This is gonna be a fun one! As a Mom with 3 young children (9 and under) and a BLACK car as well, the lure of the drive through car wash is obvious. The kids love it (although they used to hate it when they were itty bitty), it's quick, and I can sit and check my Instagram. But hey, it's just soap and water and it's usually $5+. I've got all the car wash supplies at home. So, let's compare, shall we?
1. Drive Through Car Wash.
Express wash (no wax, nothing special): $6.00
Pros:
--It's fast! My wash took about 3 minutes.
--The water is recycled.
--Convenient, no work involved.
Cons:
--Expensive.
--Tires don't get very clean.
2. Hand Wash.
Car soap, $5.49, good for 32 washes
Wash mitt, $2.99
Tire cleaner, $6.99, good for approximately 12-15 washes
Drying towels, no cost (I used my own)
Average cost per wash: .58 cents (not including water)
Pros:
--Good price! Pennies on the dollar compared to the drive through wash.
--Tires get a better cleaning.
Cons:
--Takes more time
--Water is not recycled
Believe me, I can understand the allure of the drive through wash. And many places offer coupon books where you pay for a booklet of washes and can save a little per wash. But the bottom line for me here is the cost! We're basically talking about sudsy water and a wash mitt. You save considerably with handwashing and I can't help but think it's the better choice. I conclude that the drive through wash is not worth it.
That being said, I am sure there will be a day soon where my kids will beg me to go through the auto wash!
My 3 year old son LOVES to wash the car with his Dad! (That being said, it doesn't happen very often and usually takes a few days of me threatening to go through the car wash first!)
ReplyDeleteReturning the visit! Hoping to link up in the blog hop this week!
Aanie from www.theactivemum.com x
I will agree that I can't justify the cost at this point, but I have a feeling my kids would love going through the car wash. But seriously so not worth how much it costs!!
ReplyDeleteI like both. It's entertaining both ways in my opinion, but I always choose the one that wears out the littles easier - HAND WASHING. Get them to work! And you get a clean car!
ReplyDeleteSometimes you can be too busy though I guess, but it always saves money and when they're old enough, the children can get involved too and it can be fun. :) I imagine they'll sleep easy that night too ;) If we had a car, we'd hand wash I reckon!
ReplyDeleteLizzums x
http://benebelle.com