Car washes evoke a distant, cleaner time. For years, the only upgrades were related to the quality of sponges or the soap’s strength. And who can forget searching for the perfect shammy? But it’s not simply nostalgia anymore. The same way technology pushes cars forward is happening at the car wash. Here are innovations hopefully coming to a car wash near you.

At Your Service

Car washes are the latest industry to embrace the convenience of app technology. Drivers can order on-call roving car washes to come to their particular parking spaces for a quick and easy clean. In the future, the car wash comes to you – not the other way around.

One Size Doesn’t Fit All

Cars come in many shapes and sizes. Car wash entrepreneurs understand that more than most. In China, cleaning facilities are equipped with sensors to detect vehicle type to provide the optimal wash. They realized that buses and hatchbacks must be treated individually – on the road and in the car wash. Because each deserves a custom clean.

Clean Green

Water and soap are the two essential components of every car wash. But it’s the former that can raise some environmental concerns, particularly when washing your car by hand. In order to conserve energy, many car washes are relying on nearby reclaimed water. Not only is this a money saver, but also it creates a sustainable business model where car washes have a future in our eco-conscious age.

Despite these upgrades, are you still partial to a hand wash? Car washes can be therapeutic for many car owners. Tell us your opinions in the comments below.