Testimonials

Mr. Sparkle Car Washes
Connecticut

Over the years, car washing has grown more complex. It has changed dramatically from the first four self-service bays that for 35 cents gave you three minutes of soap, wax and rinse. With today’s ever-changing advances in equipment, electronics and car wash soap, Kleen-Rite has become and ever-important vendor to Mr. Sparkle. One of the goals of Mr. Sparkle is to keep the business easy to run. Kleen-Rite has been an important factor to this goal. Their extensive inventory of almost everything related to car washing and zero lead time on orders has made it possible to rely on them as a key vendor. “Every time we look through the new catalog we find another part that we need.”

Bud Irwin
Harford County, Maryland

My father went into the carwash business in the 1960’s with a two bay self-serve wash in the back of an old gas station. Later he purchased a 5 bay self-serve wash. Even then, before customer numbers and catalogs, we were Kleen-Rite customers dealing with Harold McKonly.

In 1980 I purchased a 2 bay self-serve with a 50’ conveyor automatic tunnel. The location had a mediocre income and many technical problems. Kleen-Rite customer Melvin Keith and owner Harold McKonly gave me a great deal of advice and technical support. Without their expertise, I would have lost my first carwash.

Today we have an outstanding relationship with Kleen-Rite and Mike McKonly. His father would be very proud of him and his operation. Whenever we need supplies, chemicals or parts, we know to call Kleen-Rite.

Some things never change and the quality of Kleen-Rite is one of them.

Jerry Greubel
Southern California

Greubel says, “It takes a well trained team to keep up with the challenges of growth in such a dynamic market area. We are continuously looking for and developing new sites. The key to success is to be on the cutting edge of new technology, remodeling, and upgrading. We are always making capital improvements to our washes. There is never a day that goes by when we are just collecting money. We are never satisfied, change is constant. That’s where Kleen-Rite comes in.

I enjoyed working with Harold McKonly, the founder of Kleen-Rite. A great man,we would talk about car wash issues for hours. Now, with the passing of Harold, Mike McKonly has become a trusted friend and business associate. I can count on Kleen-Rite to give me the best products for the best price. They make our constant upgrading and re-supplying possible. One stop shop!

I really don’t know what I would do without them. I enjoy my kids, boating, and motorcycle racing. Kleen-Rite gives me more time to enjoy the important parts of life!”

Stuart Gunn
Coin Car Wash.CA
Toronto, Canada

I had been purchasing items for my 1st car wash from Kleen-Rite, but I never thought I would have bought all the equipment from them for my new wash.

I got several quotes here in Canada to supply the equipment, however after meeting John at the Car wash show in Toronto, he said Kleen-Rite would take care of me.

I studied the catalogue inside and out and made a list of items I needed. The list included equipment, supplies, soaps & car wash vending. Keith gave me a quote I was happy with. I was worried about buying everything without actually seeing the Kleen-Rite operation. So my wife and I drove 8 hours down to PA and met everyone in person. After a complete tour of their facilities, we were impressed and gave them a deposit for our order. We made arrangements to pick up everything ourselves in 6 weeks.

Our next trip back to Kleen-Rite was in a 24 foot rental truck. They loaded it up from top to bottom with the whole car wash.

It took an unexpected 15 months to get our building permit, but as of November 1st, 2006, cars are now being washed. Our first month in business was great and I am sure with the winter salt coming, we will give the car wash a total workout.

We are looking forward to building another car wash and our next trip down to PA. A special thanks to Keith, Mike & John.

Stuart Gunn

ASHWA Enterprises owns and operates nine car wash locations in the San Antonio, Texas area.

ASHWA Enterprises was started in 1991 and has grown from one 7 bay self serve and one 4 bay self serve to seven self serve locations and two touchless automatic locations since its beginning. Brad and Barbara Powell started the business 15 years ago.

We have experienced many changes in the car wash industry over the years and with the great support, innovations and technical knowledge from the Kleen-Rite “family” we have been able to grow and expand the business over the years. We now operate and maintain 44 self serve bays, 4 touchless automatic bays, 57 vacuums and numerous vending machines.

We have the highest accolades for Mike McKonly and the superb customer service and support staff of Kleen-Rite Corp. for taking care of our business courteously, efficiently and on a very timely basis! We go to Kleen-Rite for all our car wash supplies, equipment and chemicals. We always use the best quality of parts in our car washes and Kleen-Rite maintains this level of integrity, which results in success for all!

The Kleen-Rite Expos are super! I attended the first two Expos and loved it!

Thank you Kleen-Rite!
Brad Powell

Soap Box Car Washes
Elberton, GA

The Soap Box Car Wash was built in 1979 by brothers Harry and Ed Hall. At that time Don Fortson was their banker at Pinnacle Bank and admired the brothers for their work ethic and business sense. Years later Don let the Hall brothers know that he was interested in purchasing their car wash operation if they ever wanted to sell. A few years later in 1999, the Hall brothers were ready to retire and offered to sell the business to Don.

“I’ve been in Customer Service all my life, and the car wash business is no different. Our goal is to make sure the customer feels as though they’ve gotten what they’ve paid for and are happy when they leave. I also can’t stand dirty cars, and it pleases me when they leave clean. A Clean Car just Drives Better”

“We became Kleen-Rite Customers because the previous owners were already buying from them and highly recommended them. I have developed a good relationship with owner Mike McKonly. He takes time to make sure our needs are taken care of. We take advantage of their Soap Specials, and their Free Shipping specials regularly. He’s fair and if we ever have a problem it’s nice that Mike will personally see that it gets straightened out.”

Prowash
Melbourne, Australia

Scott Bristow, the CEO at Prowash, started in the car wash industry when he and his father built a self serve carwash in their local area. Prowash grew from this over 12 years to become one of Australia’s top carwash supply companies. Prowash is Kleen-Rite’s Australian distributor. The company is based in Melbourne, Australia and services carwash customers right across and up and down the Land Down Under.

Prowash is the “one stop shop” in Australia for equipment and supplies, including premium soaps from Australia and the USA . This is complimented by a complete range of vending products, parts and ancillary equipment. Prowash’s commercial advantage is the combined years of experience provided by its small but dedicated team focused on delivering the best customer service. Prowash aims to do it better than the other guy at all times.

Since it’s inception way back in 1996 Prowash and it’s growing team has had a strong and loyal relationship with Kleen-Rite. The knowledge that both Keith and Mike and the rest of the crew at Kleen-Rite share with us on a regular basis has enabled us to grow successfully and model our business on that of Kleen-Rite. Within the growing carwash industry both as a supplier and operator it is important to have continued support and with this in mind we would like to pass on a huge thanks to everyone at Kleen-Rite.

