Pick your vehicle layout
Choose what will carry your water, power, and gear. You get the gear list for that layout, then a load check against its label.
Van setup
Gear for a van setup
In buying order. Check each listing against the load check below before you buy. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details.
- 65-gallon baffled water tankPick a tank made for vehicle mounting, with baffles to limit sloshing. Full, 65 gallons of water weigh about 542 lb before the tank, and it all counts against payload.Search Amazon: 65-gallon baffled water tank, opens in a new tab
- 12 V water pumpMoves water from the tank to a hose for a hand rinse. Check its flow and fittings before you buy.Search Amazon: 12 V water pump, opens in a new tab
- Battery power stationRuns inside the van with no exhaust. Size it with the power planner before you buy.Search Amazon: Battery power station, opens in a new tab
- Flexzilla 50 ft hose and nozzle kit50 ft hose with a nozzle and quick connects. It attaches to the washer inlet, or use the nozzle for a hand rinse.View on Amazon: Flexzilla 50 ft hose and nozzle kit, opens in a new tab
- Active 2.3 detailing washer kitElectric washer kit with hose, gun, and foam cannon. Use it with a 120 V outlet and the customer’s water supply. Fit the included 1.45 mm foam cannon orifice before first use.View on Amazon: Active 2.3 detailing washer kit, opens in a new tab
- Rhino USA ratchet tie-down setFour 15 ft ratchet straps, rated 607 lb working load each. Use rated anchor points. Not for lifting.View on Amazon: Rhino USA ratchet tie-down set, opens in a new tab
- IRIS WeatherPro 44 qt storage binsTwo bins with gasket lids: one for clean towels, one for clean tools. Keep chemicals upright and separate.View on Amazon: IRIS WeatherPro 44 qt storage bins, opens in a new tab
Size power with the power planner. Searches are not recommendations. See the full kit in the startup packages.
What a van setup needs
- Water
- An onboard tank and pump, so you can wash where the customer has no tap.
- Power
- A battery power station inside, or a generator set up outdoors at each job.
- Load limit to check
- Payload on the tire and loading label in the driver door frame. Water, tank, shelves, gear, and people all count.
- Storage
- Shelves and tie-downs fixed to the van. Chemicals kept within label temperature limits.
Payload check
65 gallons of water weigh about 542 lb.
Enter the payload limit and the weight of everyone riding to run the check.
A planning estimate, not an approval. Weigh the loaded vehicle and each axle at a scale.
Mobile detailing setup by vehicle
| Layout | Water | Power | Limit to check | Example water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van | Onboard tank | Power station or outdoor generator | Payload on the door label | 65 gal: 542 lb |
| Trailer | Tank on the trailer | Outdoor generator or power station | Trailer GVWR, tongue weight, tow rating | 100 gal: 834 lb |
| Truck bed | Small tank or customer’s tap | Power station, outdoor generator, or customer’s outlet | Payload on the door label | 50 gal: 417 lb |
| Car trunk | Customer’s tap or rinseless | Customer’s outlet or small power station | People and cargo limit on the door label | No onboard tank |
Tank sizes in the table are examples for the weight math, not advice on what to buy. A trailer adds its own weight limit, and tongue weight presses down on the tow vehicle. Each layout link opens the Setup Builder with its water, power, and services filled in. Working from a pickup? Check which water tanks fit your truck bed.
Learning path
0 of 3 marked complete
- Plan the equipment
Confirm the water and power available at the job.
- Check water and weight
Use measured water use and the vehicle payload.
- Include travel in your price
Count setup, travel, and cleanup time.
What a mobile car wash setup needs
A mobile setup passes when it covers six items for every job you sell.
- Water: the customer’s supply, your own tank, or a rinseless method.
- Power: the customer’s outlet, a battery power station, or a generator used outdoors.
- Wash water plan: a local answer on where dirty water may go.
- Vehicle load: people, water, and gear within the vehicle’s labeled limits.
- Storage: secure, in work order, with chemicals kept within label limits.
- Price: a minimum that covers travel, setup, refills, and your time.
If one item has no answer, the setup fails for that job. Fix that item before you book the work.
Choose where water and power come from
| Setup | What you need to confirm |
|---|---|
| Customer’s water and power | Permission, suitable connections, safe access, and enough hose and cord |
| Customer’s water, your power | All water checks, plus a power source with enough output and runtime |
| Your water and power | Tank, pump, power source, safe mounting, refills, and full vehicle load |
| Rinseless wash | A suitable product, soil level, method, and plan for dirty water and towels |
Rinseless washing uses a product made to clean without a final hose rinse. It is not suitable for every dirty vehicle. Follow the label and offer only work the method can complete.
Using customer utilities can let you start without buying a tank or generator. State those needs before booking. Have a plan to reschedule if the site is unsuitable.
Check the work site
Ask about parking, shade, access, water, and power. Check local rules for noise and commercial work at each address type.
Plan where the wash water goes
Storm drains can carry runoff into rivers and lakes without treatment, the EPA says. Wash water from a paid job needs a plan before you arrive.
- Ask the local stormwater or wastewater office where mobile washing is allowed.
- Ask whether you must collect the water, and where collected water may be disposed of.
- Write down the answer, the office, and the date for each area you serve.
If the office requires collection, add the gear to your load and price. Collection gear can include a containment mat and a pump or vacuum.
Rinseless products still leave dirt and chemicals on towels and in buckets. Ask how to dispose of that water too.
Wash water check: pass when each service area has a recorded answer with the office and date. Fail when an area has no answer, or when your plan differs from it. Fix it by getting the answer or by working only at sites with approved collection.
