No one likes their car being dusty. But believe it or not, this isn’t just about vanity: dust can actually damage things like your auto’s paint over time.
Anyway, being both vain and cautious about our vehicles launched us into the research for today’s list. Let’s check out the very best car washes we found in the city!
Table of Contents
Average Cost of Car Wash in Calgary
Prices for car washes in Calgary vary according to amenities, location, and other factors. A full-service car wash can cost as little as $10 for an automatic car wash and as much as $100 for a full-service car wash.
The table below provides a more comprehensive picture of the average cost of car washes in the city:
How We Chose the Best Car Wash Centers in Calgary
Here are the criteria we used to evaluate our entries:
1. Servpro Car Wash
| Service | 4/5 |
| Equipment | 5/5 |
| Turnaround time | 4/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 5/5 |
When we asked Calgary residents about their go-to car wash in town, a lot of them mentioned Servpro Car Wash. It’s because it is a public car wash that’s so easy to access, although it may not be the best option for those in a rush.
The place is very spacious, with six self-serve stalls with enough room to accommodate small to large vehicles. On the contrary, there tends to be slow customer line-ups, particularly during afternoons when the shop is busy.
Servpro Car Wash is also a fan favorite due to its simple system. It operates on the basis of a coin machine, which is pretty self-explanatory – customers only need to insert coins, wait for the sprayer wand to be ready, and then proceed with the wash.
In our opinion, it is also cost-effective as it generally charges about $1 per minute, allowing customers to control the entire process according to their needs and budget. It’s just that you really need decent car wash skills to go on, though they have staff to supervise.
All bays accept coins as well as credit cards, so you won’t have to worry about other payment methods. There were minor machine malfunctions, but staff members were always on-site to assist with the situation.
Overall, Servpro Car Wash is a good choice if you want something cheap but relatively effective. In fact, they have modern tech in place – like automatic bay doors – to give customers better access both inside and outside the car wash.
Pros
- Easy to access
- Has spacious facility
- Accommodates small to large vehicles
- Easy to navigate self-serve car wash
- Coin-machine operated car wash machines
- Also accept cards for payment
- Offers undercarriage wash to help prevent rust
Cons
- Complaints regarding slow customer line-up
- Machine often malfunctions
Maintained and excellent facility
Excellent facility, one of the better self-service washes in the city. Fully enclosed wash bays, high water pressure, warm soap temperature, well maintained facility. Only downside is that it does get busy, expect up to a 30 minute wait. – Matthew A. Kritzer
Gives you what you choose
Best car wash in Calgary. Sprays under your car when you drive in. And actually gives you what you choose. Soap is soapy water is clean and wax is waxy! Takes credit cards and coins too.. had vacuum option as well. Just the best! – Simon A
2. Wash My Ride
| Service | 54/5 |
| Equipment | 5/5 |
| Turnaround time | 4/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
When we were looking for high-quality car care, Wash My Ride was among the first to reach our radar. Thanks to our supportive research team, we discovered this car wash shop where the customer service exceeds our expectations.
They can provide you with a variety of high-quality detailing packages and services if it’s serious, in-depth cleaning you need. Options include in-shop service and a mobile detailing service (your choice is simply what is more convenient to you)
With a lot of services to offer, clients still have them as their go-to place for car hand washing.
Through on-site visits, we can say their car techniques are highly organized from preparation to drying – the result is, of course, well-cleaned cars.
Because of that, we reckon they’re an ideal fit for meticulous car owners. Well, they do ‘old-fashioned’ hand washing, where they pressure wash the entire car to remove dirt and use fine brushes for hard-to-reach corners and space.
Another thing that we like about them is the relationship they establish with their customers. They have many long-term clients, thanks to their accommodating staff that make the waiting experience a little bit more tolerable.
Perhaps the only thing that worries us is the limited number of car wash services they can offer. However, their car hand wash alone is a strong option if hands-on car cleaning is really what you’re looking for.