Top Hat Car Wash
Danbury, Connecticut

The location of my operation has been a car wash since the early 80’s under the name of Val’s Car Wash. In 2001, former owner Gary Pagano purchased the wash and remodeled the entire place from top to bottom. In 2002 the operation was renamed Top Hat Car Wash.

I was 25 years old in 2004 and had just graduated from Western Connecticut State University. I was having a tough time finding employment in the business field I had just received my degree in. I had some extra money saved, so I leased the car wash for 15 years. I knew the business really well because I had worked here since it was Val’s Car Wash in 1999 to the date I purchased the business.

Kleen-Rite happens to be the only vendor that I use. Their customer service is excellent and the shipping is overnight to my district for regular shipping prices. From vending machines to detailing supplies, Kleen-Rite covers all of my car wash needs. The folks at Kleen-Rite make me feel like I’m doing business with Family!

Buggy Bath Carwash
Las Vegas, Nevada

I drive a hummer and have a few hot rods and I always washed them at the buggy bath self serve car wash. Its right across the street from my house and very convenient and once and a while I would see the owners hanging around the car wash and I always said to them “if you ever want to sell this car wash, I want to buy it!” Well one day last year, Mar 06 I got a call from the owner saying his father was sick and they thought it was time to sell the car wash and he wondered if I was still interested in buying it? I told him that I was still interested in buying it and he said “well if you want to buy it, you have to buy it today, because tomorow I might change my mind” so I ran over to see him at the car wash and we went down and opened escrow that day! We closed escrow in 3 days and I paid cash for the car wash and the property. I had never been in the operating room until we closed escrow and man was I was surprised at all the stuff that was going on in there. Well for a few weeks the previous owner came around to help me out with questions I had and problems that were occuring. I had a vision of what I wanted to do to the car wash to spruce it up a bit.

1) I wanted to put an automatic in and I contacted A-OK Equipment and car wash supplies and spoke to Doug “the owner” and I really liked what I heard from him and he came out and looked at my car wash to make sure every thing would work for an automatic and I said “Let’s Do It!” so in Jan 06 the auto wash was up and running and what a great piece of machinery.

2) I wanted to put in a SMOG CHECK Station, so in April of 07 It was put in and once again a great addition to the car wash!

The best part of all is having Kleen-Rite right here in Las Vegas, I purchase all my car wash supplies from them and it makes it very nice to have them so close. Jim and Sandy are great people to work with and as always if there is ever a problem we can get Keith on the phone and it’s fixed! My hat’s off to Kleen-Rite and their people for being concerened about their customers and the way they take care of them!

I look forward to many years in the self serve car wash business and it’s been a blast to take a ten year old car wash and make it new again!

In 1965, Lisa’s father bought his first car wash in San Diego, California. In those early days, a car wash only cost fifteen cents and Lisa helped out as a young girl by rolling nickels and dimes and cleaning up around the wash.

When she got older, Lisa married and moved to Minnesota. For years they would come back to San Diego to visit for holidays and other occasions. When her dad began expanding his car washing business, it was obvious he needed some help. The year round warm temperatures were a strong influence on the couples decision to return to southern California after enduring the harsh winters in Minnesota.

In 1989, Lisa began running the car washes for her father while he was busy building car washes for other operators in the region. She learned a lot about running and maintaining the car washes from her dad. “I was a hands-on operator, if I didn’t know how to fix it, I sure learned in a hurry.”

Today, Lisa operates five different car wash locations, and has eight employees. She has recently renovated all of the equipment rooms at each of the sites. “I wanted to have all the equipment, at every location, to be the same. It just makes things more simplified and streamlined when repairs are needed and for ordering our replacement parts.”“My favorite thing about running my own car wash operations is that I can make my own destiny, I can be my own boss.”

“I met the Kleen-Rite crew years ago while attending the Western Car Wash Association’s annual tradeshow. I love doing business with them. They have the parts I need at the best prices. The specials they run throughout the year really help me save money and since they’ve opened their distribution center in Nevada, I get my orders usually the next day. It’s great!”

WATER WORLD CAR WASH
Jeff Davis
Chester, West Virginia

In 1997, my dad, Frank Davis, and I opened Water World Car Wash in Chester, WV, with one automatic roller machine and three self-serve bays. Our top priorities are customer service and a clean appearance. My two sons, Jeffrey and Joey, help a lot when they’re not at college, and my wife, Cindy, handles all of the administration and bookkeeping. I owe a lot to my dad for teaching me how to do a lot on my own. I couldn’t have been successful without his help and support. In 2012, we opened Blue Suds Car Wash, also in Chester, WV, with four self-serve bays. Kleen Rite has been our main source for car wash supplies and parts since we opened.

Brothers Mark and Jeff Goddard own and operate Super Sonic Car Wash in Ogden, Utah. The original Supersonic was built in Ogden in 1959 Wayne Goddard, their dad. The name Supersonic was taken from the original equipment that was installed in that first car wash. Today they have four full serve and 2 self serve locations and will have over 200 employees during the peak winter months.

Cleanliness and design are a key factor that makes each location stand out. It was obvious that a lot of care and planning went into the construction and overall theme of the Supersonic brand. Though each site was different and offered different services, the overall theme was consistent, thus creating an easily recognizable Supersonic brand.

“One of the many challenges we face in this part of Utah,” says Mark, “is what is known as Temperature Inversion,which causes the trapping of pollutants in the atmosphere. This causes a heavy cloud of soot hanging between the mountains that just covers everything, cars are just covered in soot.”

The Goddard brothers also invest a great deal of time and energy in contributing to local charities. “We like sponsoring charities, not only does it help give exposure to our business but we believe in spreading good will throughout our community. We sponsor a lot of golf tournaments, bike rides, we participate with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Boys & Girls Scouts, local schools and the Grace for Vets free car wash day for veterans.”

As far as adding new equipment and features to their washes, Mark says. “We try and stay informed of any new products, trends, and equipment in our industry. We want to stay ahead of the curve and one step ahead of the competition. Recently we’ve added credit card acceptors in our self serve bays and we are trying out several free vacuum stations in some of our locations” Mark informed me. “We also started an unlimited wash program, where customers pay a certain monthly fee and in return receive a card which allows them to wash as much as they like during the month. It has really boosted customer loyalty. We are also planning on adding a couple of Dog Washes in the near future.”

Back in the day, Supersonic used to use liquid spray fragrance in their full service offering. But customers would come back and complain that the smell would be gone within a day or two. “So we decided to switch to the Little Tree paper air fresheners. Customers seemed to like them and the fragrance would last much longer. We began purchasing from Kleen-Rite then because they gave us the best deal on the Little Trees.”

“Well over the years we just started getting more and more products from Kleen-Rite,” explained Mark. “The thing I like best about Kleen-Rite is I don’t feel like someone is trying to sell me something. They are car wash people, and I feel like they are being sincerely honest with me when we talk about my operation.”

