How to Run a Successful Car Wash Fundraiser - Online Think Tank

Tip: Go to the local McDonaldÕs a week before your event and ask the manager
for one of their five-gallon pickle buckets to use for soapy water. They
are green but who cares. They are free. McDonaldÕs may also give you a giant
water dispenser filled with fruit punch for the day of your event. And, ask
them for coupons to hand out at your fundraiser to help their business.
Instead of sponges, you can use lambÕs wool squares. They look like
car wash mitts except they are square and about a foot in diameter.
These are available at any large auto parts store.
You will need about 150 feet of garden hose. Put the longest section
on last. Hopefully it will be 75 feet in length. People drive over the
hose ends and ruin them because they smash the brass fittings. The
ends will leak and lower your hose pressure. If you plan on having
lots of cars at your event, you may want to buy a ÔyÕ garden hose fitting
(under $3.00) and then get 300 feet of hose and run two hoses
each 150 feet long. Do not use a plastic hose reel. It gets in the
way and gets damaged easily.
Have each volunteer bring three old towels that they do not need
back. Do not use nice bath towels. Use the worst towels to dry rims
all day and the nicer towels for chrome and windows. When the towels
get too wet hang them on a clothesline or drape them over a wall
to dry.
Instead of conventional window cleaner, buy one pint of rubbing
alcohol, a few gallons of distilled water and three large-size squirt
bottles. In your squirt bottles, add one part alcohol to five parts
distilled water to create window cleaner. You should have two people
Tip: Make sure that all cars leave with perfect windows and mirrors. This
will increase tipping by 10% to 20%. Even if the cars are not perfect, if the
windows are, itÕs a good car wash.
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