How To Start a Kid's Car Washing Business

Did your kids participate in a car-washing event at their school for charity?  Did they tell you how much fun they had, how many cars they washed, and why they came home soaked and wet?  Now you‚Äôre thinking to yourself, ‚ÄúHow to start a kids‚Äôs car washing business,‚Äù hmmm‚Ķ..this could work!

Kids all around the country engage in this type of voluntary activity as part of fund-raising.  But you can help your kids set up a car washing business right from home.  Here‚Äôs how to do it.

While you can approach local businesses, some of which have large lots and a supply of water, and ask if you can use their facility to run your car wash business ‚Äì the problem is they may ask for compensation for use of their facility and water.  Gas stations can‚Äôt help much because all they have are wash pumps ‚Äì no water. Well, hold on ‚Äì there‚Äôs another way in which you can accomplish this.

Have your kids print out flyers and staple them to trees; ask business owners if you can place them in their windows, and hand them out to everyone you come across.  Yes, the solution is coming‚Ķ‚Ķ‚ĶInstead of having to pay overhead for running a car wash business at gas stations or other facilities, and since the cars can‚Äòt come to you ‚Äì have the kids go to the cars!  That‚Äôs right.

Make up a business flyer and business cards on your home computer and printer in which your kids offer to wash cars in your neighborhood on any Saturday or Sunday afternoon.  You will supply everything but the water.

People will love this idea.

But be sure to set up a business plan with your kids.  Have your kids come up with a catchy name for the business.  Factor in the cost of towels, spray bottles, soap, sponges, squeegees, gloves for the kids, and pails as well.  Your overhead will determine how much you are going to charge. 

Think about the hours of operation.  Will it be by appointment only?  If so, who will take care of that end of it?  A carwash business is a great way for the kid‚Äôs to make extra money during the summer.  It‚Äôs easy and simple to set up and a good way for kids to get a feel for the entrepreneurial world.