A modern express car wash tunnel applies colorful cleaning foam to a vehicle. Take 5 Car Wash is a nationwide chain of automated touchless car wash tunnels. Today (2025), it operates roughly 400 locations across the United States. At a Take 5 drive-thru wash, you stay in your car while high-pressure water jets, detergents, and foams clean your vehicle. This guide explains how it works, what services and memberships they offer, and provides tips for acquiring the best results.
How Take 5 Car Wash Works – Step by Step
When you pull your car into a Take 5 tunnel, detectors start the wash cycle automatically. First, a pre-soak coat covers the car with a cleaning solution. Next, high-pressure water and shampoo wash away dirt and grime. One key stage is the Active Foam or Power Foam step: thick, brightly-colored foam envelops your car’s surface, clinging to bugs and road dirt to loosen debris. The images below show how this foam coats the car’s windshield and body:
Thick active cleaning foam covers a car’s windshield inside a touchless car wash tunnel. After the foam, a spot-free rinse flushes away soap residue. In higher packages, the system then applies wax and rain-repellent coatings before the final rinse. No brushes ever touch the car – the entire procedure uses jets and foams to protect your paint. The wash is extremely fast (often just 3–5 minutes), so you are quickly back on the road with a freshly cleaned vehicle. After exiting, you can use the free vacuums and detail stations to dry and tidy your car’s interior.
Take 5 Car Wash Prices [ Updated 2025 ]
Take 5 Car Wash offers four main wash tiers (prices shown are base rates):
- Wash – $11/wash: Includes pre-soak, shampoo wash, and spot-free rinse. This basic wash gives your car a clean finish.
- Triple Clean – $16/wash: All features of the Wash plus tire soak, tri-foam conditioner, and rust prevent. The extra foams and protectants give a deeper clean and help protect wheels and paint.
- Triple Clean Plus – $21/wash: Includes everything in Triple Clean plus power foam wash, wax protect, rain repel, and tire shine. This tier adds conditioners and wax for extra shine and water beading.
- Plus (Pro5™) – $27/wash: Includes the full Pro5™ treatment (all of the above) plus an Armor All Ceramic Shield coating. The ceramic shield adds a durable protective barrier for long-lasting gloss.
Note: Actual Take 5 Car Wash Prices may vary by location. All packages contain a free vacuum at the end (see below). Optional add-ons (interior cleaning, extra detailing) are available at some stations.
Unlimited Membership and Deals
Take 5 offers a monthly Unlimited Membership (a flat-fee wash club) and other bundle deals:
- Unlimited Club: For one low monthly fee, you can wash every day at any Take 5 location – truly any wash, anytime, anywhere. Take 5 advertises this plan as zero hassle: there’s no contract or sign-up fee and a simple flat rate. Once you join, just drive into the wash lane and the system recognizes your membership (no need to pay per visit). Unlimited passes auto-renew each month but can be canceled at any time.
- Prepaid Wash Packs: If you don’t want a monthly plan, you can still save by purchasing wash bundles online or via the Take 5 app. For example, digital 5-for-4 wash packs are offered (buy 5 washes for the cost of 4). These one-time packs give a 20% discount on multiple washes and do not auto-renew.
- Mobile App Deals: Take 5’s app regularly features promotions. For instance, downloading the Take 5 app gives you an instant $5 credit on your next wash. The app also lets you buy memberships and packs digitally and skip the line at the tunnel.
- Military and Other Plans: Special pricing (such as military discounts) may be available, and Take 5 offers fleet programs for business vehicles. Check the Take 5 website for current offers.
All Unlimited memberships and wash packs work at any Take 5 location in the U.S. – your plan follows you from state to state.
Customer Benefits and Extras
Take 5 locations include several customer-friendly amenities that add value:
- Free Vacuums & Detail Center: Every Take 5 station has powerful free vacuums and a complimentary Pro5™ Detail Center. The Detail Center is stocked with cleaning sprays, Armor All products, air fresheners, and microfiber towels for customer use. After your wash, you can vacuum the interior and wipe surfaces at no extra cost.
- Complimentary Water and Service: Many customers report small perks that enhance the experience. For example, staff often hand out free bottled water while you wait. One reviewer noted, They offer you a bottle of water to drink while you wait. Others praise the fast, friendly service – one said Everyone was very nice, very quick, and I had superior service.
- Speed and Convenience: Expect a quick visit. Because Take 5 uses express tunnels and staff on hand to assist, wait times are minimal. You stay inside your car the whole time (like a drive-thru), so it’s fast and convenient, even on a tight schedule.
- Ease of Payment: You can pay at a kiosk on-site or with the app, or simply drive through if you have an active membership. Contactless payments and mobile wallet choices are usually supported.
Overall, the combination of high-tech washing, Take 5 Coupons & deals, and extra perks makes Take 5 a popular choice for car owners who want a fast, thorough wash with minimal effort.
Tips for the Best Take 5 Wash
Here are some of the proven best tricks that will help you to take the best Take 5 car wash.
Prepare Your Vehicle:
Before entering, fold in the side mirrors and retract or remove any antennas. Close all windows and sunroofs to prevent water intrusion. Remove loose objects from the bed of a truck, if applicable.
Enter Carefully:
Drive straight into the bay at the marked spot. The system will automatically center your car. Stay slow and steady – rushing can cause steering interruptions during the wash cycle.
