Mr. Clean Car Wash - Chandler Jackson

This is a podcast called Open Forum in The Villages, Florida. They talk to leaders and interesting people in the community. The podcast is listener-supported and they ask for donations or for people to make purchases on Amazon through their affiliate link. The host then interviews Chandler Jackson, the general manager of Mr. Clean Car Wash in Oxford, Florida. Chandler talks about how Mr. Clean Car Wash focuses on providing a great experience for customers and uses high-quality equipment and chemicals. They also have measures in place to prevent dirt and mud from previous cars transferring to the next car. Chandler explains the different wash options and the membership program they offer. He also discusses the importance of using car wash mode for electric vehicles. Mr. Clean Car Wash is involved in the community through various initiatives like food drives and fundraisers. Welcome to the Open Forum in the Villages Florida podcast. In this show we talk to leaders in the community, leaders of clubs and interesting folks who live here in the villages to get perspectives of what is happening here in the Villages Florida. We are a listener-supported podcast. I'm thrilled to share with you this podcast, which is my passion project for you. This podcast brings me joy, brings you knowledge, inspiration, and a lot of things that people need to know about the villages and the people who are living here and what's actually going on. Creating this podcast is a labor of love. Even though it demands more time than I can easily spare, but hey, time isn't something we can buy back, right? Now here's where you come in, the unsung heroes and heroines. You can help us keep the podcast alive and thriving. How? By becoming a supporter. There are two simple ways that you can support us. The first is a small monthly donation. Visit our podcast website, openforuminthevillagesflorida.com and click on the black supporter box. Even a small $3 to $10 a month donation makes a difference. And guess what? You can cancel any time, no strings attached. The second way that you can contribute to the podcast is by making a purchase of an Amazon product at Amazon standard prices, and we are paid a small commission on each purchase as an Amazon affiliate. That way there's no extra money out of your pocket, but you are supporting the podcast. We're back every week because we're going to be adding new Amazon products that you can buy and support the podcast with. Thank you. And your support means the world to us. Stay curious, stay inspired, and keep those headphones on. This is Mike Roth on Open Forum in The Villages, Florida. I'm here today with Chandler Jackson. He is the general manager of the Mr. Clean Car Wash in Oxford, Florida. Thanks for joining me today, Chandler. Thanks for having me on, Mike. Good. Why don't you tell us a little bit about the Mr. Clean Car Wash philosophy and tell us a little bit about the Mr. Clean Car Wash and how they're built. Mr. Clean Car Wash, we really focus on the customers, really providing a great experience for everybody who comes on a lot. We focus heavily on the communities that we're in. What's different about the way the Mr. Clean Car Wash is built that does a better wash than other brands of car wash? The biggest thing we focus on is any new wash that we're opening up, we're focusing on using the highest quality equipment, the newest technology, newest chemicals, the best of the best that's on the market. What does that mean that makes your car wash different than everybody else's? The biggest thing that makes us different from others is the fact that we work directly with Sunny's, who's the main provider of car wash equipment. We're always testing out their new equipment, their new innovations that they're bringing on to make sure that it's going to provide the best outcome of the washes that we provide. In your car wash, do you use brushes? We use a type of brush. It's more nylon-based. It's almost like a wetsuit material, so super soft. It's not abrasive to any form of surface. It's really there just to help pick up the dirt and then fling it off the car. I heard that car washes, I haven't taken my car through a car wash in a number of years, that if you're going through a car wash and the guy before you or the guy, two cars before you had an extremely dirty, muddy pickup truck, that some of that mud gets onto the brushes and gets transferred back to the next vehicle. So what we do at Mr. Clean to prevent that is, one, we pressure wash vehicles before they go through, especially if they have an excess amount of dirt on them, we'll pressure wash that off so it's not making its way into the tunnel. The second thing we do is for all of our wraps or cloth that's in our tunnel, they actually get rinsed down as the vehicle's going through. So as a vehicle comes through, it has the soap applied, the wraps come in contact, and on the opposite side, there's water that