Blue Sky Car Wash (aka Umbria Gas and Wash) is exactly the kind of place I've been trying to find…read moresince moving to Philadelphia nearly five years ago. I prefer self-service car washes where you pull into a bay and wash the vehicle yourself, but they can be surprisingly hard to locate. Many have little online presence, so I had mostly settled for more expensive tunnel washes that don't always get the exterior as clean as I'd like.
Finding this place online is slightly confusing because Yelp lists it as Blue Sky Self Service Car Wash, while other websites (including Google) list it as Umbria Gas and Wash. The inconsistent naming doesn't make it especially easy to find online, but using the street address will take you to the right place.
After researching a few options, I chose this one because it seemed the closest and most convenient to Center City. I absolutely loved it. The value relative to the wash quality is excellent. It cost me about $11 to thoroughly clean the exterior, and my car came out shiny and beautiful.
Each bay has a pressure-washer hose and a very soft brush that produces thick soap suds. Clear instructions walk you through the entire 7- or 8-step process, and you turn a selector dial to switch between settings and tools. The options include tire cleaner, a high-pressure soap wash, the foaming brush, rinsing, spray wax, and a final rinse.
One of my favorite features was the set of clasps on the bay wall for hanging floor mats. I've wanted to power-wash my mats for a long time because vacuuming alone never gets them fully clean. Here, I could hang them on the wall, scrub them with the foaming brush, and pressure-wash them as thoroughly as needed. It worked incredibly well and made a huge difference. Anyone who takes pride in cleaning and detailing their own vehicle will appreciate this feature.
The water pressure in my bay was excellent and removed stubborn bird droppings and layers of city grime without a problem. The brush also felt soft and well-maintained, and I felt comfortable using it on a vehicle with a decent coat of paint.
You can pay with coins or a credit card. When you swipe your card, the time and cost begin ticking upward. Once you're finished, you press the button on the card reader to stop the session. It took me a moment to understand the system, but the instructions are clear, and it worked smoothly.
There are also several coin-operated vacuums. I didn't use them during this visit, but they looked perfectly serviceable. They didn't appear to accept credit cards, so bring coins if you plan to vacuum your interior. The property has plenty of parking, conveniently placed garbage cans, a few gas pumps, and an on-site store with snacks, drinks, and car-cleaning supplies.
This reminded me of the self-service washes I used growing up and completely delivered the experience I was looking for. I enjoyed focusing on the areas that needed extra attention, and my car came out cleaner than it does after an automated wash.
For anyone living in Center City who prefers washing their own car, this is probably one of the most convenient options available. I'm genuinely happy I found it and will definitely be back.
