The Most Surprising Things You Can Clean At A Car Wash

You can clean outdoor chairs, kitchen vent filters, and storage bins at the car wash.

You Won’t Believe What You Can Clean At A Car Wash

The stroke of inspiration that led me to see if I could clean a rug at a car wash hit me as I was driving. I’d been considering how to go about cleaning the dirty rug in front of my kitchen sink, especially since it was too big to put in the washer.

Related: This Is The Single Best Way To Clean Your Area Rugs

As I drove past by the self-serve car wash at the end of our street, an out-of-the-box idea occurred to me: what if I could clean my rug at a car wash the same way I clean my car’s floor mats? I wasn’t totally confident that it would work, but I was willing to give it a try due to the sorry state the rug was in.

The floor mat clips at the car wash make it easy to hang up rugs and other things to clean them.

How To Clean A Rug At A Car Wash

I headed to the car wash with my rug, clipped it up on the wall, and started spraying it down. I couldn’t BELIEVE how grimy the water was that was coming off of the rug, but I found it oddly satisfying too!

After cleaning a rug at the car wash, lay it flat to dry.

After my successful car wash rug cleaning, I just set the rug in the bed of my husband’s truck and headed home. (If you don’t have a truck, you could squeeze out enough water to stop it from dripping and set it on a few spare bath towels to help keep your trunk or seats dry.)

Once I got home, I put the rug out in the sun to dry, and soon I had it back in my kitchen looking good as new!

Related: 17 Brilliant Hacks That Will Make Cleaning Your Car A Breeze

And once I know something works, I want to try it on everything, so I set myself to brainstorming other items you could clean at a car wash. Here’s what I came up with!

More Surprising Things You Can Clean At A Car Wash

Hang up the cushions from your outdoor furniture and clean them at the car wash.

1. Patio Equipment

Not sure where or how to clean your patio umbrella? Take it to a self-serve car wash and give it a thorough cleaning! Consider cleaning these other patio items there while you’re at it:

  • Umbrellas and sun shades
  • Patio furniture
  • Charcoal grills
  • Storage bins
  • Window screens

Related: How To Put Away Your Outdoor Furniture The Right Way

2. Toys & Baby Gear

Not sure how to clean up bulky outdoor toys or other baby/kid gear? Take it down to the car wash! It’s a good option for cleaning things like:

  • Wading pools
  • Outdoor toys
  • Bikes/trikes
  • Baby gates
  • High chairs
  • Strollers
The car wash is the perfect place to clean grimy storage containers.

3. Yard & Garden Equipment

Giving your yard and garden equipment a good cleaning at the beginning or end of the season is a good way to keep it looking great! Spray down these and other outdoor items at a nearby car wash:

  • Bird baths
  • Planters and pots
  • Compost bins
  • Wood items you’re planning to refinish
When you clean your camping chairs at the car wash, you can use the soapy brush to scrub them so they're spotless.

4. Camping Gear

It’s dirty out there in the great outdoors, but camping gear and equipment isn’t always easy to clean at home! Head to a nearby car wash bay to clean camping gear like:

  • Ice chests
  • Cots
  • Fire grates
  • Tarps
  • Camping chairs
  • Boots and shoes
The high pressure washer at the car wash makes short work of cleaning stove vent filters.

5. Miscellaneous (Bulky, Grimy & Hard-To-Clean Items)

  • Ladders
  • Doormats
  • Pet crates
  • Garbage cans and recycling bins
  • Greasy range hood filters

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Jill Nystul (aka Jillee)

Jill Nystul is an accomplished writer and author who founded the blog One Good Thing by Jillee in 2011. With over 30 years of experience in homemaking, she has become a trusted resource for contemporary homemakers by offering practical solutions to everyday household challenges.I share creative homemaking and lifestyle solutions that make your life easier and more enjoyable!

About Jillee

Jill Nystul

Jill’s 30 years of homemaking experience, make her the trusted source for practical household solutions.

About Jillee

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