UPDATE FEB 2019: WE ARE SAD TO HEAR THAT THE BOYS AT WASH DOCTORS HAVE DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY. WE WILL MISS YOU, OUR CARS WILL MISS YOU! BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR FUTURE ENDEAVOURS.
Ever wondered how people find the time to spend an hour every week/month/ year getting their car cleaned. I do. Our last car got to the stage that our daughter cried every time she got in it. Not something we’re proud of. Wash Doctors is the answer for all of us who want to be car proud but just don’t have the time to spare.
What they do: An easy to use app that brings car cleaning to your doorstep.
What they say: ‘We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get your car washed, even when you’re busy doing other (more fun) things. That’s why we come to you. Simply pinpoint your car’s location, tell us how long your car is parked for, and the rest is done for you. On our time, not yours!’
How it works: Using wash doctors is truly simple.
- Select the service you want – you can chose a ‘recovery wash – Bring your car back to life’ for £12-16 or a ‘Revival Wash – Go the extra mile’ for £18-24
- Add an interior clean (optional) for £10-14
- Confirm your location, time you’d like your Wash Doctor to call & input the car details
- Add payment and you’re good to go
Your Wash Doctor will arrive within your chosen 2 hour designated time slot and before long, your car will be sparking without you lifting a finger (unless you need to unlock the car for an interior clean).
As an aside: Importantly (to us) in light of the recent controversy with the ‘gig economy’ and likes of Deliveroo, Wash Doctors proudly states ‘Your Wash Doctor gets 80% of the fee of every wash, setting a gold standard for self-employed valeters. With cases of modern slavery rife in the car wash industry, our promise is to offer an alternative you can trust.‘ It’s hard to know how far this goes in light of the whole controversy (ie employee rights) but it definitely gives you some feeling towards a mindful balance. In addition, the company claim that they use less than 1 per cent of the average 200 litres of a standard wash. That can only be a good thing.
What we say: I never worried much about the cleanliness of my car, probably because I was the only one who used it. And I kept it clean. And I thew my rubbish away. And I wasn’t 6. Fast forward 10 years and the negative correlation between needing to clean the car when you have kids and the amount of time you have to do so is one of life’s great ironies. Throw in a dog and you’re done for. If anyone offers to make our car anything less than a cess pit, quite frankly I’m in.
Our experience: Our Wash Doctor arrived 30 minutes into our designated time slot (7am-9am – we have small children) on his scooter with his Wash Doctor box on his back. I wouldn’t have known he was there if I hadn’t checked to see if anyone was outside. Miklos was charming. There is no other word for it. I offered him a cup of tea (doesn’t everyone?!) and his internal debate on the diplomacy of accepting was almost audible – thankfully he accepted in the end (it was a grizly October morning, the type of day best spent inside not cleaning other people’s cars). We’d chosen the recovery wash with the internal deep clean and Miklos was hard at work for the best part of 45 minutes. I’m not sure the time taken is a reflection of how bad a state our car was in or if this is the usual length of cleaning time required, however suffice to say no car wash I’ve ever gone to has stretched it out over 10 minutes, just as no car cleaner has ever removed the kid’s booster seats and exposed themselves to the horrors underneath. That’s what 45 minutes gets you. In the end our car was sparkling and the insides were are good as new. Miklos finished up and would have moved off silently, had he not had to ring the doorbell to return our mug.
Would we use it again: Absolutely!
Usefulness rating: 8/10
