TodayThis car wash goes to the dogs
New Shippensburg business cleans your car ... and offers a spa for your pooch
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Article RatingA new car wash — one where you can also scrub your dog — opened quietly last week in Shippensburg.
The Commerce Car Wash and Doggy Spa off Baltimore Road in Shippensburg Township will celebrate its grand opening April 19, says Bob Mentzer, partner and general manager of the business.
Both the auto and dog stations are ready for business, however. Customers began trickling in last week and the momentum is growing.
With leftover winter grime fouling shiny paint jobs outside, and old Rover giving off a not-quite-identifiable scent indoors, Mentzer may have chosen an ideal time to begin his endeavor.
Commerce Car Wash offers two options for vehicles and a menu of convenience features.
A touchless wash version means nothing touches your car except water pressure and cleaning solutions. But, Mentzer says, the “big foam brushes” of the soft wash are equally gentle.
Both of the Mark 7 models offer several price options, accept credit cards as well as cash and offer wash options that include blow-drying. The Mark 7 systems tout a spotless rinse.
Both are automatic — no need to leave the vehicle — and take about five minutes. The concrete apron around the exterior is heated in the winter to minimize the impact of ice.
Mentzer operates a car wash in Carlisle that offers just the touchless version. He wanted both options in Shippensburg.
“We put in both, because there are people who don’t think their car is clean unless something touches it, and others who don’t want anything touching their finish,” Mentzer says.
The washes are open 24 hours and seven days and require no attendant. Coin and currency changes are available along with machine-dispensed towels and other accessories.
Mentzer says he added the dog wash “because we had the room and they’re successful other places.”
He’s also “test driving” the dog wash with his hulking black Lab, Clifford.
“The convenience of not making a big mess at home is the big advantage,” Mentzer says. “Clifford is pretty laid back, but he still likes to jump out of the bath tub sometimes when I wash him at home.”
A built-in leash attach at the doggy spa solves that problem.
A ramp makes entry into the big stainless steel tub easy for the dog, and the elevated position of the tub eliminates the stooping and bending associated with canine bath time.
A hose and nozzle that resemble a commercial dishwasher attachment deliver the water and other beauty secrets for your dog.
The dog wash control panel features disinfectant to clean the tub of anything left behind by the last customer, oatmeal shampoo, conditioner and dog deodorizer,
Two bucks buys four minutes of dog wash flow. For $5, you get 10 minutes — and it works on cats for anyone up to the challenge.