comes onto the wraps and rinses everything off of them. So when you say car goes through the car wash is pre-pressure wash, is that done by a human being or is that done by a machine? So it's two steps. First is done by a human, and then we have what's called pre-soak that goes on, and that's going to help remove the stuff that we may not have gotten off. So that's a detergent surficant? Yes, it is. Good. I know a little bit about car washes, but you probably know a lot more. Who originated the Mr. Car Wash brand? Yeah, so Mr. Clean was started 37 years ago, a family-owned business in Atlanta. Since then, we've grown to 16 locations across Georgia and Florida, still owned by the same company, the same family that started it 37 years ago. So you're using the Procter & Gamble logo of Mr. Clean? Yeah. Yes, we are the only licensed company allowed to. Okay. And do you guys use any special chemicals in the car wash process that protect ceramic coatings? Yes. So on our platinum wash, that comes with a three-step ceramic application. So it's specifically designed for protecting the ceramic coatings that are applied by hand. It also acts as, if you don't have a ceramic coating, it's going to act as one for about three weeks. So you're going to get the same properties you would with a normal ceramic coating. And then for those that do have ceramic coatings, it's going to help protect it more, make it last longer, make sure that all the benefits that you paid for are still useful and working properly. Do you guys apply a surficant at the end of the car wash, which causes the water to bead in the event of rain? Yes, we do. So we have two different kinds. Our third step on our ceramic does that, and then we also have carnauba wax that does that very well. And then we also actually offer a surficant protectant that does that exact same thing. So can a client elect to not have the carnauba wax applied to their car? Yes. So we have two washes that come without it. We have our bronze wash and then our silver wash. With our bronze, it's going to be your more basic soap and water. It's going to get a nice, clean car. And then with our silver, it's going to add on polish. It's going to get a little bit deeper clean and also offers tire shine, but does not have that carnauba wax with it. Are automatic car washes like yours safe for most vehicles? Yes, they are. You never really see any form of damages or scratches when they go through. Years ago when they first came out and the technology was not advanced, obviously that was something people worried about. Nowadays, especially with your newer washes like us, the technology is so advanced that it is safe enough where I could put my whole body inside of it and not have anything happen. So if someone walked through the car wash, is there any chance that the brushes would hit you? You could get hit by them, but you're not really going to feel anything. It'd be like a feather touching you. Oh, okay. And how do you, at Mr. Clean Car Wash, become part of the community? So the ways we try to become part of the community are doing things like food drives, Toys for Tots. We like to get heavily involved with all the schools in the area doing fundraisers with them. We partner with a bunch of 511c3s. We do a bunch of online fundraising for them. Do you partner with any of the 22 car clubs here in the Villages? We are working on that. The next thing up is going to be the Mercedes Benz Car Club here in the Villages. We definitely want to get more heavily involved with them as they are such big communities all across. And you indicated that you have a membership program at Mr. Clean Car Wash. How does that work? Yeah, so we offer a membership on all four of our different washes. The way it works is you pay once a month and you get to come as many times to any of our locations. So the closest ones to us would be Oxford, Leesburg, and Ocala. It's unlimited washes as many times as you'd like. It goes by your license plate, so there's no sticker on your front windshield. You never have to get out of your car, type anything in. You pull up to our gate, it would read your license plate, and you're good to go get your wash. Okay. Since I've never used your wash, do you have to get out of your car, or do you ride in your car as it goes through the tunnel? So you ride through your car as it goes through the tunnel. The only time you need to get out is if you want to clean the inside or dry down the vehicle afterwards. Coming out of your car wash, you use high-pressure air to dry the car? Yes, so we have our blowers that are high-pressure air to help make sure everything's out of the seams, and then we also have a buff and dry it then. So what that does is it comes down, and it's a microfiber cloth material that goes on the hood, the windshield, and the roof to make sure the top's nice and dry for you. Some cars, Chandler, have a car wash mode available as a drive mode. Will you recommend that patrons