Now that winter is coming to an end and spring is on its way, you may be planning a car wash to raise money for your school, sports team, church, or charitable cause. If you’ve ever attended one before — as a participant or as a customer — you know there are dos and don’ts.

Once you have team members (you must have a minimum of five people) committed to making this event a success, follow these eight steps to have a successful car wash fundraiser.

1. Select a suitable date.

Since you want a lot of volunteers to attend, pick a date 4-5 weeks in advance so everyone can plan around it. Saturdays usually work best, as many people are on the road without the time constraints of commuting on weekdays. Schedule a backup date in case it rains.

2. Locate a location

Go for a spot with a large parking lot that is easily accessible from a main road or intersection. Check to see if there are any other community events in your area that day that will draw a large crowd.

Please ask the owner of the parking lot for permission and do not interfere with their normal course of business. Ask the landlord about event liability insurance. This location must also have access to water.

3. Plan ahead of time

Check your city or province’s environmental laws about drainage. Next, gather your supplies (the more you can borrow, the better): tonnes of 5-gallon buckets, eco-friendly car soap, towels, sponges, brushes, a 150-foot garden hose with a spray nozzle, large billboards, a donation bucket, a washing line for drying towels, and all specialised cleaning items (laundry, window cleaner, etc.). Keep drinks handy for your employees!

4. Publicize!

Get the news out ahead of the event through flyers, social media, and community boards. These messages should indicate when, where, who, why, and how much. Create bright poster board signs with fun graphics and expressive words that you can wave on the date of the event.

Determine a fair, attractive price with which you can still earn money; $5 is typical, but you can have two different prices depending on the size of the vehicle.

5. Get Your System Organized

Assign each participant a specific task, as if they were a member of an assembly line. This approach should be used both before and after preparation (location scouting, purchasing supplies, etc.) and on the day of (the washer, dryer, money collector, and advertiser).

Meet half an hour earlier in the day to coordinate and set everything up. Organize your system like a drive-through.

6. Wash thoroughly!

Limit the actual washing and drying time to 12–15 minutes. And when it gets busy, be prepared to break into two or more lines.

It is important to wash the car in a certain way so that it is effective and does not irritate picky customers. Start by rinsing the car using the hose (once all windows are closed), then soak your sponges in soap and scrub the entire car, including the wheels, windows, and number plates. Start on the roof and work your way down. Wet the car regularly so it doesn’t dry out until you’re done, especially if it’s hot outside. Keep the buckets filled with clean soap and avoid getting dirt or gravel into the sponges.

7. Sell additional items

While your customers are waiting in line to have their cars washed, you can sell them things like drinks, baked desserts, candy bars, hot dogs, snacks, and the like. You can even charge a little extra for luxury services like waxing, vacuuming, or washing windows with a special cleaner.

8. Strike a balance

This is probably the most difficult aspect of working with a group of volunteers. It can be difficult to strike a balance between having fun and staying put at work. If you do that, you’ll have a fantastic car wash fundraiser that’s memorable and brings in a lot of money.

Organizing a car wash can be a great way to gather support for your business. Be sure to take a moment to introduce yourself and your goal before your customers drive off in their sparkling clean cars!