Glenn Anderson was a construction worker who always had to go over to the next town to wash his truck because their were no car washes is in his hometown of Dover, Pennsylvania. So in 1966, he and his wife Joyce decided to build their own car wash.

“We borrowed very little money when we started, things didn’t cost so much back then. We found a great lot at a good location on the main road and we got our equipment from Bernardi Brothers out of Harrisburg. Boy did the business take off once we first opened, we were busier then ever,” explains Mr. Anderson, “we were the only wash in town, there was no competition.”

Glenn didn’t know much about fixing car wash equipment, so whenever the service guys came out to fix something, he would watch and learn. Soon he was able to make small repairs himself.

“Things were different in those days,” continues Joyce,“we didn’t have change machines back then. We kept a large bucket of change in the office and gave out change to the customers by hand. And if you walked away, once you came back, all your change was still their inyour bucket. Our car wash was very good to us, back then we had to be open on the holidays, our customers demanded it. So on every Thanksgiving we would be open till noon and be busier than ever, then go home for our turkey dinner.”

After a few years the Anderson family bought another car wash located close by in York, PA. Eventually they came to own five separate operations around the county.

Eventually, in 1999 the Anderson’s tore down their original car wash and built a new facility in it’s place. “We wanted to modernize our wash,” explained Joyce, “our wash was the old style car wash building and we wanted to give it a more modern look with all new equipment. Our son Jodie designed all of our buildings himself. He made each one different than the rest. It pleased him to make each location unique, giving each one its own look.”

Today their children help them run the day to day operations. Their son Randy is the mechanic, son Jodie does all the ordering of supplies and replacement parts and daughter Cheryl tends to the daily needs of the washes.

“We used to get our supplies from a local company. Then we got to know Harold McKonly from Kleen-Rite, he was a real decent guy and his prices were great. It became really convenient for us to get our car wash supplies from them. We’ve been buying from them for years and years now.”

“We love everything about having our own business.” says Glenn, “It’s been the best. Every day is different, there is always a surprise.”

Growing up as a grain farmer, Brian Oberreuter decided in 1979 that he’d like to take a crack at operating his own car wash. He purchased a gas station and built his own single self serve bay on the site. “It was trial and error in the beginning,” says Brian, “I had no car wash training per se, I just basically taught myself as I went.”

That was the beginning of Brian’s car wash passion. “The money was good and I really enjoyed designing and building the washes.”

Since then Brian has built or purchased over ten separate car wash locations. “The biggest challenge with running over ten locations is simply keeping everything going and managing the employees. There is a distance of 140 miles between my furthest sites, so I am on the road quite a bit.”

A little over a year ago, Brian’s son, Daxton, came on board to help his dad run some of the operations. “I really enjoy the business,” says Daxton, “It’s always something different. Whether hiring or firing, handling the money changers or placing chemical orders, it’s never a dull moment. Finding the right people for the job can be a real challenge.”

"Recently we added a new message center sign,” according to Brian. “It was a costly purchase, but definitley worth it. The sign has drawn in more business, the idea is to keep the messages fresh and pertinent to our customers.”

Future plans Brian is considering is the addition of friction type automatics. “Currently we have touchless applications in our automatics. Bugs are a real problem for us here in the Summertime and we feel the friction automatics will help us with bug removal.”

“I’ve been ordering from Kleen-Rite since the early 80’s. I have a great relationship with Mike. They are by far, the most competitive as far as price is concerned. And that directly helps my bottom line. We order every couple months, trying to consolidate our orders for the best shipping deals. I’d recommend Kleen-Rite to anyone wanting to be successful in the car wash business.”

It’s surprising to learn that with the time demands of running over 10 car wash locations, Brian still finds the time to continue grain farming to this day.

Tyler Harley, Steven Green, Bishop Keith W. Reed and Tyler’s wife, Jackie operate Waterline Car Wash in Glassboro, NJ. They had all known each other for years as they all work together for the 2nd largest church in Philadelphia, Sharon Baptist.

Prior to Waterline, Tyler was an entrepenuer involved in Business Development. Due to his passion for cars and service, Tyler was intrigued by the car wash industry and together with his wife Jackie, they decided they wanted to open a car wash. They shared their vision with both Pastor Reed and friend Steven, who told them that if they did get involved in the industry to let them know as they too had a passion for car care. They began to visit car washes together in Chicago, Atlanta and Florida to study different car wash styles.

Once they decided on the type of wash they wanted, they worked with a local architect firm to help them find the right location. It took some convincing, but the architect was persuasive that they rehab an existing facility rather than deal with the hassles and headaches of trying to get the proper zoning and such for a new facility. They finally settled on an old run down site in Glassboro, New Jersey.

“The place had a bad reputation,” says Jackie, “They were prepping cars with a garden hose and using their fingers on the end to create pressure. We wouldn’t have brought our cars there ourselves. The place needed a lot of work.”

“We ended up going with Econocraft equipment in our tunnel because we wanted to buy local and have the convenience of their support close by,” said Tyler.

Upon opening, the Waterline team became very active in the local community, joining such orginizations as the local Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce and supporting the local Boy’s and Girl’s Club through an annual contribution. They host various fundraisers throughout the year for multiple local school’s baseball, football and soccer programs. They also do charity washes to help raise money for People for People, an organization that helps local people in need.

The Waterline Team stresses that they are extremely service oriented. “It was important to us,” said Tyler, “that we create an environment where the customer experiences the same quality service that we would want to experience ourselves.”

When asked how their background as Christians impacts the way they run their business, Steven perked up and replied “Integrity. We are very deliberate about what we do and how we do it. We are determined not to be slothful in our business, we do everything above board with integrity.”

“Our car wash has been open now for five years,” Tyler continued, “we’ve created an environment where people can relax and know that they’re being taken care of. From the uniforms our staff wears to the relaxing music we play throughout the entire car wash. We offer complimentary Starbuck’s coffee, tea and drinks. On Sunday mornings, the first 50 customers receive a free newspaper. Customer’s became aware that we are Christian owned and hands on operators and that reflects well for us in the community.”

“Currently we purchase a lot of our tunnel soaps and chemicals from Kleen-Rite. We were using another brand but were not pleased with the results. We decided to try some of the Kleen-Rite tunnel soaps and got great results.”
Bishop Reed summarized his thoughts about running a car wash, We are “really pleased to have the opportunity to participate in a small business that helps create employment in the community. I have enjoyed being a part of the initial vision and watching that vision unfold.”

We bought our 1st car wash in 1965 when self serve car washes were a new concept in our area. Most people thought they were a fad. We went on to build and purchase more operations to a maximum of 9 car washes by the 70’s. We changed the name to Gold Coin when the new Gold Dollars were issued. After two years of frustrations we switched to gold tokens.