Pros
- Offers premium car hand wash
- Organized car wash cleaning techniques
- High attention to detail for hard-to-reach areas
- Mobile auto detailing services
- Online booking available
Cons
- Limited number of car wash services
Car is cleaner than expected
I’m so glad we chose this company. We were able to get a fast appointment, I appreciated the reminders as well. The fact that the owner came put and detailed our car himself was amazing. Since he came to us, I was able to finish my work day, make and eat dinner with my family instead of waiting in a waiting room at a shop. Highly recommend will use again. Oh and the car is cleaner than expected, and they went above and beyond to make sure it was. – Ashley Cunningham
Very personable
Wash My Ride is awesome! Booking online was nice and smooth and clear, and friendly followup reminders of the appointment were sent as well which were very helpful. When I got there, Ahmed helped me out and was very personable and clear about the services, and did a great job in making sure I understood and walking me through things. – Nate Neufeld
3. Top Gear Car Wash
| Service | 4/5 |
| Equipment | 4/5 |
| Turnaround time | 4/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 5/5 |
The variety of car cleaning methods Top Gear Car Wash is our favorite thing about them. Their car cleaning services include self-service hand washing, high-speed automatic washing, in-and-out express cleaning, and express polishing.
We find this set of options wonderful since you have the option for self-service or staff-performed cleaning. Regardless of what you choose, they’re complete with cleaning tools to ensure a fast, high-quality car wash.
While their workmanship is commendable, we find that they’re a pretty good place for self-serve car washing, even for first-time customers. It’s mostly because they have easy-to-use tools, plus there is never a long line for the service.
They also offer a touchless car wash, which is quite cheap at $8 for a soft foam car wash compared to their self-serve wash which costs a little less than $20 per time. Nice option if you just want a decent exterior cleaning.
Top Gear even has a touchless express service, which, as the name implies, is superior to their current touchless wash. Though it’s not yet operational (as of writing), it’s a nice thing to take note of if you want to go a bit extra with cleaning.
Their spacious location is also another thing that wins our favor. This means that they can accommodate a couple of customers at a time, reducing wait times and saving you time in the process.
Pros
- Offers a range of car cleaning methods
- Top-of-the-line equipment
- Can accommodate many customers at a time
- Approachable and knowledgeable staff
- Offers unlimited wash season pass through membership
Cons
- Minor complaints with their dryers
- Complaints regarding hidden charges in the membership
Lots of wash options
Good car wash. Plus is that in this weather it’s indoors. Lots of wash options to choose from. Bays are big. The best option I noticed was it had a high pressure soap rinse, this made a lot of difference than just spraying water or regular soap foam. I didn’t find the need to rub of that layer usually still stays on the car even after you when rinse with water. The wand is different too. It’s flexible and not too long which made it easier to maneuver and reach difficult crevices. Will definitely come here again for sure. Prices start at $3 minimum. – Sayed Sameer
Friendly staff
Thanks to the staff at Top Gear Carwash for an amazing experience. Took my car to get detailed and they did a fantastic job. The car looked immaculate on the inside and outside. The staff were friendly and my car was cleaned very quickly and thoroughly. Amazing experience and would highly recommend to anyone looking to get their cleaned or detailed! – Noah Jina
4. Big Bucket Car Wash Inc.
| Service | 5/5 |
| Equipment | 4/5 |
| Turnaround time | 4/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
Big Bucket Car Wash Inc. has all the standard car wash options you can enjoy. This is totally convenient for customers who may want to check out other car wash methods and see the process for themselves.
About that, customers can choose between touchless car washes and self-serve car washes. They also provide vacuum cleaners to remove dirt spots – typical, but it’s the availability of these items that make them slightly better.
On top of it all, we appreciate that Big Bucket has enough bays to accommodate customers. It’s still likely that you can get a bay even in their busiest hours and days.
They have two touchless wash bays that can provide standard and premium wash, as well as ten fully equipped self-serve bays. Additionally, they have four vacuums that are all outdoor powerful and high-capacity.
On another note, the renowned car wash is flexible enough to accept different kinds of credit cards for cashless payment. However, as of writing, they don’t accept cash for any of their services, which is really inconvenient.
Now, their workmanship is indeed top-quality, however, their customer service needs some work. But if you can tolerate these things for a while, a trip here might as well be worth it.