switch their car into that mode as they go through your wash? Yes, if your car offers a car wash mode, definitely would recommend you put it into it. It allows the vehicle to roll a little bit smoother as it comes through, makes it a whole lot easier on our machines and our equipment, as well as your vehicle while it's going through. Is there anything special that you need to do if you have an electric vehicle? There's nothing really special with electric vehicles. We send a lot of Teslas through, a lot of the newer ones that are coming out. Most of them do have that car wash mode, and they normally can't go on into neutral without that car wash mode. So the most important thing is making sure you get those into the car wash mode. Okay, so the car goes through in neutral mode? Yes. Okay. And a new customer visits and tests the car wash without being a member of the VistaClean program? Yes. Anybody who comes on the property, whether first-time guest or member, is going to have the same options. They're going to have something that's bronze or silver, gold or platinum. You can come in. You're going to be greeted by one of our associates or managers, and we're going to help you pick the proper wash for you and talk to you about the membership if that's something you'd be interested in. If not, you can purchase a single wash for that day. Okay. So the bronze wash is your basic wash? Yes. That'd be our entry level. That's going to be soap and water. We're going to prep the front to make sure there's no bugs, as well as brush the back to make sure all the nooks and crannies are hit. And the next level up is? That's going to be our silver. So that's going to add on triple polish, tire shine, and an underbody rinse. Probably underbody rinse isn't as important here, is it, in salty climates? It's not as important until we get later in the year and we start having people coming down from the northern states. Then it becomes, they definitely want it that time of year. So that was the second level. The third level is? The third is going to be our gold. So that's where we're going to add on the surface protectant and the carnauba wax. Those are going to be our two biggest things on that one. That's going to give you a lot more shine, more protection. And the highest level you have is? That's the platinum. So that's going to be the one that offers those three steps of ceramic. Okay. And if a client doesn't want those soft brushes to touch his vehicle, how do you handle that? We have retracts that we can do for all sets of our wraps. We can do a wheel retract, so if you're not wanting tire shine but you still want something like the carnauba wax, you can still get that. We can also turn off our top wheels, so they're not coming down on our vehicles, and also our top wheels. What's the top wheels? That's the part that's going to come down to make sure your hood, your roof, and your windshield are nice and clean. And then we can turn off, obviously, our big wraps on the side. We can do a retract, so they don't come in onto the vehicle. And just curious, your car washes a straight through tunnel? Yes. Okay. How many vehicles at a time are in the tunnel? On average, you're looking at maybe most at four. Basically, one at the exit, two throughout, and then one at the beginning. How long does a car wash take? It takes about two and a half minutes to get from start to finish. And are there any optional services that you guys offer? We don't have any optional services down here in Florida. Some of our Georgia sites do offer them, but here in Florida, we're just an express wash, which means you get the outside of the vehicle done by us, and then we provide you with towels, all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, and vacuums. So you can do the inside nice and good by yourself. Okay, and that's not extra, it's included? No, that is 100% included. Something we do offer that a lot of people don't know about is rubber mat cleaning. So if you have rubber mats in your car, you can bring them over to our associates and they'll pressure wash them down, make sure they're nice and clean for you. Yeah, they do catch a lot of dirt. This is Mike Roth and Dr. Craig Curtis speaking about Alzheimer's disease. Yeah. Dr. Curtis, can you talk about alcohol use and Alzheimer's? Yes, Mike. They have had studies out for years that show those that have one to two drinks a day actually have a lower risk of heart attack or stroke. And in a study published... That's interesting. That means that people who totally abstain from alcohol have a higher risk? That's a difficult question, Mike. It's yes, those that abstain from alcohol, not with Alzheimer's disease, but actually had a slightly higher risk of heart attack and stroke. However, so this was a study published in June of 2023 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in stress signaling in the brain. So essentially, they had less stress, which we've always known is a risk