In 2004 the management of the car washes was turned over to the talented team of Mike & Toni Lewis operating under the name M.T. Coins.

Our sound principles are appearance and preventive maintenance. Our best impression is made by our foam brushes. Foam is always heavy and we get superior results from Erie nylon brushes. We use a blue color which looks great and it’s easy to make sure they are never dirty. They are replaced at regular intervals so they are fresh and new looking.

Bob DeHoff, Owner - Mount Joy Car Wash

I bought my first car wash in December of 1986. The best thing about this wash was that it was located 10 miles away from Judy & Harold McKonly. You would know them better as Kleen-Rite. Starting in any business with the friendship and support of Judy & Harold was 90% of the battle. They saw me through many upgrades, problems and testing times. The Mt. Joy car wash was a gas station. We purchased the property and completely rehabbed it in 2003. We converted the wash to 3 self serve bays and 2 inbay automatics. The convenience store was converted to an Ice Cream Shop.

Craig Holzman, Owner - Liberty Car Wash

5 years ago, I was in the self storage business. Some development partners and I bought a piece of land to put in more storage units. Well after 17 years of working in a cubicle, I wanted to get outside and thought why don’t we build a car wash instead. So we went ahead and designed and built our first location. Being a rookie to the car washing business, I learned alot from Tom Allen from Kleen-Rite and another car wash owner Eric Clift. Since then I’ve built two sites and love the business. I plan on turning one self serve bay into a full serve truck wash.

Ed & Eileen, Owners - The Palms Car Wash

The Palms car wash is located at 1317 Middlesex Street in Lowell, Massachusetts and has just recently opened. Customers are very happy that they have a new place to wash their cars and there are constant comments on the wonderful soap. Whether it’s the Tropical Bay Vanilla Shake or the Bubble Burst the scents abound & it really is a wonderful place to wash your car. The Palms originated by the owner Ed who was always fanatical about a clean car. He knew in his busy city & especially at this site that a car wash would be ideal. This has proven to be very true. Ed & Eileen spend a lot of time at the Palms, mainly on weekends.

Simoniz Tropical Bay Ultra Concentrate Self Serve products fit in perfectly with our Palm themed car wash. Our customers love the tropical scents and colors and we love the value and performance of Simoniz Ultra Concentrates

Bob Boardman - Owner

Bob Boardman has been in the car washing industry most of his life. His mom opened their first car wash in 1967, when Bob was just 11 years old. He gained a great appreciation and knowledge of the business as he worked in every aspect of the wash. Since then, Water Works has grown to three seperate locations.

“This business has been very good to us, and it requires a tremendous amount of effort. Working with the folks at Kleen-Rite over the years has really helped make things easier.”

Mike Amaya - Owner

I acquired my first self serve wash in 1990. Since then I have acquired five additional self serve washes in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1997 I purchased half ownership of a full service tunnel car wash in San Mateo, Ca. We are planning on opening another location in 2011.

We were one of the first to use Kleen-Rite as our primary source for chemicals and parts in the S.F. Bay Area. Al Howard of E-Z Clean and I order pallets of car wash chemicals and parts together every spring. It’s become an annual event. With the addition of the Las Vegas location, we are saving an additional 12% or more on shipping.

Rosalio Duque and Mike have been friends for over 15 years. As a result of the experience he gained working with Mike, Rosalio started his own business as an independent contractor and now maintains self serve car washes for Mike and two other owners.

South High Car Wash

In 1966 my parents went to visit my aunt & uncle in Huntington, and got to see their new car wash. Upon returning home, my father asked me if I would help him if he opened a car wash in Morgantown. “Boy Dad, that sounds like fun!” I was 15 years old at the time.

Our first wash consisted of 3 self-serve bays and one automatic. Our vacs were 10¢ for 5 minutes and the Towel Vendor was 3 towels for 10¢.

I have been dealing with Kleen-Rite for at least 30 years now. If it wasn’t for Harold, Sandy & the Kleen-Rite team offering good products, great prices & sound advice, I would not have been successful.

In 1985 Corey Campbell had a passion in high school for auto detailing cars and wanting to be self employed. Corey started a mobile detailing company and since developed his passion into a small chain of multi profit car washes in Pierce County, Washington. Classy Chassis now offers two Flex Serve tunnel car washes, Professional Detailing, Gift Shop, Xpress Lube and even a coffee drive thru business branded “Classic Coffee” and four self service car wash locations.

“We are proud to be one of the founding members of the Puget Sound Car Wash Association and have helped with other Operator’s in creating a leader in the industry when it comes to Public/Private partnerships in educating the public as to the benefits of professional car washing!”

Aqua Jet Express Car Wash
Ron George

AquaJet Express started with the purchase of a small coin-op self service car wash in the fall of 1977. Since then, and 43 professional car care centers later, AquaJet Express has not only kept up with the latest automotive appearance technologies, but has added additional auto-related services such as express oil changes, interior/exterior detailing, paintless dent removal, paint chip repair, spray-on bedliners, hand washing, etc. under one roof.

Today, AquaJet Express can perform a number of car care services in a very short period of time. Most of our professional services require no appointment and pick-up and delivery is available for most detailing services.

My Car Wash
Dan Aksamit

Dan Aksamit purchased his first car wash in March of 1992 in Northglenn, CO., a suburb of Denver. Since then Dan’s “My” Car Washes have grown to six locations total, north and west of Denver. Customers consider “My” Car Wash “Their” Car Wash, and come back over and over again for the extra high pressures, quality products and smiling attendants.

Shop & Wash
Spotsylvania, VA

Always worried that I may be laid off from my job with the airlines, I thought a backup business would be added protection. In 1988, my wife Kim and I opened Shop & Wash Car Wash. Our car wash is a family business, our son Hunter and daughter Casey have grown up at the car wash and help with its daily operation. Our relationship over the past 23 years with Kleen-Rite has been very special. Their commitment to low prices, innovative ideas and great customer service makes Kleen-Rite a great company. Mike McKonly gets his hands dirty every day; I admire his work ethic and family values. God bless Kleen-Rite.

National Pride Car Wash
John & Charlie Wilson

National Pride Car Wash began in 1982 in Seattle when John and Lynda Wilson purchased a half acre on the edge of downtown Seattle and built their first car wash. It was then expanded into Oregon in Beaverton and in Hillsboro. Their son, Charlie Wilson, became interested in the family business in his mid 20’s. He now oversees the Oregon operations, as well as another facility in Kirkland, Washington. They are also past owners of Wilson Distributing (manufacture representatives of car wash equipment and supplies in Washington). The distribution company was sold in 2005. The car washes continue to grow each year even with the economic uncertainty by always implementing the latest innovations and ensuring proper maintenance and upkeep to keep the wash facilities fresh and new. This combination with slow but steady expansion has been a key to their model of long term success.

