The revolutionary new technology at Willo Wash promises a clean like no other

By Ken McEntee

If you feel a special sense of squeaky clean satisfaction as your vehicle peeps out from the spectacularly lit tunnel at Willo Wash, one reason may be the revolutionary new cleaning system that the family owned car wash has introduced to the area.

That new brush technology, developed by the company that basically invented soft cloth car washing, was the impetus that convinced father and son owners Rick and Ryan Krahe to convert their self-serve Willoughby operation into an automated express tunnel two years ago.

“The new technology developed by Belanger Inc. helped them to make the decision,” reveals Kevin Kraus, general manager of Willo Wash.

“Because of our close relationship with Belanger, we get early access to all of their new developments. This is a significant one. Rick and Ryan were enthusiastically on board when they learned about it.”

The new technology is a rigid but gentle neo-tech foam brushing system that spins slower than normal brushes.

“The brush remains rigid even when it is not spinning, so we don’t rely on centrifugal force to whip the dirt off your car,” Kevin explains.

“Instead, thousands of tiny fingers glide along the car as it passes through our wash tunnel. We rotate the brushes at about 35 percent of the usual speed, that results in a quieter, anxiety-free wash. The brush doesn’t retain water; it only applies it so it doesn’t retain dirt and grime that could scratch your paint.”

Currently, Willo Wash is the first and only facility in the area using the new technology.

Willo Wash’s first dibs on new car washing equipment and technology are possible partially because of the other part of Rick and Ryan’s business, car wash repair.

“We service car washes all over Northeast Ohio, including a contract with a major corporate client with a large presence in Northeast Ohio,” Kevin says.

“We’ve seen just about every type of system out there, so we know quite a bit about what works and what doesn’t. That’s one reason why we are so trusted by a company like Belanger.”

While the WilloWash technology is new, its personal service revives an old idea from the days before customers interfaced exclusively with machines.

“For better customer service, we always have a real attendant at the entrance of the wash instead of just a machine that takes your payment,” Kevin says.

“We firmly believe it makes our customers feel comfortable in case they have a question. While most car washes’ focus is the car, we strive to also focus on the customer.” The goal at Willo Wash is for a stress-free, personal experience for its clients.

And kind of fun as well.

That’s because the bright LED lights that illuminate each process in your wash are reminiscent of a festive amusement park.

“The lights are fun, but there is actually a reason for them as well,” Kevin emphasizes. “Each color is associated with one of our four wash packages.”

For example, as each process of Willo Wash’s best value Blue Wash activates, the corresponding blue lights on that piece of equipment—such as the Turtle Wax Ice Premium Liquid Wax Coat—illuminate.

The fun at Willo Wash also emanates from its friendly staff, Kevin insists.

“A customer recently remarked that everybody who works here is always in a real good mood, which we feel is a real success,” Kevin says.

“We work to maintain a good morale by treating our employees well and listening to what they have to say and taking their suggestions. After all, they’re the people who are interacting with our customers. They’re happy because they have an active role, and that is evident to our customers. It provides an energy that would be lacking if we just had a machine out there.”

Willo Wash offers unlimited washes at the flat rate of $32 a month. With an unlimited package, you can choose any wash level each time you visit.

For example, if you buy unlimited Blue Washes—singularly priced at $16 per wash—you would recoup your $32 with just two trips. After that, you can come back as many times as you want that month at no additional charge.

The Blue Wash includes:

• Turtle Wax Ice Premium Liquid Wax Coat
• Turtle Wax Tire Shine
• Undercarriage Blast
• Rust Inhibitor
• Tire Wash
• Tire Blast
• Hi-Foam Soap Wash
• Spot-Free Rinse

If that’s more than you need, you can opt for the less loaded Yellow, Red or Green washes.

After you and your vehicle leave the tunnel, you’re welcome to use Willo Wash’s free microfiber towels, Turtle Wax glass cleaner and vacuums to self-detail the inside of your car.

Weather permitting, Willo Wash is open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is located at 5000 SOM Center Road, in Willoughby. You can visit WilloWash.com for more details, or stay connected on Facebook and Twitter for deals, discounts and announcements.