Mobile car-wash squads go underground in Palma

PALMA's Municipal Carpark Association (SMAP) presented their new car-wash service yesterday.
The facilities will be on offer in the underground carparking areas of Via Roma, Santa Payesa, Parque del Mar and Comte Sallent, in what has been described as an “innovative” and “revolutionary” move. The City Council has confirmed that the franchise is controlled by Super Wash S.L., whose specialists will provide a complete cleaning and maintenance service for parked vehicles. Further details revealed that the client will be able to request a car-wash without having to move his vehicle from one place to another. Operators will be able to give the car “the treatment” for about half an hour whilst the car is in its parking space. Javier Merida, Super Wash S.L. company manager, explained that the service consists of a wash, a hoover, cleaning, and waxing of the vehicle. The client can choose whether he wants only the outside washed without having to hand over the keys of the car for reasons of security. The total process is completed in approximately 30 minutes for the cost of 12 euros for an external clean of a private car (14 euros if it is a 4 x 4); 8 euros for an inside clean (10 euros for a 4 x 4); and 16 euros for a complete clean (20 for a 4 x 4). After the cleaning process, the service includes a tyre pressure check and guaging of the levels of liquid in the engine (including brake fluid and anti-freeze). The City Council highlight the fact that the manual cleaning system provides “an important opportunity to save water”.
According to Alvaro Gijon, Transit and Transport deputy in Palma City Council, the most innovative aspect of the system is that each car-wash will involve the use of no more than 4 litres of water. Compared to automatic “tunnel” car-washes, this represents a saving of 145 litres per vehicle. Gijon went on to say that SMAP had planned installing “tunnel” wash facilities but due to environmental savings, and the fact that the tunnels accumulate car grease which mutates into toxic residue, this new mobile alternative had been selected as being “better than the traditional system”. As a start, one mobile cleaning unit is on standby in Santa Payesa parking facilities and two in each of the carparks at Via Roma, Parque del Mar and Comte Sallent. There are plans to add a third to each of these last three.
Meanwhile, as of October, Manacor carpark will also have a mobile cleaning unit available.
Separately, Super Wash S.L. is collaborating with the non-governmental organisation “Let's help a child” and contributes to projects of Cooperation and Development, sponsoring children in the area of Cristo Rey in Nicaragua. Each mobile car-wash unit is named after a sponsored child.