Dressing the Part as a Car Wash Team Member:  Consider Safety, Comfort, Professionalism, and Vehicle Damage Control 

by Tim McGinnis, Safety, Health, & Risk Manager / Howco Inc. 

There are many facets to running a successful car wash, such as choosing a location and constructing a facility that meets your and the customers’ needs, to customizing chemicals and, of course, training employees to provide excellent service. 

The items you designate for employee uniforms are also vital components that impact how the customer perceives your company and also provide a level of comfort and protection to both your employees and your customers’ vehicles. Clothing, footwear, headwear, and accessories such as jewelry, belt buckles, and sunglasses are all choices to be weighed.  

Team member clothing can make the customer’s first impression. Employee appearance should project professionalism while also supporting company branding. If your employees look disheveled or their clothing is in poor condition, this could be a primary reason the customer questions whether to pull into your business. 

Knowing this, what kind of clothing do you choose? Many car wash owners outfit their employees in uniforms that suit the seasonal climates, from long sleeves and pants for cold weather, to shorts and short-sleeved shirts with the ability to wick away moisture on hot days. 

Proper uniforms start at the top with appropriate headgear that protects employees from summer sun to winter cold. For the former, ball caps or wide-brimmed floppy hats can shield team members’ eyes and skin from direct sunlight while helping to regulate body temperature. This is of particular importance with the new OSHA heat standard and regulations coming soon. For cold and wintery conditions, a branded knit cap can be ideal to protect workers from heat loss and potential frostbite.  

Speaking of headwear, be strict about prohibiting any type of hooded shirt at work. Both the hood and drawstrings hanging from the shirt are prone to snag in doors, trunks, and car wash equipment. There are indeed documented cases of hooded sweatshirts contributing to employees’ deaths due to being caught in wash equipment.  

Footwear is another crucial choice in an environment that sees employees on their feet most or all of the day in potentially slippery surroundings. Whether they are on the lot detailing vehicles or performing equipment maintenance inside the tunnel where it is constantly wet, team members’ feet are what keeps them in the game. 

Non-slip footwear that provides support throughout the day is paramount, as slips, trips, and falls are some of the leading causes of injury to car wash employees. For employees such as technicians working in the tunnel, mandate sturdier footwear that provides an added layer of protection, such as a composite toe and reinforced shanks/soles. A single incident can cause a significant injury due to the nature of their work.  

Lastly, consider accessories such as sunglasses, jewelry, and belt buckles. Depending on your location, it may be sunny all day, potentially causing damage to an employee’s uncovered eyes. In situations requiring direct customer communication, however, it is beneficial to have eye contact without the barrier of sunglasses.  

Jewelry can cause concern both on the employee safety and vehicle damage fronts. Rings and bracelets can be caught up in various parts of the vehicle or wash equipment, causing serious injury. They can also damage vehicles, causing scratches that invite customer claims. It’s best to limit or eliminate all forms of jewelry, if possible. 

If worn, belt buckles should have some sort of soft cover that prevents metal or other hard or sharp surfaces contacting the vehicle during wipe-downs. 

Also aim to provide or mandate clothing that is free from protruding zippers or other types of fasteners that could contact and damage a customer's vehicle at any point during the car cleaning process. 

Providing team member uniforms obviously comes with a cost, but those costs pale in comparison to employee injuries or vehicle damage. From providing comfortable uniforms that present a professional appearance, to ensuring employee safety and preventing vehicle damage, you will be ahead of the game by making sound choices for your company’s success.