Stay Inside During the Wash:
Do not roll down windows or get out of the vehicle during the wash. Take 5’s touchless system cleans your car thoroughly without any manual brushing, so just enjoy the ride.
Use Take 5 Car Wash Membership:
If you have an Unlimited pass, the system will recognize your account when you enter (via license plate or RFID tag). If not, you can wipe your membership card or app at the reader.
Enjoy the Freebies:
After the wash, make the most of the complimentary amenities. Use the vacuums and detail supplies to clean the interior. Take 5 also provides complimentary cleaner spray and wipes if you want to wipe down dashboards or doors. Don’t forget to grab the free water bottle for the road if it’s offered!
Wash Timing:
For the shortest lines, try visiting on weekday mornings or early afternoons. Even so, Take 5 stations are designed for efficiency, so even during busier times move quickly.
Membership Savings:
If you plan to wash frequently (more than ~3–4 times per month), the Unlimited Take 5 car wash membership often pays for itself. For occasional use, consider prepaid packs to save on bulk washes.
Vehicle Size Limits:
Make sure your car fits the tunnel. Take 5 tunnels accommodate vehicles up to 7 feet 2 inches tall and 85 inches (about 7.1 feet) wide. Trucks with dual rear wheels (duallies) or large cargo vans may exceed these limits and cannot be washed.
Environmental and Safety Notes
Take 5’s modern touchless technology is generally safe for car finishes and helps conserve resources:
- Water Recycling: Take 5 (now part of the Whistle Express network) uses advanced water-reclamation systems. Their stations typically reclaim about 85% of the water used in a wash, meaning greatly reduced water consumption – roughly 10% of what you’d use washing at home. This makes it much more eco-friendly than a hose-and-bucket car wash.
- Gentle on Paint: Because no brushes are scrubbing against the paint, a touchless wash reduces the risk of scratches and swirl marks. Take 5’s cleansers and waxes (powered by Armor All products) help protect your car’s surface.
- Chemical Safety: The soaps and waxes are formulated for automotive use. They are strong enough to remove grime but are rinsed off immediately, so there’s no sticky residue left behind when you drive away.
Conclusion
Take 5 Car Wash offers a fast, convenient way to keep your car clean with touchless express tunnels and value-packed memberships. Whether you pay-per-wash or join the Unlimited club, you get a thorough multi-stage clean (some packages even include wax and ceramic coating), plus customer-friendly perks like free vacuums and bottled water. Hundreds of locations nationwide mean you can find a Take 5 car wash location just about anywhere in the U.S. For busy drivers, the combination of speed, quality, and affordable unlimited plans makes it a standout choice.
Next steps: Visit Take 5’s website or download the Take 5 mobile app to find your Take 5 car wash near me, compare packages, and grab any current Take 5 car wash coupons and promotions. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be ready for a great car wash experience that fits your needs and budget.
FAQ's For Take 5 Car Wash
It’s a chain of express, touchless car wash tunnels across the U.S. Vehicles stay inside while automated machines spray water, soap, and wax to clean. As of 2025, Take 5 has roughly 400 locations all over the world. The service is fast (no appointment needed) and available as individual washes or via a monthly Take 5 car wash membership.
Take 5 offers four main tiers. The basic Wash ($11) includes a pre-soak, shampoo wash, and spot-free rinse. Upgrading to Triple Clean ($16) adds tire soak, a foaming conditioner, and rust inhibitor. The Triple Clean Plus ($21) adds power foam, wax, and tire shine. The top-tier Plus wash ($27) includes everything plus an Armor All ceramic-shield coating. (Prices can vary by location.) All washes come with free vacuum use afterward.
Yes – the Take 5 Unlimited plan lets you wash as often as you like for one flat monthly fee. There’s no contract or sign-up fee, and once enrolled, you can drive through any Take 5 tunnel with no per-wash charge. If you prefer not to subscribe, you can buy prepaid wash packs (like 5 washes for the price of 4) online or via the app.
Absolutely. An Unlimited membership works across the entire Take 5 network. So if you travel, you can use your plan at the closest Take 5 station wherever you are, without restrictions.
Yes. Every Take 5 location provides free powerful vacuums for customers after they wash. There’s also a complimentary Detail Center with microfiber towels, cleaning sprays, and air fresheners. These extras are included with any wash. In short, if you buy a wash at Take 5, you get to vacuum your car’s interior and use the provided supplies at no additional cost.
Take 5 tunnels are sized for most cars and SUVs. Vehicle height must be under about 7′2″ and width under 85″ (roughly 7.1 feet) to fit safely. Trucks or vans with dual rear wheels (duallies) and very tall vehicles usually cannot go through. Always check the clearance signs at the entrance; if your vehicle is oversized, a full-service or manual wash might be required instead.
Compared to a home wash, yes. The express tunnel uses far less water (on the order of 91% less than washing at home) because of advanced water recycling. Take 5 reclaims roughly 85% of the water used. So you get a clean car while using much less water and runoff going down the drain.
About The Author
Nikhil Sahu
Nikhil Sahu is an automotive expert with extensive industry experience who manages multiple blogs, including one focused on providing detailed guides and reviews, such as those on Carcareinfo. Nikhil aims to help car enthusiasts and everyday drivers make informed decisions about vehicle maintenance, products, and automotive technology.