How to hire a car washer

How to hire a car washer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step car washer 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 washer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new car washer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a car washer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the car washer you need to hire. Certain car washer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A car washer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, car washers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of car washers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Car Washer	Description	Hourly rate
   Car Washer	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.	$10-16
   Service Porter	Typically working in car dealerships, a service porter is in charge of performing a variety of tasks to maintain smooth operations. They maintain vehicles in good condition by conducting regular maintenance checks and repairs, refilling gas tanks, inspecting tires and batteries, and cleaning the interior and exterior of cars... Show more	$10-16
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Clean Vehicle
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Cleanliness
   • Vehicle Exterior
   • Customer Vehicles
   • Rental Cars
   • Work Ethic
   • Clean Windows
   • Customer Service
   • Loose Dirt
   • Exterior Body
   • Auto Body
   • Air Compressors
   • Buffing Machines

   Check all skills

   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.

   More car washer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, car washers' average salary in mississippi is 43% less than in washington.
   • Seniority. Entry-level car washers earn 37% less than senior-level car washers.
   • Certifications. A car washer 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 washer's salary.

   Average car washer salary

   $13.80hourly

   $28,701 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level car washer salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average car washer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$34,299	$16
   2	Massachusetts	$34,064	$16
   3	Oregon	$34,015	$16
   4	Maine	$33,873	$16
   5	Vermont	$32,145	$15
   6	New Hampshire	$31,937	$15
   7	Colorado	$31,513	$15
   8	Wyoming	$30,694	$15
   9	Wisconsin	$29,124	$14
   10	Montana	$29,042	$14
   11	New Jersey	$28,540	$14
   12	South Dakota	$28,354	$14
   13	Ohio	$27,877	$13
   14	Tennessee	$27,373	$13
   15	Indiana	$27,324	$13
   16	Utah	$27,278	$13
   17	Arizona	$26,409	$13
   18	Florida	$25,226	$12
   19	Pennsylvania	$25,215	$12
   20	Georgia	$24,909	$12

   Average car washer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Westside	$33,119	$15.92	2
   2	Mary's Center	$31,883	$15.33
   3	Asbury Automotive Group	$30,518	$14.67	10
   4	Premier Transportation	$30,038	$14.44
   5	DXC Technology	$29,903	$14.38
   6	Jerry Seiner Dealerships	$29,359	$14.11
   7	Napleton Automotive Group	$29,333	$14.10
   8	Crown Automotive	$29,302	$14.09	1
   9	Gillman Automotive Group	$29,299	$14.09	4
   10	Lexus of Pembroke Pines	$29,289	$14.08	5
   11	BMW Northwest	$29,272	$14.07
   12	National Car Rental	$29,231	$14.05
   13	LES STANFORD CHEVROLET CADILLAC	$29,100	$13.99	2
   14	Byrider	$29,088	$13.98
   15	Rosenthal Automotive	$29,084	$13.98
   16	Park Place Dealerships	$28,898	$13.89
   17	Crown Cars	$28,878	$13.88
   18	Tom Bush Motors	$28,762	$13.83	2
   19	Bruner	$28,698	$13.80
   20	Stanley	$28,618	$13.76	1

4. Writing a car washer job description

   A job description for a car washer 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 washer job description:

   Car washer job description example

   Full time plus full benefits, no late nights or Sundays.
   $14/hr minimum to start depending on experience.

   We offer a fun, but professional work environment with plenty of hours plus full benefits. Opportunity to advance and increase pay based on merit.

   Car Washer Duties

   The person in this vital position assures that when our valued clients leave our facility, their vehicles are clean and comfortable. This helps to create lasting customer satisfaction and repeat business. Because of this, we need a dedicated person who will take pride in their work and do their part to ensure the customer experience is exceptional, every time. Specific duties include:

   • Pull vehicles in and out of wash bays from service drive or parking areas.
   • Wash, dry and vacuum customer service vehicles, new cars, and loaner cars.
   • Minor detail work, i.e. vacuum interior, shine tires and rims, clean windshields, etc.
   • Maintain work area and follow all safety regulations

   Car Washer Requirements

   • Dependability is a must - this is an important job that requires dedication
   • Ability and willingness to perform physical work, fast-paced at times.
   • Candidates must have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving and background record and verifiable work history.
   • Drug-free workplace

   Full-Time Sunset Auto Group Benefits

   • 401(k)
   • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
   • Life and Disability Insurance
   • Paid Time Off - 2 weeks after first year
   • Paid Holidays
   • Discounts at all Sunset locations
   • And more...

   If you are looking for a place to work where you will have opportunities for growth and be appreciated, this might be the place for you! Enjoy your job and the people you work with at Sunset Automotive Group.

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find car washers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting car washers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 washer

   Once you've decided on a perfect car washer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new car washer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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 washer?