Ultimate Car Wash
Kerry Dechant

Kerry Dechant started his first car wash in 1996 after 22 years of working for UPS. He currently owns and operates 22 washes all in northeast Ohio, mostly selfserve/touchfree combinations. My three children, Brad, Melissa & Kevin, have worked in or on the washes at one time or another since as long as they can remember. My wife Karen has been my right hand through it all, doing everything and anything. Currently she does the bookkeeping and watches our new Granddaughter, Sophia.

We have been a Kleen-Rite customer since Day 1 and very seldom purchase anything specific to the car wash operation from anyone else.

A Better Car Wash
Jim Beetham
Golden, Colorado

A BETTER CARWASH first opened in 2005 and expanded to a second larger location in 2009 with Jim Beetham as the entire staff of both facilites totaling 7 self serve bays and 5 Karcher in bay automatics. With the number of choices available to the consumer Jim sees the need to stand out as BETTER in order to succeed in the crowded Denver metro area. Henry John Heinz is quoted as saying To do a common thing uncommonly well, brings success.

Kleen-Rite helps me to do things uncommonly well and succeed, with better products, pricing and choices, but even more importantly, with the best people.

SPEEDI CAR WASH
Jerry Nix
Tacoma, Washington

In today’s economy, an Operator needs to shop and save money anywhere he can to increase the profitability of their Car Wash. That’s where the folks at Kleen-Rite come in to help you become more profitable. I have complete confidence in the Kleen-Rite Team that when I place a parts order, that I am receiving the very best possible price, customer service, product quality, and selection of parts for my Car Wash.

Keith, Mike and the rest of the Kleen-Rite Team have done an outstanding job for today’s Car Wash Operator by offering terrific savings for the products and services they sell. Their online services coupled with their magazine Kleen-Scene, provide operators the opportunity to save money with their Free Shipping offer, while providing many educational opportunities to help solve common problems.

Take it from an operator celebrating 30 years in the Self-Serve Car Wash Industry, there’s no better car wash supplier that will save you more money and fulfill your Car Wash needs then the folks at Kleen-Rite.

MAGIC SPRAY CAR WASH
The Jackson Brothers
Elizabeth City, North Carolina

We built our first car wash in 1993 which included four self service bays and one automatic drive-thru. Three years later we added another automatic at this same location. In 2001 we built our second car wash with attached Laundromat with four self service bays and two automatics. In 2006 we added another automatic at this location.

Since 1993 we have updated both locations with new equipment, including new vacuum cleaners, and expanded to include credit card acceptance for our car wash, both at the self service bays and the drive-thru automatics. We have just recently replaced both of the automatic car washes at our first location with new equipment and we are looking to replace the washes at the second location in the near future.

PAULS CAR WASH
Paul Moody
Ferguson, Kentucky

After I graduated from High School, I rented a small gas station. I started hand washing cars there using nothing more than 4 buckets, sponges and a water hose. Thirty-six years and five car washes later, I have grown in to the latest technology and the best products I can buy to serve my car wash customers.

I buy my car wash supplies, Flojet Pumps and soaps from Kleen-Rite because they provide the best products out there at the right price!

JETT EXPRESS CAR WASH
John Unangst
Fort Worth, Texas

John Unangst, founder and president of the Jett Express chain of express car washes, got started in the car wash business with the purchase of a single self-serve car wash in 1993 and credits the assistance and advice he received from Harold McKonly of Kleen-Rite for helping his fledgling business take flight. Kleen-Rite products and services continue to this day to accurately reflect the high standards of Jett Express-The Future in Car Washing.

CIRCLE T CAR WASH
Tony Crawford
Hooksett, New Hampshire

Our dreams came true when we built our very first car wash in 2003. Our thought process not only led us in the direction of an investment, but as a way of life for our growing families. We are firm believers in word of mouth and good old fashion customer service. We strive for perfection and are honest, hardworking individuals. We have 11 car wash locations throughout New Hampshire. The Circle T Car Wash is your go-to-option for a clean vehicle and a car wash experience that will make you smile.

Kleen-Rite is a huge part of our success, and has been with us from the very beginning, on each location we build as well as our main supplier for all of our day-to-day needs.

T.C.L. Car Wash
Mark Georgieff
New Orleans, Louisianna

I began in the Laundry business with my dad, Dobry. We saw that there was a need for car washes in New Orleans at that time and together decided to build one. I did the construction myself. It was a 5 bay self serve and it was a hit, customers lined up from day one. Over the next 14 years we grew to 2 laundromats and 5 car washes. As I watched and learned, I was eventually able to do all of my own repairs. I owe it all to my dad for starting me out and everything else to hard work. I work seven days a week and I haven’t had more than two consecutive days off in ten years.

SUNDANCE CAR WASH
Ed Hollinger
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

In 1972, my father, Aaron Hollinger started his first car wash with his partner. In 1985 my dad bought out his partner and I quit my job at the car dealership to go to work with my dad at the washes. Eventually the business grew to include 7 car washes and 2 laundromats. We sold off two of the washes a few years back to keep things more manageable. Eventually my oldest son, Brian came to work at the washes and has been with me for over ten years. I like the self serve model for our washes, the same goes for the laundrys, we can come and go as needed at the different locations.

WASH TIME CAR WASH
Ted Leneer
Clarksville, Arkansas

After 25 years of owning and operating two successful hotel operations, I retired and moved back home to Arkansas. A good friend of mine had retired and was bored, so he decided to open a car wash. Shortly later, I followed in his footsteps to give me something to do in my new found spare time. I built my first wash and eventually bought my competitor’s location. I needed help in remodeling it and contacted Keith at Kleen-Rite, who was a lot of help. He helped me get all new equipment and new CAT 310 Pumps. I enjoy the car wash business, it makes pretty good money and it’s great for a retired guy without a lot of work.

MAGIC MINIT CAR WASH
Joe Tracy
Enfield, Connecticut

Our first car wash was opened in 1966 by my Grandfather and Uncle. My father, Alan Tracy, began working for them shortly after. I worked at the car washes my whole life starting as a boy and then coming on full time in 1999. Eventually we grew to 4 locations in our area. Working in the car wash business I get to wear a lot of different hats. Whether I am doing manual labor, accounting or dealing with the customers, it’s the diversity of the job that I enjoy.

We’ve been with Kleen-Rite for over 25 years now. Their prices on Armor All Wipes and other supplies are the best compared to other supply companies and we enjoy the personal service we get from Mike and Keith’s team.

