at least on a weekly or monthly basis, depending on the workload on the car wash. These comprehensive checks involve examining various components, such as pivot arm, wheels, bearings, and railing for wear and tear. During routine maintenance, any moving parts need to be re-greased, damaged parts are replaced, and the compressor drained and purged. Normally, thorough inspection and maintenance are done by professionals.

Pay Station

Most automatic car washes have an electronic payment system. The pay station is also prone to damages and malfunction and needs periodic maintenance. In most cases, dirt, oil, and water may build up in the validator, causing the whole system to malfunction. Customers who don’t know how to interact with the pay station may also end up breaking it. Check the pay station regular to ensure that it works properly; otherwise, it can paralyze the entire operation.

Maintaining a car wash doesn’t have to be difficult; you just need to work the routines down to a system. Plus, you can always hire a maintenance service to help with routine servicing.