In most parts of the country, spring has sprung … Or at least is trying to spring. Winter may be having one last gasp at some of the northern parts of the Provinces and the Territories. But for the majority, the weather is warming up nicely. How about your car wash? How did it fair over the cold winter weeks and months? Now is the time to do a thorough inspection and cleaning. Turn off your floor de-icing system, unless you are in one of the areas where winter has still not let go.

How did it work for you in the cold weather? Do you need to clean out and replace the glycol in your system? Did the boilers work properly and effectively last season? Are there any cold spots in the bays? A yes to any of these questions means you should make plans to get things fixed up this summer. What kind of condition are the floors in? Perhaps some re-sealing is called for. Take a good look at your bay equipment. Booms, meter boxes, wand holders, and foam-brush buckets all take a beating during the busy season. The guns, wands, brushes, and handles are probably showing the results of heavy use as well. Replace as needed. It's also time to start cleaning the walls and any glass in your bays. Take a good look at your signage. Has it faded, or cracked in some area? Don't forget the vending and bill changer area. This probably needs a good cleaning and checking to be sure all is working well. It's a good idea to go through and clean every surface of the wash bays. You want to be sure your customers know you care about the appearance of your car wash. This will reinforce their faith that things will work properly when they put their money in or tap their cards for a wash.

Vacuums also need to be serviced. This is the time when the vacuum business starts to pick up and they need to be working at top efficiency and looking their best. Take the bags out. Clean and dry them to be sure the suction is strong. Don't forget about the vacuum motors. They need to be running at top speed and efficiency as well. Depending on your schedule, it may also be time to replace the oil in your high-pressure pumps. How are they running .. up to pressure .. no leaks?

Remember to change the oil on the air compressor as well. If you don't have an auto drain on your compressor, now is a good time to install one. This can add years of life to this essential component. Go through your chemical distribution system and check for any hoses which may have become hard and brittle. This can cause air leaks and poor chemical performance. Also, check the water softener. Test the water, or have a technician test it to be sure it is working properly and softening the water. The same goes for the RO System. The water needs to be tested and filters possibly need to be replaced. All of these things will contribute to making your car wash business work and look better as well as instilling confidence in your customers that they are coming to a professional in the car wash industry and they can be sure of getting a good reliable wash.