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Car washer vs car cleaner

The differences between car washers and car cleaners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a car cleaner has an average salary of $29,423, which is higher than the $28,701 average annual salary of a car washer.

The top three skills for a car washer include clean vehicle, customer satisfaction and cleanliness. The most important skills for a car cleaner are clean windows, vehicle damage, and customer service.

Car washer vs car cleaner overview

Car WasherCar Cleaner
Yearly salary$28,701$29,423
Hourly rate$13.80$14.15
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs41,70241,909
Job satisfaction3-
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 64%High School Diploma, 59%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does a car washer do?

A car washer is responsible for cleaning and polishing cars, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. Their tasks typically include vacuuming the interior parts such as seats and floors, discarding the trash, cleaning the windows and windshield from the inside and outside, applying soap solution to the car's exterior, scraping off dirt, and applying wax. They may also answer customer inquiries, provide cost estimates, and assist them as needed. Moreover, a car washer typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.

What does a car cleaner do?

Car Cleaners are Responsible for cleaning and washing vehicles for their exterior and interior. Their duties include greeting customers, soap application, cleaning dirt and spraying rims and tires, spray windows using cleaning agent, wax application, rinsing away soap, car debris removal, vacuuming to suck debris and dirt, applying upholstery cleaner for stains and dirt removal, rear window cleaning, as well as cleaning console and dash using a soft cloth. Other duties include processing payments, managing the cash register, ensuring vehicle valuables remain undisturbed, delivering receipt, directing the client to the car after service, and handling customer complaints.

Car washer vs car cleaner salary

Car washers and car cleaners have different pay scales, as shown below.

Car WasherCar Cleaner
Average salary$28,701$29,423
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $35,000Between $23,000 And $36,000
Highest paying CitySan Jose, CASeaTac, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyWestsideDXC Technology
Best paying industryTransportationManufacturing

Differences between car washer and car cleaner education

There are a few differences between a car washer and a car cleaner in terms of educational background:

Car WasherCar Cleaner
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 64%High School Diploma, 59%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Car washer vs car cleaner demographics

Here are the differences between car washers' and car cleaners' demographics:

Car WasherCar Cleaner
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 86.5% Female, 13.5%Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 4.4% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 13.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between car washer and car cleaner duties and responsibilities

Car washer example responsibilities.

  • Manage to sweep and mop floor; clean bathroom and empty trash and dryer lint traps.
  • Change car oil and filters, wash and take care of the overall cleanliness of the client's cars.
  • Maintain the cleanliness of the showroom floor, windows, offices, bathrooms, and other parts of the facilities.
  • Operate POS register, perform opening/closing operations
  • Clean and pre-soak machines before use.

Car cleaner example responsibilities.

  • Inspect transit equipment and vehicles for cleanliness and damages to insure compliance with standards and transit regulations.
  • Use equipment such as sanders, grinders, automate immersion unit, high pressure spraying units, and vapor units.
  • Work in the sanitizing section with the duties of maintaining, cleaning, and prepping full face respirators for re-issue.
  • Couple air and electrical connections between locomotives.
  • Clean multiple commercial building using industrialize buffers, scrubbers and/or vacuum equipment.
  • Disassemble finishing booths and trolleys.
  • Show more

Car washer vs car cleaner skills

Common car washer skills
  • Clean Vehicle, 36%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 14%
  • Cleanliness, 13%
  • Vehicle Exterior, 6%
  • Customer Vehicles, 5%
  • Rental Cars, 4%
Common car cleaner skills
  • Clean Windows, 41%
  • Vehicle Damage, 28%
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Clean Vehicle, 11%
  • Vehicle Exterior, 2%
  • Cleanliness, 1%

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