Sweetwater Hand Car Wash storefront on South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach · Since 1993

Sweetwater

Washed by hand.

A Laguna institution that happens to wash cars. Family-owned for thirty-three years, every car cleaned entirely by hand, the daily drivers and the rare ones alike.

Full hand wash from $32.95

View ServicesCall to come by

Open 7 days · 8:00am to 4:15pm

33
Years on the corner
100%
Washed by hand
80–100
Cars a day
20+
Years, same crew

The whole idea

No machines. No brushes. Just people who notice what a machine never will.

That is who we are. It always has been.

Pride in the work

It's the people, really.

Some of our crew have been here more than twenty years. They know the regulars by name and their cars by sight. That isn't something you can automate, and it's why a wash here feels like care, not a transaction.

Crew member hand drying a teal Lamborghini at Sweetwater Hand Car Wash, Laguna Beach
Silver Aston Martin and Ferrari being washed by hand at Sweetwater Hand Car Wash, Laguna Beach
Three people standing out front at Sweetwater Hand Car Wash, Laguna Beach

The Place

Never just a car wash.

A local artist painted the back wall and signed it, simply, "Life." There is a Buddha by the window and a dinosaur out front. None of it was planned, and all of it is why people keep coming back, year after year, for thirty-three of them.

Painted mural with sunflower and koi behind the front desk at Sweetwater Hand Car Wash, Laguna Beach
The dinosaur statue under a rainbow at Sweetwater Hand Car Wash, Laguna Beach
Child reaching toward the koi pond at Sweetwater Hand Car Wash, Laguna Beach

The Menu

Everything by hand.

No appointment for a wash, just roll up. We will always tell you the price before we start, and everything is listed below so there are no surprises.

The Everyday

The hand wash

Our everyday hand washes. Wash, vacuum, and windows, with more interior and more shine as you move up.

Hand WashGet in & get outWash, vacuum, and windows.$32.95
Luxury WashA little luxuryAdds wheels, dash, center console, tire shine, and sealer wax.$37.95
Manager's AttentionDog washClears dust from the vents and crevices with air, plus an extra vacuum.$44.95
Super WashSuper duperAdds an interior wipe-down, washed mats, dust cleared from the crevices, and an extra vacuum.$55.95
By vehicle sizeMid-size +$2Full-size +$3

The Shine

Express details

Our express details. Each one is a Luxury Wash plus extra work: a hand wax, a mini interior detail, or the two together.

Express Hand WaxWax on, wax offA hand wax, a luxury wash, and bug removal.$79.95
Express InteriorKid car specialA mini interior detail with a luxury wash.$99.95
Super Wash & WaxDate night specialOur super wash with a hand-applied wax.$99.95
Interior / Exterior ExpressInstagram worthyOur Express Interior and Express Hand Wax together: a mini interior detail, a hand wax, and a luxury wash.$149.95
By vehicle sizeMid-size +$10Full-size +$20

The Showpiece

The signature detail · what we are known for

Clayed, buffed, and conditioned. Every seam, every nook. This is our most thorough work.

Complete DetailA little loveClay, buff, wax, and a full interior scrub and condition. The works.$349.95
Ceramic CoatingAll the loveA complete detail plus a long-lasting ceramic coating.Learn about ceramic coating$800 to $1,200by appointment
Interior DetailInside loveThe interior, in depth.$239.95
Exterior DetailOutside loveThe exterior, in depth.$249.95
By vehicle sizeMid-size +$10Full-size +$20

Add-ons

À la carte, any time
Buff out a scratch$25
Condition leather or vinyl$15
Inside the wheels$10
Mats shampooed$2 each
Paint the rim edges$5
Dress exterior rubber and plastic$5
New key battery$20

Bigger vehicles

No surprises

Mid-size and full-size pricing is shown on each card above. Extra dirt is a little more. A few vehicles are priced on their own, and we always tell you before we start:

4x4, oversized, and X-largefrom $37.95
Sprinter vans$120 to $150

No hidden fees. Every price is quoted out loud before any work begins.

In their words

What people say.

"The only car wash I trust."
Google review
"Almost like a detail, every single time."
Google review
"Scott's the best, a real family business."
Google review

Enjoyed your visit to Sweetwater?

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Scott, owner of Sweetwater Hand Car Wash in Laguna Beach, at the front desk

Since 1993

Built by hand, too.

In the 1930s, this corner of South Coast Highway was a gas station. In 1993, Scott built a hand car wash on its bones, and he has been here six days a week ever since. (Every day but Tuesday.)

Sweetwater is family-owned, and it shows. Some of the crew have washed cars here for more than twenty years. They know the regulars by name and their cars by sight.

It is a little eclectic, on purpose. A koi pond, a dinosaur, a Buddha by the window. The family minivan and the Ferrari behind it pull onto the same brick, and every one of them gets the same careful hands.

Come by. Bring the car.

Visit

On South Coast Highway.

Where
1890 S. Coast Hwy.
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
One block north of Diamond St. Two and a half blocks south of Bluebird Canyon Dr.
Hours, year round
Open 7 days, 8:00am to 4:15pm
We stay open until 4:30pm, but the last car comes in at 4:15pm. Holidays are half-days, closing around 2:00pm, and we are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. We close when it rains, so call if you are not sure.
Gift cards
Always a good idea
Available at the register, a longtime Laguna favorite.
Call to come by
Call(949) 376-1706