Pros
- Offers a great selection of car wash methods
- Has many car wash bays
- Accepts different kinds of credit cards for cashless payment
- Also sells car cleaning products
- Outdoor, high-capacity vacuum cleaners available
- Easy to reach
Cons
- Mixed feedback on their overall car wash services
- Doesn’t accept cash as a payment
Friendly staff, favorite car wash
Staff are very friendly, everything is very clean, this is my favourite car wash in Calgary, with both self serve and touches Car washes. I bring my truck here about 2-3 times /month – IHasSnøut
Not expensive, no line up
Very good place for manual car wash and not expensive at the time of the visit. You need to use credit card almost all the times I went there, no line up or long wait. People working there are friendly. – Hussein Al
5. The Wash King
| Service | 5/5 |
| Equipment | 4/5 |
| Turnaround time | 5/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
The Wash King team has over 25 years of experience in the car wash business. In fact, they’ve been around for a long while and the Calgarians we interviewed often mention their shop as their top recommendation.
The shop offers various car wash methods, but there’s one that truly caught our attention.
Wash King has the country’s first spin-lite tunnel wash system, providing a complete vehicle exterior wash in three minutes. With this in mind, we find it ideal for all customers in a rush and can’t make time for a full car clean.
What makes this system even better is that it’s far less claustrophobic than a traditional automatic touchless car wash. This is because it produces far less noise and the process is almost similar to that of a typical hand wash.
However, we don’t necessarily recommend it to those who have never used a touchless car wash before (or something similar). Wash King doesn’t assign an attendant to it, although there are instructions on how to use it.
We do like that they’re transparent about how they charge, seeing that there are no hidden fees upon payment. And looking at it, they charge a reasonable price for all the inclusions in the packages they provide.
In that regard, they don’t offer a la carte services for those who want a more customized solution. Nonetheless, the packages for the spin-lite tunnel wash are pretty comprehensive already.
Pros
- Over 25 years of experience in the industry
- Offers the country’s first spin-lite tunnel wash system
- Fast automatic car wash system
- Fair and transparent pricing
- Offers affordable car wash packages
Cons
- Their spin-lite tunnel wash system isn’t staffed (instructions provided only)
Great place to wash car
Very spacious, clean and comfortable. This is a great place to wash a truck or car. It’s even heated in the stalls for comfortable winter washes. My favorite part is probably the foam cannon, it’s great alternative to the foam bush for those who hate using the foam brush. Highly recommended. – Unknown
Highly professional, personal
The owners who took care of this service were highly professional, personal and timely in the excellent service they provided. My car is shining! thank you! – Sandy Shuler
6. Sudsy’s U-Wash & Detail
| Service | 4/5 |
| Equipment | 5/5 |
| Turnaround time | 4/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
For Sudsy’s U-Wash & Detail, a self-serve car wash isn’t enough – they provide clients with their very own formulated DIY method. Plus, they do this without sacrificing the overall car wash quality by having their staff assist them at all times.
When you visit their shop and select a bay, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that you’ll be greeted with more than just some soap and a hose. Their DIY car wash process goes beyond our expectations, with a total of 10 wash cycles.
It goes from a low-pressure pre-soak to a high-pressure hot wash, polishing, and a couple of low and high-pressure rinses. The process also includes tire and wheel brushing, under-the-hood cleaning, interior shampooing, and then vacuuming for the final touch.
The line-ups at Sudsy’s are not too long, as we’ve observed for a week-long visitation. Well, the car wash provides seven wash bays, which can cut down wait time (as long as the number of customers doesn’t become exceedingly high).
Previous clients told us that their car wash service is really of top-notch quality, with high-quality products and safe, reliable equipment. However, the environment is not at all relaxing, with most of them complaining about the loud music they play.
Nonetheless, if it is the car wash service we are talking about, Sudsy’s truly passed our standards, even exceeding them at some point. Maybe they can take their music down a notch soon and we might be more generous with our score.
