Most car washes do the outside. Pressure wash, foam, rinse, done. But the inside — specifically the carpets — gets ignored. Not because people don't want it cleaned. Because the car wash doesn't have the equipment for it.
That's the gap. A dedicated carpet washing machine cleans, extracts, and partially dries a car mat or floor carpet in a few minutes. Customers pay €5–15 extra per clean. The machine runs itself. The car wash owner adds a new revenue line without adding staff.
Most car washes in Europe and the Baltics still don't have one. The ones that do charge a premium for it and it's one of their highest-margin services.Most car washes do the outside. Pressure wash, foam, rinse, done. But the inside — specifically the carpets — gets ignored. Not because people don't want it cleaned. Because the car wash doesn't have the equipment for it.
How it works
The machine - like the one in the photo - takes a car mat or carpet section, runs it through a wash and extraction cycle, and outputs it partially dry on the other side. The whole process takes 2–4 minutes per mat. No manual scrubbing, no waiting 24 hours for it to dry, no mess for the car wash operator.
Customer pulls up, pays for a wash, adds carpet cleaning for a few euros extra. Mats go in, come out clean. That's it.
The opportunity
This isn't a consumer product. It's a B2B sale - you're selling the machine to car wash station owners, not end customers.
The pitch is simple: "You already have the customers and the location. This machine adds €200–500 per day in upsell revenue with zero extra staff." Most car wash owners haven't seen this machine before. A demo sells it faster than any brochure.
🚗 There are over 100,000 car wash stations in Europe
💶 €5–15 per carpet clean, 30–60 cleans per day at a busy station
📦 Machine cost: €3,000–8,000 — pays itself back in weeks at a busy location
How to sell it
Import and resell — buy machines wholesale, sell to local car wash owners with a markup. Your margin is €1,000–3,000 per machine depending on volume.
Demo first — bring a machine to a car wash, run a free demo. Let the owner see the customer reaction. This is your best sales tool.
Become the regional distributor — contact manufacturers directly and negotiate exclusive distribution rights for your country. Wholesale pricing, your brand, your market.
Maintenance contracts — sell the machine, then offer a monthly service contract for cleaning, parts, and support. Recurring income on top of the sale.
Suppliers
Enkor-Tech
Turkish manufacturer specialising in professional carpet washing machines for car wash stations. Already exporting across Europe and the Middle East. Worth contacting for wholesale and distribution pricing.
enkor-tech.com
Karteknik Makina
Another established Turkish manufacturer of professional carpet washing machines specifically designed for car wash and detailing businesses. Wide range of models.
kartekmakina.com/en/products/carpet-washing-machines
Alibaba
Multiple Chinese manufacturers producing similar machines at lower price points. Search "car carpet washing machine" or "auto mat washing machine." MOQ typically 1–5 units. Good for comparing specs before committing to a supplier.
alibaba.com/showroom/carpet-cleaning-machines-cars.html