Ask about fresh paint, wraps, film, and coatings. Check their care rules before choosing a wash method or date.
Count the whole vehicle load
Water weighs about 8.34 pounds per US gallon. A full 50-gallon tank holds about 417 pounds of water, before the tank itself. These are planning estimates.
Also count people, shelves, the tank mount, hoses, pumps, tools, chemicals, batteries, and all other cargo. Include collected wastewater. Use the Water Tank Planner to add the weights and compare refill needs.
Check the vehicle’s tire and loading label for the limit on people and cargo. Check its certification label for total vehicle and axle limits. Read the owner’s manual and any labels added after a conversion. Do not use an empty-vehicle brochure figure as approval for your loaded van.
Have a qualified installer plan tank mounting, load placement, and plumbing. Weigh the completed vehicle and each axle. A calculator cannot approve a vehicle build.
Size the power supply
List the tools that may run at the same time. Check their running power and extra power needed at startup. Then check runtime, charging or fuel needs, cord ratings, weather protection, and circuit limits. The power planner adds the watts by job stage and checks a generator, power station, or outlet.
A battery power station produces no exhaust during use, but still needs enough output and stored energy. Follow its charging, temperature, and weather limits.
A fuel-powered generator can cause fatal carbon monoxide poisoning. Never run a portable generator inside a van, home, garage, or other enclosed space, even with doors open. CPSC says to use it outdoors at least 20 feet from homes, with exhaust facing away. Keep exhaust away from doors, windows, vents, and people. Follow all generator instructions, including refueling and weather rules.
Load tools in work order
- Water and powerConfirm the supply before booking. Keep connections accessible.
- Equipment and loadCount water, people, tools, and mounts against vehicle limits.
- Storage and accessSecure equipment. Separate clean towels from used tools.
Keep frequently used items easy to reach. Secure every item for travel. Store chemicals within their labeled temperature limits; a parked van may get too hot.
Keep clean towels covered and separate from used towels. Carry enough for the planned jobs and let washed towels dry before storage.
Check whether an upgrade pays for itself
Record driving, setup, work, and cleanup time. Include parking, tolls, fuel or charging, and refill costs. Set a service area and minimum price that cover the full job.
Use the break-even calculator to estimate how many jobs could repay new equipment after costs and your pay. Use your own figures. Extra water or power does not guarantee more bookings.
Guides for your mobile setup
- Choose a car detailing vacuum for paid work. Choose a detailing vacuum using exact manuals, kit costs, power, fit, parts, and stock. Includes a worked budget and purchase record.
- Choose a detailing cart that fits your workspace. Choose a detailing cart with measured space, shelf loads, and delivered cost. Compare two manufacturer listings with bins and a workbench.
- Mobile detailing in winter: check each job. Decide whether a winter mobile detailing job can proceed. Check the site, product limits, drying and storage with a downloadable job checklist.
- Mobile detailing or a shop: compare your constraints. Compare mobile and shop plans with a filled hypothetical example and a worksheet. Count owner time, monthly bills, site requirements, and launch cash.
- How to choose an extractor for auto detailing. A model-specific extractor comparison for auto detailers, with a filled job decision and safe-use checks.
- Pressure washers for detailing: picks and setup costs. Two source-based pressure washer picks with included parts, supply-hose costs, warranty limits, and a filled setup check.
- Generator for mobile detailing: choose power by load. Choose power for mobile detailing from your equipment loads, work sequence, outlet limits, and safe operating space. Includes a filled load worksheet.
- How to size a mobile detailing water tank. Measure water per job, calculate tank capacity, and check water weight, payload, mounting, and runoff before choosing a mobile detailing tank.
- Mobile detailing trailer setup: plan the load and workflow. Plan a mobile detailing trailer with a filled load worksheet, towing checks, and a workable equipment layout.
- Mobile detailing van setup: plan the load and layout. A mobile detailing van setup plan with a filled load worksheet and a practical layout check.
- Mobile detailing insurance: coverage, costs, and exclusions. Mobile detailing insurance for small U.S. operators: general liability, commercial auto, hired and non-owned auto, garagekeepers, tools, and workers compensation. Includes an incident table, sourced premium figures, tax notes, and a broker worksheet.
- Mobile detailing equipment list by service. Small United States operators can build a mobile detailing equipment list service by service. Kits cover shared utilities, exterior wash, interior reset, extraction, and paint work. Water weight, load, power, and runoff checks follow.
- Mobile detailing startup costs: build your own budget. Build an editable mobile detailing startup budget. Sort costs into one-time setup, monthly overhead, working capital, and contingency. Stage your purchases, date every quote, and leave unknown lines blank until you confirm them locally.
Do this next
Build your mobile equipment plan. Before taking paid work, complete the local rule, insurance, and tax checks in the business guide.
Sources
- USGS: water density — Our 8.34 lb per US gallon estimate uses its density data. Actual weight varies slightly. Checked September 11, 2026.
- NHTSA: vehicle load labels — People and cargo limits differ from total vehicle weight limits. Checked September 11, 2026.
- CPSC: generator and carbon monoxide safety — Outdoor use, distance from homes, and exhaust direction. Checked September 11, 2026.
- NATM Trailer Safety Week: tow rating calculator — Tongue weight is typically 10% to 15% of total trailer weight. Do not tow a trailer whose GVWR is above the tow vehicle's tow rating. Checked October 14, 2026.
- EPA: stormwater systems — Polluted runoff can enter waterways without treatment. Checked September 11, 2026.