J&S ULTRA CLEAN CAR WASH
Joe Sproul
Waterville, Maine

As a car wash manager I have to forecast maintenance projections, track and maintain resources, and manage several teams. I must be appropriately prepared with replacement parts and supplies. I am also a site maintenance manager for facilities that involve our convenience store and express lube. I rely on Kleen Rite for most all my parts and supplies.

Our Mission: To exceed customer’s expectations and to prosper business.
We accomplish this through:
1) Customer Satisfaction
2) Appearance
3) Team Work

RUB-A-DUB CAR WASH
David See
Haltom City, Texas

We started in the car wash business in 1989. I saw an advertisement for Kleen-Rite in the Self Serve Car Wash News and made my first contact. Since then Kleen-Rite has been our main supplier. Now that the new warehouse in Texas has opened, shipping costs are not a factor anymore. That helps us a lot! I appreciate the guys who respond to my technical questions over the years. We appreciate the expertise and quick call back time

AMERIWASH CAR WASH
Sherri & Bob Lennon
Zephyrhills, Florida

In 2004, we built our first carwash. We were looking for both an investment and an additional source of income for our family. A year later we bought our second carwash, Touch of Class. When we started running the washes, we had a lot to learn.

We were purchasing our supplies from various vendors but quickly found out that Kleen-Rite was the best to work with. We have continued to stay loyal to Kleen-Rite due to their ease of online ordering, availability of products, reliability of deliveries and of course their pricing.

WASH N VAC
Brian Dayton
Seaford, Delaware

I was introduced to Kleen-Rite in 1994 with the construction of my first car wash. It was a little 4 bay self-serve. I knew then, that Kleen-Rite would be my partner in business by providing me with all the supplies I needed at the best prices. Now, 18 years later, I have 5 locations, 26 self serve car wash bays, 9 InBay Automatics and 29 car wash Vacuums. More than ever, Kleen-Rite is still my business partner by providing the best products and pricing in the industry.

In this economy, an operator needs every edge possible to survive in business. I consider Kleen-Rite my edge.

CAR CARE CAR WASH
Don West
Leakesville, Mississippi

We opened on April 10, 1989. I can Remember it real well because senior class of 1989 was getting ready for prom and a lot of kids took advantage of the opening by washing their vehicles for the big night. The first few weeks we didn’t have enough quarters to cover the bottom of the safe, but we kept working with the customers, teaching them how to use the equipment. Soon they caught on.

April 15,2011 the wash was hit by a tornado and we had major damage. We had to totally rebuild. While rebuilding, the wife & I took a short vacation. My worker called and said Kleen-Rite called and said your credit card was maxed out. I called Kleen-Rite and explained the problem . They reviewed our account and worked with us to ship the order, Thankyou, Kleen-Rite, for sticking with us!

PATRIOT WASH
Ken Golding
Layton, UT

About 30 years ago. I started out as a tire tech in Vernal Utah. I told them I was going to own my own tire store and move to Salt Lake City. They all thought it was crazy and laughed at me. After couple years I became the manager of bountiful Utah. Then I move to Seattle Washington for a year on a buyout program that Big O national offered, it didn’t work out. But it did give me opportunity to purchase my first big O tire store in Rock Springs Wyoming. After that I bought three more tire stores. I always wanted to have a car wash with my tire stores to offer as a service when people bought tires & parts. So I started checking into the car wash business back in 2003. Then I found the location that I wanted. And built our 1st car wash in Layton, Utah. The car wash business has been fun and challenging. I really love it and hope to continue having many years of success in the car wash business.

CAPTAIN CAR WASH
Matt Morgan
Canal Winchester, OH

Having black cars as long as we can remember, we’ve always appreciated the look of a shiny clean car. In 2002 we built our first of two Central Ohio locations with a total of 5 touch free automatic bays, 7 self serve bays and a do-it-yourself Pet Wash. Being in the car wash business has been both rewarding and exhausting at the same time as there is never a dull moment. For several years we have relied on Kleen-Rite for our chemical and car wash supply needs. The speedy free freight shipping has been key to keeping our high volume car washes stocked and running smoothly

ROADRUNNER CAR & TRUCK WASH
Larry Groen
Bloomfield, NM

Our first car wash was a three bay that opened in 1978 in Bloomfield, New Mexico. After a successful 14 years in business we expanded and built Road Runner Car & Truck Wash in 1992, which now serves as our main office for all eight of our car washes. We have been long time customers of Kleen-Rite and value their friendly customer service and rely on their expertise in the car wash industry.

THE CAR WASH
Tom Koch
Ridgecrest, CA

After 5 years in the auto wrecking business, I decided to purchase my first car wash. I always had an interest in car washes and when a local site went up for sale I bought it. It’s been one of the best decisions of my life. After 6 or 7 years I saw the need for another car wash on the other side of town, so I built that one from the ground up and tried to make it the best car wash site around. The car washing business always does well in my area, regardless of the economy. It’s a win - win for everyone involved. The customer’s are happy and we’re happy. It’s a great business. Anyone who has a self-serve coin-op needs to have at least one automatic, you will be pleasantly surprised at the extra income!

EZEE CLEAN CAR WASH
Scott Murray
Hamilton, Ontario

EZEE CLEAN Car Wash is located in southern Ontario and has been serving the Hamilton, Stoney Creek and Grimsby communities since 2003. It currently offers a touchless roll-over, 8 self-serve bays and ancillary services. Owner Scott Murray recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of his site.

Upon Scott’s return to Canada from 7 years in the USA, he researched the carwash industry in southern Ontario and subsequently purchased his site in 2006. Since entering the industry, Scott has focused his efforts on marketing his business, exceeding his consumers’ expectations, assisting the industry with his work on the Canadian Car Wash Association board, and building a buying group for carwash owners. Kleen-Rite has been integral in his success of managing costs and maintaining his sites performance.

WASH-N-GO CAR WASH
John Knoble
Bedford Heights, Ohio

I got into the car wash business around 1979. I was about 15 years old and began working at a car wash chain in the Ohio area. I worked my way up to manager of three of the locations. Eventually my boss was looking to get out of the business and was trying to sell all 27 of his locations. He made me an offer to purchase one of the locations in the Cleveland area and I accepted. After fixing that up real nice, I moved out to the Bedford Heights area and bought my current wash 12 years ago. The location was just a 60’ tunnel and we added 40’ to the tunnel plus 4 self serve bays and an in-bay automatic. This year we will be enclosing the automatic and putting in a Laser Wash.

We switched our chemicals over to soaps we could get from Kleen-Rite, the prices are great!

DJs EXPRESS CAR WASH
Damien Jakubik
Gulfport, Mississippi

My partners owned this property for quite a few years prior to our development of DJ’s. The three of us pursued many different options before finally settling on a car wash. One of the most appealing aspects of the project was the fact we were going to significantly enhance a blighted area of our hometown. We are very pleased with our decision and we feel DJ’s will provide a steady revenue stream for years to come. Kleen-Rite has played a significant role in DJ’s success by providing quality products, as well as, excellent customer service. We had a phenomenal first year and we are looking forward to many more in the future!

