Starting a Mobile Car Wash Business

Whether you are living in a stalled economy, face an uncertain job market, or just want to be your own boss, many people consider starting a small business to make extra money. One business idea that might work for some people is starting a mobile car wash business. You can begin with a small capital outlay and because you carry everything you need to your customer there is no costly overhead or site leasing costs.

The first step to starting a mobile car wash business is to research the policies of your local, county, or state government about registering a business, applying for necessary licenses, and checking on any possible regulations for car wash businesses. Some locations have strict rules about wastewater runoff that will pertain to some car wash businesses and you should know about this before deciding what type services to offer. You should also set up separate banking and credit for business to avoid complications at tax time.

Once you have checked on local requirements you should decide whether your mobile car wash business will be wet or dry. A wet car wash business requires more equipment such as a water tank, pump, hoses, and generator to run the equipment and a truck and/or trailer to haul the equipment. It can also be more complicated if your locale has strict wastewater runoff regulations. A dry car wash business will require more expensive cleaning materials, but less equipment.

As you consider what types of car wash service to offer you also have to consider whether you want to offer interior detailing. A full service mobile car wash business including interior detailing may be more appealing to customers, but it can be more time consuming as you work out the logistics of picking and returning customers' keys. Also, if you offer interior service, even a dry car wash service will usually require a small generator to run a vacuum.

Once you have determined what types of wash and detailing services you want to offer you need to order supplies and set prices. You should research other local services to help determine a good price structure. You may also wish to practice on friends' cars a few times to work out any problems and determine the break-even costs of services. These practice runs can help you budget for fuel costs, hourly wages, and materials costs.

Once you are ready to begin attracting customers you need to decide on an advertising strategy. Business cards and flyers are great inexpensive marketing tools. You may wish to offer discounts at first to attract and establish return customers. You can leave stacks of flyers and business cards at office buildings, businesses that have fleet vehicles like car rental businesses, or large hotels. A yellow page and magnetic advertising on your business vehicle can also be great inexpensive advertising.

Starting a small business can be a good way to ensure job stability or let you be your own boss. A mobile car washing business is a great opportunity since the initial cash outlay can be small and the potential market is very large. With the proper licenses, range of services, competitive prices, and advertising strategy you can begin a successful mobile car wash business.