Pros
- Has its own DIY car wash method to follow
- Provides staff assistance
- Spacious location
- Not too long line-ups
- Accepts coins and credit cards for payment
- Offers gift cards
Cons
- Place can be loud at times
Worth the trip, always reliable
It’s easy to tell that the ownership knows how to present a quality service. The wash is always clean, well lit, rarely lined up more than one car, and the water is piping hot with excellent pressure. When you switch the mode from rinse to soap it takes < 5 seconds to switch over, unlike the ~30 seconds I experience at all other car washes. I like how they’ve added in the credit card terminals as it makes getting started and keeping the wash going much easier. Traveling to this car wash is worth the trip every time as I am always pleased with the quality of wash I receive. Thanks Sudsy’s for always being reliable for me, I’ll come back and visit soon! – Will Long
Spotless, best car wash in the area
Great car wash . Always spotless. Friendly staff. Had a problem with my prepaid card was given a new card immediately . Have been going here forever. Best car wash in the area. – Denis Schechtel
7. Super Shine Auto
| Service | 5/5 |
| Equipment | 4/5 |
| Turnaround time | 3/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
If you’re concerned about retaining the shine and fresh-from-the-showroom feel of your vehicle, visit Super Shine Auto. We’ve taken a couple of our own wheels to this place and so far, we have no complaints about the workmanship.
What makes their service so great is that they don’t just wash the car, they also do quick interior cleaning with comprehensive interior and exterior detail. After all, car washing isn’t just about cleaning the outside surface.
They accomplish this by providing packages tailored to their client’s specific cleaning and maintenance requirements. To be honest, the inclusions are generous and you just have to look at which offers best suit you.
Just to be clear though, these are detailing packages – a standard car wash service is far different from auto detailing. We’re just giving our initial thoughts on this service since it also reflects the quality of their work.
Their car wash services focus on hand washing, power vacuuming, and pressure washing. These are pretty standard offerings although we wish they would also have automated options for a fast car wash.
Another thing we liked is that their car wash services are pretty affordable, the opposite of their a la carte detailing services. So, if you want to get pretty serious with your car cleaning, we recommend going after the packages instead.
All things considered, we recommend Super Shine Auto for your basic car wash needs. Despite the limited car wash options, their work is highly satisfactory, cost-effective, and easy to trust in the long run.
Pros
- Provides quick interior cleaning
- Reasonably priced car wash services
- Cheap exterior hand wash
- Also offers a la carte services
- High-quality workmanship
- Offers power vacuuming and pressure washing
Cons
- A la carte services are a bit pricey
- Minor complaints regarding slow turnaround times
Great team, above and beyond
I truly recommended this ” Super Shine”. Chris: the owner is polite & helpful. They have a great team with top customer service. I arrived late as I didn’t know their business hours.
Solomon helped me as I really need it done. He is awesome, gone above and beyond to assisted me. I’ll come back for their service again and again. – Cha-Cha C.
Fantastic car cleaning
Super Shine did a fantastic job of cleaning my car. I hadn’t done anything more than a vacuum and simple wipe down in 5 years. Car now looks fantastic. Nothing was missed. Not the cheapest option, but you get what you pay for. – Tom Eaves
8. Great White Car & Truck Wash
| Service | 5/5 |
| Equipment | 4/5 |
| Turnaround time | 3/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
There are many reasons why Great White Car & Truck Wash is considered one of the best in the city for the job. And all of it points out their one goal – let people enjoy a scratch-and-spot-free car.
First and foremost, they apply eco-friendly standards and solutions to all of their car washes. They do this by conserving and reclaiming all the water they use – plus their cleaning agents are designed to be biodegradable.
They’re also the only car wash in the country to display the WaterSavers® badge. This is a fantastic deal for us because it means they only use the necessary amount of water in their services, further demonstrating how environmentally friendly they are.
Another reason is, of course, their menu of services, which leaves clients with a great selection of car washes to choose from. Whether you prefer to pamper your vehicle yourself or prefer the convenience of an automatic full-service car wash, they have the options.
Their team also impressed us with their workmanship, providing a high quality of service to their customers. Most of the customers we spoke with praised their patience in assisting them, especially when it came to some technical aspects.
Perhaps the only downside is that some services – ones that Great White’s members should have access to – are frequently unavailable. It seems like a waste of money to us, given that members should have access to their exclusive car wash services.