PINER ROAD CAR WASH
David and Mike Bettencourt
Santa Rosa, California

Both Mike and Dave Bettencourt were in the Real Estate and Mortage industries. In 2005 they foresaw the housing market crash coming and decided they needed an investment. “Our dad had a successful car wash back in the day, so it stuck in our mind’s that car washes made money.” They ended up buying 2 car washes in the Northern California area. The Piner Road location has several garage businesses on the property which they rent out to a body shop, window tint and other auto related businesses. It’s a perfect fit for our car wash, the industries flow with the auto care aspect. We’re fortunate that we came across Kleen-Rite. We literally cut our soap bills in half by switching to Kleen-Rite soaps. Plus we get our orders fast from the Las Vegas warehouse.

Mr. Sharky's CAR WASH
Paul Kennedy
Austin, TX
mrsharkyscarwash.com

Paul feels that it is very important that customers from any of his locations are able to get in touch with him if they ever have a problem, that’s why he has his cell phone number posted at each of his locations. “I think that’s important because I don’t want anyone to lose a quarter, lose ten dollars or pay for something that they don’t get. There’s a variety of reasons I feel that way but the main reason is it just makes good customer service.”

“We are always looking at improving our car washes. I’d like to add Dog Wash units at some of our other locations. We have to amp that out and decide what would be the best way to do that.”

“Very early on, back in 2004 the person who sold me my first car wash mentioned that Kleen-Rite was the place to go for any parts or equipment that you needed at the best price. I looked around and went to the trade shows and Kleen- Rite, by far had the biggest selection at the best prices. Now that they have a distribution center here in Texas it has been great, we get our orders the next day. We don’t have to stock as many parts on the shelf because we know that generally we can get the needed parts within a day.”

Glen Burnie CAR WASH
Dan Callihan
Glen Burnie, MD
glenburniecarwash.com

In 1983, Dan Callihan retired from Northrop Drummond and bought his first car wash along with his partner and nephew, Fred Callihan. The car wash was derelect and needed a complete overhaul. It had 4 self serve bays that were not functional and 4 vacuum stations that didn’t work either.

“We’d go to the car wash shows and talk to a lot of vendors and operators, trying to figure out what we needed. I met a lot of old timers and they steered me towards Harold McKonly, the founder of Kleen-Rite. We got a lot of help from Harold in the beginning. Kleen-Rite has become our main partner for supplies since then.”

“We love Kleen-Rite, first with Harold and Judy, now with Mike, Keith and Tom, they treat us the way we hope we treat our customers.”

PATAPSCO CAR WASH
Mark Trieschman
Baltimore, MD

Trieschman had just purchased what is now Patapsco Car Wash in Baltimore, MD. At the time, it was functional, but in need of dire repairs. Today, it’s a clean and bustling wash next to a busy city roadway. Eight self service bays, three automatic bays, and 16 shining silver vacuums are all set in a spacious parking lot.

Quickly immersed into the busy and complex world of car washing, Mark hired a solid team of four employees to help run the Patapsco Car Wash. Next, he turned to industry colleagues and the experts at Kleen- Rite for help improving his new property.

“Everything that I buy comes from Kleen-Rite. The biggest thing I like is that, no matter what it is, I can get ahold of Gary,” Trieschman said, referring to Kleen-Rite’s National Sales Manager, Gary Frey. “Through this whole learning curve, he’s helped me a lot. “You build a relationship and it’s better that way. Gary doesn’t mind picking up the phone and talking to me.”

FLAGSHIP CAR WASH
Richard Meddings & Sonny Calizon
Rockville, MD
flagshipcarwash.com

Flagship offers full-service, express, in-bay automatics, detail shops and self-service bays. Most self-service locations are open 24 hours, 7 days a week and offer extra services that include RainX applications, scent machines, carpet shampoo stations, free air machines, coin operated vacuums, vending machines and bill/credit card changers. We have been very fortunate to have excellent employees that continue to help us grow, constantly looking at new ideas. We often go to the conventions looking for new ideas and discuss products and services that may be beneficial to our customers.

One of the biggest challenges remains equipment maintenance. Meddings says that he “keeps a spare everything on his shelves, especially the wear and tear parts that you can’t be without. Conveyor parts, motors, hose and fittings, bearings, you name it and we have it. Kleen-Rite does a great job at keeping most of my parts in stock and ready for quick shipping. I love the great pricing too!”

BUDGET CAR WASH
Sammy Rivera
West haven, CT
mybudgetcarwash.com

Sammy has an affinity for working with Kleen-Rite thanks to customer service. Having a team that he can reach out to and be confident in getting the right answer is important. “If I call up and I say I’m looking for this yellow round thing that I think goes in the machine she [Vanessa in Customer Service] says ‘Oh yeah, I think I have two of those, does it do this and do that,’ she knows what I’m looking for.”

In the end, Sammy sees being a car wash owner as a way to make customers happy by providing a great experience and interacting with them. He wants clients to feel they are getting great value, feel welcome, and have a great-looking vehicle by the end of the visit. “They’re sitting there manicuring their car, I’ll go over, talk to them, and that relationship and seeing them just having that smile… that’s what I’m working for.”

Between his tenacity, his entrepreneurial mind, and keeping an eye open for potential opportunities, Sammy has developed into a force in the Connecticut small business community. His story, from a bad luck start up to his current success, is one that mirrors many in our industry – busting his knuckles and developing a successful, dependable business for now and into the future.

Read our full blog post about this car wash

Kelly's CAR WASH
Mike Kelly
Providence, RI

“I’ve been going to the car wash conventions since the early seventies, that’s where we came across Kleen-Rite. The car wash shows are great, you can see everything displayed for you on the floor, we get the opportunity to do comparative shopping. In addition to that, we get the chance to talk to other operators. The biggest value of going to those shows is talking to other car wash owners. We can ask them what do you see out there? What’s happening, what’s the pulse? You can’t beat the experience.”

Mike Kelly has sixteen grandchildren and a number of them are starting to learn the business, working on weekends and summers. With three generations of Kelly’s taking part in the family business, Mike’s wish is to keep the Legacy of Kelly’s going for years to come.

KLEEN MIST CAR WASHES
David, Verlyn, & Colin Melhorn
Shamokin Dam, PA
kleenmist.com

Since 1978, the Melhorn family has been a Kleen-Rite customer. Verlyn and David both remember driving down to Kleen-Rite when we were still located on Cherry Street to pick up supplies. Verlyn adds that "Harold was always there to help out." During our discussion with Verlyn, he told us that Mike met him outside the Harrisburg airport with a pump Kleen Mist needed. At the end of our interview, Verlyn stated, "I don’t price shop. I know Kleen-Rite is going to give me the best deal."

