Grand View Research values the U.S. car wash services market at $15.28 billion in 2025 and $15.75 billion in 2026, rising to $17.01 billion by 2033. A 1.1% annual growth rate is slow by most industry standards, and that is the point: this is a mature business built on repeat visits, which is why it holds up well through economic cycles.
The International Carwash Association estimates roughly 17,500 conveyor (tunnel), 29,000 in-bay automatic, and 16,250 self-service locations, about 62,750 sites nationwide. Retail car washes employ more than 220,000 full- and part-time workers, with another 15,000 at equipment, chemical and service suppliers.
By revenue, roll-over / in-bay washes held the largest share in 2025 at 43.1%, and payments have gone overwhelmingly digital: 71.4% of 2025 revenue was cashless.
Sources: International Carwash Association — Industry Information (locations, employment) · Grand View Research (revenue share, cashless share)
The share of drivers who primarily use a professional car wash has climbed from about 48% in 1994 to nearly 80% today, according to the International Carwash Association. The shift is driven by convenience, unlimited-wash memberships, and tighter local water rules.
Source: International Carwash Association — Industry Information
Source: International Carwash Association — CAR WASH Pulse, Q4 2025 (December 2025)
Car washes certified under the International Carwash Association's WaterSavers program use 40 gallons of water or less per car. Washing in the driveway can take anywhere from 40 gallons with a bucket and shut-off nozzle to 140 gallons with a free-flowing hose. The ICA's measured 2018 Water Use Study found real-world averages of about 30 gallons of fresh water per car at conveyor (tunnel) washes and 45 gallons at in-bay automatics. Tunnels get there by recycling: on average only about a quarter of the water sprayed on each car was fresh, and the rest was reclaimed water treated on site.
Sources: ICA Car Wash Water Use Study (2018, PDF) · EPA WaterSense at Work: Vehicle Washes (PDF) · Professional Carwashing & Detailing (WaterSavers limit) · American Water Works Association (home washing)
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Find a car wash near me →Every figure on this page comes from a named third-party source, linked below, and is dated to that source's most recent release as of September 2026. Market figures are Grand View Research estimates, and the location counts are International Carwash Association estimates, so treat the ~62,750 total as an approximation. For comparison, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 17,584 car wash businesses with paid employees in 2020, a narrower measure that leaves out most self-service and gas-station washes. Water figures come from the ICA's measured 2018 Water Use Study, as also cited by the EPA.