Last week, Mel and I had the chance to attend the Heartland Car Wash Show in Council Bluffs, Iowa—a regional event that’s trying to find its footing again after a few bumpy years. If you’ve never been, the Heartland Show has historically drawn together car wash professionals from across the Midwest, but this year’s event came with some caveats. While it wasn’t the most polished affair we’ve attended, we walked away with the impression that there’s real potential for this show to evolve into something meaningful. That is, if the organizers can push through the growing pains.

Google is updating its Ads Transparency policy in May and June 2025. Here's what car wash advertisers need to know to keep their payer name and billing details accurate.

Precision, Pressure, and a Pitch: The Allen Jones Legacy

For a long time, a certain story has drifted through the car wash world like a sudsy ghost. You’ll hear it in conventions, on websites and blogs, whispered reverently by folks who swear their uncle told them about it once: that the first automatic car wash opened in Hollywood, California in the 1940s. That it used a winch system to pull cars through a tunnel while attendants handled the scrub-down and drying. That it wasn't a FULLY automatic carwash, but it had the first automatic component - a winch and pully system to bring cars through a tunnel. Some claim it even used a tractor or a team of horses to automate the chain system.

The car wash industry has seen tremendous growth in recent years, yet when it comes to insurance, it remains one of the most underserved sectors. Historically, car wash owners and operators have been left with generic, boilerplate policies that fail to address the unique risks they face. That’s where we come in.

At the Heartland Car Wash Show, OhmCo shared how car wash owners can use a simple Mother’s Day campaign to attract customers and turn them into loyal fans with the power of social media.At the Heartland Show, OhmCo’s Mel Ohlinger shared a proven Mother's Day campaign strategy that uses social media to build real loyalty—without a big budget. OG Image Alt Text: OhmCo presents social media strategy at the Heartland Car Wash Show

Make it look more like a parking lot to illustrate this concept: **What is DNS (and What’s a URL)?** You’ve probably heard of DNS (Domain Name System) and URL (Uniform Resource Locator), but what do these terms mean, and how do they work together to bring websites to life? Let’s break it down using OhmCo’s website https://www.carwash-marketing.com/

The social media landscape is changing fast, and carwash owners need to stay prepared. With TikTok’s potential sale or shutdown, its 170 million U.S. users and countless small businesses are facing a major shift. What’s the real story, and how can it affect your marketing? Here’s what’s happening, what it means for your business, and steps to adapt and keep your customers engaged.