We are grateful that Verlyn and David have been loyal customers for 40 years and look forward to serving Colin when it is his turn to run the show. We hope to see Kleen Mist continue to grow!

Read our full blog post about this car wash

A&P Car Washes, Inc.
Larry Ahrens
Coppell, Texas

Larry says if he could give any advice to a new car wash owner it would be to stay diligent and to not cut corners. “Follow the owner around for a while before purchasing a car wash. Get a good feel on what’s involved because if they are telling you to just show up and collect the money, you’re in for a rude awakening,” Larry said.

He also uses his car wash systems as if a customer is using them. “We put coins in the coin boxes to make sure there isn’t anything jamming and then we will go through our car wash systems to make sure everything is running properly and smoothly,” Larry said. “Even a little thing like a broken wand could put you out of business until you fix it and time is money.” When Larry advises to not cut corners, he means that customers notice the difference between using generic brands and the real deal.

Larry has always been a big supporter of Kleen-Rite and was happy when they finally built a warehouse in Grand Prairie, Texas. Larry says he’s in the warehouse almost every week!

K & D CAR WASH
David & Russel Sanders
Lufkin, TX

The owner of six car washes in Lufkin, Texas and a seventh down the road in Corrigan, David started working for his wife Kathy’s stepfather on Labor Day of 1996. It wasn’t his original aim, but with his wife’s stepfather looking to make a career change, David was in line to take up the family business.

One relationship leads to another. David’s father-in-law already had an ongoing relationship with the team at Kleen-Rite through the years, so David stepped right into working with the team. He remembers, “When I worked for him about three or four years, he started turning the operation over to me gradually, so I started doing the ordering, and so I learned right away how great it was to work with you guys at Kleen-Rite.”

It’s a relationship that grew over time too, with K&D turning to the team when there were wand issues that were chipping into profitability. “I like to talk to Keith and those guys at the show, ask them some questions,” he said, “I told them I was having problems with my wands breaking, and they told me about the spring wands, and I have very few problems with it now, so that was awesome.”

It can also help to keep morale up, especially as more and more tunnel and automatic washes open up. “I feel like Kleen-Rite’s one of the only ones out there supporting us,” says Sanders, “Because a lot of other guys have abandoned the selfserve business.”

Read our full blog post about this car wash

RIVER ROAD CAR WASH
Ashlee & Scot Martinelli
Mountain Top, PA

“I picked [the car wash business] up really quick, but I’m a mechanical engineer, so the background definitely helps. I figure, if the equipment ran yesterday, and it’s broken today, it can’t be that hard to try to fix it.” “We do everything ourselves,” Scot says. “We do it full time. We have one location that inventories all three locations. We have an inventory tracking system that we use, and that way I can order the correct number of products like Armor All wipes when I place my orders to Kleen-Rite. We try to keep 3 months’ worth of wipes on the shelf.”

Scot has been a customer of Kleen-Rite for years. “I love the Kleen-Rite transit, so all our orders are bundled once a month and we get everything we need within several days,” he says.

OCEAN CAR WASH
Craig Off
Absecon, NJ

Since he began his career in the car wash industry, Craig has been a Kleen-Rite customer. Craig's friend bought his supplies from Kleen-Rite. Craig could see Kleen-Rite was a great place to purchase supplies for his washes and became one of our customers.

Craig insists, "You can't beat Kleen-Rite's Prices." When he places an order, Craig purchases a pallet full of supplies. Buying a pallet of supplies often qualifies him to reach the purchase threshold to obtain free shipping through our rewards program.

He said, "Now that you have the points system to help get free shipping, I use it all the time!" Check out our rewards program to learn more if you’re interested in getting free shipping for your orders.

During our chat with Craig, he told us how much he likes our customer service department because they are excellent at taking care of problems when they occasionally surface. Our world is far from perfect, and just like any other business, we run into problems. However, what sets us apart is we make it right!

Craig had nothing but positive words regarding his experience with Kleen-Rite. At the end of our conversation, Craig told us, "Kleen-Rite makes it easier." We're glad we make running your car washes easier and look forward to seeing your business continue to grow!

Read our full blog post about this car wash

Cruizzers Car Wash
Eddie & Frankie
Nashville, AK

In order to succeed, a car wash must set itself apart from the local competitors. Eddie and Frankie focus on providing the best customer service at their car wash. Their dedication to making customers happy is the driving force behind the success of Cruizzers!

Frankie said, “Kleen-Rite makes it easy for me to do business, they carry a wide range of products, they are very competitive on pricing, and they are just customer friendly.” Cruizzers favorite benefit of conducting business with Kleen-Rite is the Texas warehouse. Since Arkansas borders Texas, Eddie and Frankie can order parts and get them the next day. They told us it used to take a week to receive shipments before our Texas warehouse opened.

Running a car wash is a lucrative if you put yourself in a favorable situation. Frankie said, “The key to success is picking the right spot, in the right town, and working very hard to keep everything working well.”

Read our full blog post about this car wash

Topaz Super Car Wash
David & Bruno
Las Vegas, CA
topazsupercarwash.com

A favorite of local customers, Topaz offers a welcoming spot where the owners, David and Bruno, are quick to offer a greeting and friendly conversation. As David put it: “The secret to our success is interaction with our customers and keeping the place REALLY clean.”

Topaz was in need of a supplier as David and Bruno got more and more serious about the business, and Kleen-Rite ended up being an obvious choice for them. Said Bruno, “Kleen-Rite is in town. We wanted someone local, and Kleen-Rite was here. It saves on shipping, and I like to see the products I buy. They have the catalog too – I use that.”

To their knowledge, Topaz Super Car Wash is the oldest – or at least one of the oldest – car washes in Las Vegas.

Read our full blog post about this car wash

In the Fall of 1966, Richard and Carleen Baright opened their original Car Wash, a “Purple Parlor” self service car wash, one of the first of it’s kind. It was in 1985 with the second generation of Baright’s, Todd, Gary and Scott that Foam & Wash was born and the chain began to expand. Currently, Foam & Wash operates 15 car washes, 2 Mobil gas stations with convenience stores, 3 Oil Change Plus centers, a Pet Wash, 3 Self-Storage centers and a laundermat, located throughout Dutchess and Orange counties, New York.

Over 9 members of the Baright Family are actively involved in the operation of Foam & Wash. This is one of our unique qualities we are especially proud of!

“Kleen-Rite has been a partner in our success since as long as I can remember. My Dad used Kleen-Rite before I even got into the business. Between the variety of selection and inventory, they always have what we need. The service couldn’t be faster and you can’t beat the prices. We are life-long customers” says Gary.