How the Sgt. Clean magic happens

Last month, I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Interior Clean Center at the Sgt. Clean Car Wash location in Green. It was good to see so many people from the community turn out for the celebration, including Mayor Rocco Yeargin, Green Area Chamber of Commerce members, and dozens of Sgt. Clean team members from other locations in Northeast Ohio. 

During my time there, I spoke with many attendees who were eager to discuss interior cleaning. A common theme I heard was that people didn’t know what to expect when they arrived. That’s not surprising considering there’s nothing in the region quite like this facility.

A Step-by-Step Guide

For those curious about what to expect, here’s what I experience every time I visit the Interior Clean Center at Sgt. Clean Car Wash in Green:

Upon entering the lot, I make a quick stop at the bug prep station right before reaching the payment kiosk. My car attracts all sorts of bugs that meet their end on my windshield, and a quick scrub with the soft brushes and bug-removing soap always does the trick. 

As a member of the Unlimited Wash Club, I pull into the members’ lane, and the gate goes up immediately. This is one of the top perks of being a member. Regardless of the lines in the other lanes, I can skip the wait by using the designated member lane and get right into the carwash.

The wash itself is fast, efficient, and thorough. The drying blowers and soft cloth at the end leave my car with very few water spots. And the exit sign, customized to each visitor, always reads, “Thank You, John,” a nice touch that makes me feel recognized.

After exiting the wash, I take a left turn and enter the interior clean entry lanes. There are trash cans in those lanes, so I always take a quick second to throw away any loose trash I may have in my cupholders or console. There are always a few receipts and napkins that have accumulated in my car since the last visit. Afterward, I make another left and get in line for the interior cleaning.



As the door opens, I’m waved in by one of Sgt. Clean’s friendly team members onto the state-of-the-art car-moving conveyor belt. I’m asked to exit the vehicle with my keys in it, and the team helps me remove any items from the vehicle on the seats, like a car seat in the back, which takes just a few seconds to remove. It’s placed in front of my vehicle to ride along with my car on the conveyor belt. I’m then directed to the waiting area, where I typically make myself a cup of coffee while I wait.

This is when the real magic happens. The entire team descends on my vehicle in unison. It’s just like watching a NASCAR pit crew. Together, each team member starts working on their designated area of my car. One team member takes out my floor mats and runs them through one of two specialized cleaning machines—one for carpet-style mats and another rubber mats.

At the same time, the team uses a tool called a Tornador to remove the dust from my dash, vents, and seats. A Tornador is a high-pressure air hose with water-mist and a small amount of soap built in that helps loosen any stuck-on debris. It does a much better job than I could ever do.

As my car moves along the belt, the team starts to work on the windows. When I would wash my car myself, I disliked having to clean the windshield. It’s such an awkward position to be in, and I could never do a good enough job. It’s evident that this team has practiced the right way to do this. They do a spectacular job in a fraction of the time it would take me to do it. 

Next, the team wipes down the dashboard and console, getting into the nooks and crannies. At the same time, they vacuum the seats and floors with hoses suspended from the ceiling. They’re on rollers, which allows the team to spend as much time as needed to get my car’s surfaces as clean as possible.

Lastly, they wipe down all my door jambs before handing me my keys and thanking me for visiting. Every time I get back in my vehicle after the interior cleaning, I’m impressed by just how clean they can get everything in under nine minutes. It’s astounding. All told, I’m onsite for 15 minutes—from pulling onto the lot to heading to my next destination.

Don’t take my word for it. You can stop by the new Interior Clean at the Sgt. Clean Green location and experience it for yourself. 

Sgt. Clean has 16 locations in Northeast Ohio, including the newly renovated carwash and Interior Clean tunnel at 3673 Massillon Road in Green/Uniontown. For more information, visit SgtClean.com.