How to hire a car wash attendant

How to hire a car wash attendant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step car wash attendant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a car wash attendant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new car wash attendant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a car wash attendant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a car wash attendant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a car wash attendant to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a car wash attendant that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of car wash attendant salaries for various roles:

   Type of Car Wash Attendant	Description	Hourly rate
   Car Wash Attendant	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$11-18
   Automotive Detailer	An automotive detailer typically works at car shops and dealerships, where they primarily focus on the upkeep of a car's interior and exterior. Their responsibilities revolve around understanding the clients' needs and preferences, cleaning the vehicles according to protocols and client requests, scraping off dirt, coordinating with paint technicians and mechanics, operating devices and machinery such as vacuums and buffers, and adhering to timelines and budgets... Show more	$10-16
   Auto Detailer	An auto or car detailer is an employee who provides internal and external cleaning services for vehicles according to the clients' needs. Auto detailers provide the necessary cleaning services that can include steaming the interiors, vacuuming the carpets, and applying waxes and polishes... Show more	$11-16

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Visual Inspections
   • Menu Options
   • Competent Demeanor
   • Customer Service
   • Cleanliness
   • Work Ethic
   • Vehicle Interiors
   • Clean Windows
   • Clean Vehicle
   • Customer Vehicles
   • Routine Maintenance
   • POS
   • Air Compressors
   • Various Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage stock of the vehicles; document vehicle locations and individual VIN numbers.
   • Manage to sweep and mop floor; clean bathroom and empty trash and dryer lint traps.
   • Clean and service cars for Daimler Chrysler.
   • Make change for customer purchases, pre-soak customer cars, clean and scrub all machines and walls.
   • Inspect and maintain operation of all equipment including arches, guns, dryers, lights, chain, and vacuums.
   • Maintain facility cleanliness to standards.

   More car wash attendant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your car wash attendant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A car wash attendant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, car wash attendants' average salary in mississippi is 48% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level car wash attendants earn 38% less than senior-level car wash attendants.
   • Certifications. A car wash attendant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a car wash attendant's salary.

   Average car wash attendant salary

   $14.83hourly

   $30,843 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level car wash attendant salary

   $24,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average car wash attendant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$38,969	$19
   2	Montana	$33,989	$16
   3	New York	$33,322	$16
   4	Colorado	$33,314	$16
   5	Illinois	$32,439	$16
   6	Pennsylvania	$31,534	$15
   7	Virginia	$30,194	$15
   8	Maryland	$28,173	$14
   9	Nebraska	$27,884	$13
   10	Indiana	$27,427	$13
   11	Utah	$27,062	$13
   12	Ohio	$27,011	$13
   13	Missouri	$26,794	$13
   14	Arizona	$26,310	$13
   15	Florida	$25,688	$12
   16	Oklahoma	$25,118	$12
   17	Georgia	$24,915	$12
   18	Arkansas	$24,779	$12
   19	Nevada	$24,359	$12
   20	Texas	$24,184	$12

   Average car wash attendant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Charles River Center	$36,157	$17.38
   2	Global Partners	$35,971	$17.29	2
   3	Otter Tail	$34,942	$16.80
   4	Mazda	$34,725	$16.69	2
   5	Commonwealth	$33,407	$16.06
   6	The Walt Disney Company	$32,169	$15.47	2
   7	Troy	$32,155	$15.46
   8	NexTier Oilfield Solutions	$31,792	$15.28
   9	Propark Mobility	$31,764	$15.27	134
   10	Giant Eagle	$31,504	$15.15
   11	Prime	$31,392	$15.09	2
   12	Gillman Automotive Group	$31,366	$15.08	16
   13	George's	$31,364	$15.08	21
   14	Toyota of Santa Fe	$31,217	$15.01	2
   15	Earnhardt Auto Centers	$31,033	$14.92	6
   16	Charles River Labs	$30,648	$14.73	9
   17	Valvoline	$30,589	$14.71	14
   18	Hall | MileOne Autogroup	$30,505	$14.67	8
   19	South Motor Company Of Dade County	$30,448	$14.64
   20	Holman Automotive	$30,448	$14.64	2

4. Writing a car wash attendant job description

   A job description for a car wash attendant role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a car wash attendant job description:

   Car wash attendant job description example

   The starting wage for this position is $14.75/hr

   Not only do you get to be part of an organization where you Drive your Potential , Power your Passion !! Below are a few perks and discounts:

   • 40% off any standard Hertz Rental
   • Discounted Travel and Food
   • Tuition Discounts
   • Tuition Reimbursement
   • Pet Insurance
   • Career Growth with hands-on learning

   Essential Requirements:

   Job Description:

   The Car Wash Attendant is responsible to ensure a vehicle is ready for customer pick-up. Drive and park cars on the lot as needed. Check the vehicles for damage. Fill gasoline and check all fluid levels. Meet processing and standardization quotas. In this role you will be required to work outdoors in all weather conditions.

   Union

   This position is in a union environment and the scheduling is subject to shift bid.

   Qualifications:

   High School diploma or equivalent required. Must be 20 years of age or older. A valid driver’s license is required. Must be able to work on your feet for majority of your shift. Must be able to work in all weather conditions.

   Apply today and shift your career into drive for tomorrow !

   :

   At Hertz, we champion and celebrate a culture of diversity and inclusion. We take affirmative steps to promote employment and advancement opportunities. The endless variety of perspectives, experiences, skills and talents that our employees invest in their work every day represent a significant part of our culture – and our success and reputation as a company.

   Individuals are encouraged to apply for positions because of the characteristics that make them unique.

   EOE, including disability/veteran

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right car wash attendant for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with car wash attendants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit car wash attendants who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your car wash attendant job on Zippia to find and recruit car wash attendant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit car wash attendants, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new car wash attendant

   Once you've found the car wash attendant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new car wash attendant. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a car wash attendant?