factor for a heart attack or stroke. But the American College of Cardiology currently is not advocating for the use of alcohol to reduce your risk of heart attack or strokes because of other concerning effects of alcohol on health. With over 20 years of experience studying brain health, Dr. Curtis's goal is to educate the Villages community on how to live a longer, healthier life. To learn more, visit his website, CraigCurtisMD.com or call 352-500-5252 to attend a free seminar. Is there anything special that you need to know as a first time Mr. Clean Car Wash customer and what should people expect? There's nothing crazy special. It's a pretty straightforward process. We try to make it as simple as we can for every guest that comes on a property. What you could expect as a first time guest is you're going to be greeted by one of our associates at the kiosk. Their sole job is to help you pick the wash that is right for you. They will ask you a few questions on what you're looking for. After that, you'll be guided into the tunnel by one of our associates who will prep the front of your car. You'll go through the wash and when you come out, you'll be ready to clean the inside. The most interesting thing that you've learned about your industry since you joined the car wash industry? The most interesting thing that I've learned is how much it changes. They have big car wash shows all over the country and at every single one, there's a new equipment or a new chemical that comes out that is the next best thing and it feels like it's every four months there's something new. How frequently does Mr. Car Wash adopt some of these new chemicals? Normally with chemicals, we stick to the same just due to the fact that we've been able to perfect how we use them with our equipment. We are always open to try new stuff, but we put it through rigorous testing before we roll it out to the sites. What's the most common myth that people have about the car wash industry? The most common myth is that it scratches pain or can cause damage for sure. Everybody has that fear and it is something that I have hardly seen in 10 years. Really? And when did you personally start driving? So I started right when I was 15, got into the car wash game because I loved cars. I wanted to be around them. So I started at one that was two miles down from my house and never looked back since then. Okay. And if you could give a piece of advice to your younger self based on your knowledge now, what would that advice have been to that 15 year old? If I could give one piece of advice to me at 15, it would be work a little bit more. You don't need to go to dinner. Okay. Is there any question you wish that you'd asked someone else that you didn't? Question? How about a cue to that? That's a good one. If I could think of a question that I would have asked somebody when I was younger, it would definitely be how the equipment actually works inside of car washes and how the chemicals interact with each other because up until about four years ago, I knew, but I didn't have a full understanding, but I've really been able to get a good grasp over the last four years. And I wish that's something I would have known when I was 16, 17. Is there a book or an information pamphlet or an online site where potential clients can read about the car wash industry and specifically about Mr. Clean Car Wash that would help them? Yeah. So on mrcleancarwash.com, we have a whole page of just, you know, questions that we've been asked over the years that have very detailed answers. So you can go there and any question you could think of, the answer is probably on our website. That's the perks of being in business for 37 years. Over the past six months, I've seen coupon codes in the Daily Sun offering a free car wash. If you text to a particular number, has that been a successful program for you? It has worked out really well, getting us more involved in the community. We see probably about a day that come through and it's awesome because we're getting to grow with the community and get to meet a lot more people. So it's been awesome. Do you track how many of those 15 come back as repeat customers? We do. I'm ahead. I couldn't really tell you, but we do track how often people are coming and so that way we can offer promotions or if it is someone who's coming a lot, we can be like, hey, trying to save you some money. Membership will be a great thing for you. What is a membership cost on a monthly basis? So our memberships are priced at... Now remember, these are current prices and we're recording in June of 2024. People may be listening to the show in 2027. So we're talking about 2024 pricing. Right now our memberships start off at $24.99, so that's going to be for our bronze and again that's unlimited washes at any of our locations. Our silver is going to be $31.99, gold is going to be $37.99 and the platinum is $44.99. It's double the price of the single wash is how we price it out. So