Pros
- Eco-friendly standards of car washing
- Uses biodegradable cleaning agents
- Carries a WaterSavers® badge
- Great selection of car washes to choose from
- Committed team of staff
- Offers a great deal of plans and packages
Cons
- Frequent unavailability of exclusive services for members
- Package inclusions may vary by location
Easy to navigate, works well
Today is my first time visiting this car wash since we moved and I am very satisfied with my experience! It’s clean, well maintained and the staff are friendly. I always used the self-serve for my SUV. High (warm) water pressure. Big seven bays. You will not be pressured to wash your car quickly because no one is behind you waiting unlike in Chaparral. Easy to navigate in and out. Everything worked well. I will definitely be back!! – Bette P
Super friendly, amazing location
Great place to get a touch carwash that does not scratch the hell out of your car. Super friendly staff, Brendan at their Dufferin locations was amazing. He helped me setup cars up for their vurrent pro.otion which gives you 2 months of unlimited wash for $20! – Paolo Sucaldito
9. Happy Bays Car Wash
| Service | 4/5 |
| Equipment | 5/5 |
| Turnaround time | 3/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 4/5 |
Happy Bays has been providing state-of-the-art car washes in Calgary since 1986. We say this because, in addition to the car wash options they provide (touchless and self-serve), they also have an outstanding facility.
First of all, the place has received the Better Business Bureau A+ Rating. This is a sign of top-quality services delivered in top-notch environments (as a tip, we recommend trusting BBB-rated services in the future).
Talking more about the facility, Happy Bays offers an automatic car wash from Wash World and four self-service bays. Their modern facility also features LED lighting in each bay and heat blowers for drying cars.
Another thing is that they feature a wide variety of cleaning tools and equipment, making the car wash process fast and convenient. In fact, they’re quite known for their Turtle Wax Pro, which gives cars a gleaming sheen and makes them look like new after washing.
With all of the services they can provide, it’s easy to see how they make it convenient for customers to meet all of their washing needs in one location. Aside from self-service and touchless car wash options, they also do auto detailing and even dog washing.
Obviously, Happy Bays has flaws. There have been complaints about the payment system not working, the tight spaces, and the frequently low water pressure – all of which we sum up as a fair head’s up to anyone coming here.
Pros
- Over 30 years in the industry
- Convenient location for various washing needs
- State-of-the-art facility
- Better Business Bureau A+ Rating
- Uses Turtle Wax Pro
Cons
- Complaints about payment system not working
- Tight space
- Minor complaints about the water pressure
Personalized, dedicated staff
The service is personalized, friendly, professional, and knowledgable – all of which I greatly appreciated. The entire team is dedicated to building customer loyalty. – Robin MacLean
Clean and easy to use car wash
I been coming here for over 10 years and the car wash is always clean and easy to use. The guys here are always very helpful and friendly. I can’t complain because if anything they are always there to help you. – Francis Kahn
10. Calgary Car Detailing
| Service | 4/5 |
| Equipment | 4/5 |
| Turnaround time | 3/5 |
| Cost (A higher score means better value) | 3/5 |
According to Calgary Car Detailing, cleaning a car isn’t enough. Their services prove true to their word as they provide not only premium auto detailing services but also quality auto maintenance services.
But that’s not just the case here – we simply want to state that they’re capable of meeting your car cleaning expectations. After all, they’re a one-stop car solution so you won’t have to go anywhere else for additional cleaning.
Their car detailers are known for using only high-quality processes to ensure your car is spotless and free of dirt. Personally, we suggest you choose their complete detailing service, which, by the way, can improve the overall appearance of your vehicle.
This service doesn’t just give its customers a simple wash; it cleans both the exterior and interior of your car using cutting-edge cleaning tools and high-quality cleaning products.
Just as much as we’re impressed by their car cleaning, we also feel the same way when it comes to their turnaround time. Based on what we’ve gathered from clients, the average time to complete detailing is just about two hours.
Unfortunately, some of the clients discovered minor inconsistencies in the service, like seeing residual dust on the exterior. Fortunately, these are small issues and the rest are praises for their spotless work.
Pros
- Full-service car exterior cleaning
- Offers complete detailing (exterior and interior cleaning)
- Well-trained technicians
- Keeps up to date on the latest techniques
- Online booking available
Cons
- Minor inconsistencies with work quality
Pleasing service, gives free car wash
Very pleased with the service done on my dodge journey. The manager provided me a ride home and free touchless car wash was given. Definitely recommend this detailing shop. One of the Best one in Calgary. If you are selling your car it’s so worth it! – Fardad Dor
Reasonably priced, friendly staff
Excellent quality of service, vehicle looks brand new! Pricing is also very reasonable compared to other shops. Staff is very friendly and took the time to provide all relevant information. I’d definitely recommend this place for any auto detailing services. – Francis Savio