as long as you come twice a month, you're saving at least $2. The more you come, the more you save and you get a clean car with it. So as we approach the rainy season here in Florida, where cars are going to get dirtier, it might make a very good sense. Yeah, definitely. The rain is a big thing and also lovebugs are very heavy down here and they can get on the paint and if you don't have any form of protectant or you're not getting them off in time, they can actually chemically etch the paint and cause little spots on it. Yeah, I've had cars that had acid rain spots up north, hard to get rid of those little white circles on your paint, very hard, a lot of work. Is there any tip that you can give our listeners on how to maintain their car when they're not going to be able to take it to a car wash, say because of time? Really obviously the best thing to do is to wash it. I say at least once a week is ideal. If you don't have the availability to do that, a good hand wax is a great way to protect your car. It's going to create a barrier from the outside world so that way nothing can get on that paint and damage it. And what's your opinion on? Ceramic coatings I think are a great option. I used to apply ceramic coatings. I think they protect the car very well, but you have to do the right maintenance on them. A lot of times you'll see people who they get them and then they don't actually maintain them and that's why we offer the three-step ceramic in our washes so that way you can maintain them and don't have to think about it. What do you think of those ceramic spray-ons that you can buy like AutoZone? Some work very well, some I feel like are a gimmick. I haven't tried a whole bunch of them, but I do know a few that work pretty well. They don't last a long time, but they make the car very shiny and water repellent for a little bit. What's one that works very well? Chemical Guys makes one that is very good. I've seen it last about three weeks before and for a $10 option that's pretty good. Have you ever heard or used something called Max-L? I have heard of it, I've never used it though. I've used it and I'm going to give it mixed reviews. I don't think it does what they say it does when you spray it on a wet car and then hose the car off. I think that frankly doesn't work, but if you put it on, you spray it on your cloth and then do it on a clean car, I think it does work, so it's mixed reviews there. Is there anything else that you want to tell our listeners that we haven't already covered? The biggest thing is a promotion we're going to be doing for all the listeners. We're going to do $7 off any of our washes, so it's going to bring it down a good bit and let you come out and try us out at any point in time. When this goes live, that promotion will be live for 90 days. Okay, and is there a coupon code they need to know? So you've got to go to MrCleanCarWash.com slash- Open Forum in the Villages, Florida. Okay, we're going to pause. So you got it. So what is the website that they should go to get their $7 coupons? Yeah, all you have to do is go to MrCleanCarWash.com slash- Open Forum in the Villages, Florida. Good, thanks very much. Do you have anything else you want to add, Chandler? If you come to my site, I'd love to meet you. Just ask for Chandler and I'll be more than happy to come up and greet you and help you with anything you need. Okay, is there any difference between the Mr. Clean in Leesburg and the Mr. Clean in Oxford? There is not. Everything's set up pretty much the same. Our GM over at our Leesburg location is Jake. He can help you with anything and answer the same questions that you would ask me. Okay, and the offer is the same at either location? Offer is the same at either location. And even if someone goes to Oxford, it's still good? It's good at Oxford, Ocala, and Leesburg. Three locations. Now, where are you located in Ocala? I'm located at 3020 South Pine Ave. Now, I remember in the Leesburg location that you guys had electric chargers. Do you have electric chargers in Oxford as well? We do not. Okay, and what about the Ocala location? Not yet. Okay, but it's good to know that in Leesburg there are electric chargers. Yes. Good. Thanks for joining us today, Chandler, and I'm sure you'll be meeting some of our listeners over time. I'll be more than happy. Thanks for having me on today, Mike. Okay. Remember, our next episode will be released next Friday at 9 a.m. Should you want to become a major supporter of the show or have questions, please contact us at mikeatrothvoice.com. This is a shout-out for supporters Tweet Coleman, Ed Williams, Paul Sorgin, and major supporter Dr. Craig Curtis at K2 in the Villages. We will be hearing more from Dr. Curtis with short Alzheimer's tips each week. If you know someone who should be on the show, contact us at mikeatrothvoice.com. We thank everyone for listening to the show. The content of the show is copyrighted by Rothboys 2024. All rights reserved.