Is Detailing Cars the Next Best Side Hustle? In St. Louis

Is Detailing Cars the Next Best Side Hustle?

Craig here from Jax Wax St Louis with your “Car Care Tip of the Week”

Doesanyone really enjoy cleaning their car? Actually, a lot of people do, and they do it well.

At least once a month, somebody walks into our store and says something like this: “I come in here all the time to get the good stuff for my own car. I really take pride in the work I do. Could I make some extra money detailing other people’s cars on the side?”

My honest answer is, “Absolutely.” It can work, but it is real work, and I will never tell you how much you could make on the side or as a full-time gig. That is completely up to you. What I can do is help you get started with professional grade products and straight advice..

Why is everyone talking about detailing? Video after video shows a filthy car turning spotless in minutes, and it makes the work look easy and the money look even easier. The result is real, but the videos skip the practice, the pricing, and the customers who expect it done right. Detailing rewards patience, not shortcuts. After more than 40 years in the automotive world of collecting, repairing, and restoring vehicles, the last 5 of them focused on Jax Wax St. Louis, here is my “tip of the week”

Do the business basics first. Before you spend your first dollar on products, tools, or equipment, Do your research. Check what licensing, insurance, and local rules apply where you work. We are a detail supply store, not your lawyer or accountant. Do your own due diligence and make sure you are covered.

Start with one or two services, not ten. Pick something you enjoy and can do well in a few hours. Headlight restoration, an interior deep clean, a wheel and tire refresh, or a basic wash and wax are all good starting points. Get good at one before adding another.

Build a simple starter setup. Start with a wash bucket, a rinse bucket, Grit Guard inserts, and a wash mitt. Keep a good supply of microfiber towels, separated by color for paint, glass, and wheels. Add a quality interior cleaner, glass cleaner, and wheel cleaner, plus brushes, applicators, and a foam gun or cannon if you have water access. You do not need to buy everything at once. Tell us your budget and we will help you build the list in the order you will use it.

Practice on your own car first. Before you charge anyone, do the job on your car or a family member’s. You will learn how long it takes, which steps matter, and what to say to customers. Price for your time and supplies. Track how long a job takes and what products it uses, then set a fair price. Cheap is not a plan. Quality work is what brings people back.

Let your work do the talking. Always take photos before and after. You can use them to advertise your work, and they can protect you if a customer claims damage or defects that were not there when the car came to you. Always ask happy customers for a Google review and a referral. Word of mouth is the best advertising. That is how a lot of good detailers got their start.

I hope this sparks your interest in detailing as a side hustle or a full-time career.

If you love the work, start building a following, and expect to buy regularly, ask about our Pro Account and Loyalty Programs. We offer great discounts and special sale events that are only for Pro Account Partners and Loyalty Point members.

Jax Wax is the “Home of Real Car Care”. In St. Louis, that means Real Products for Real People, with straight answers and no pressure. We have been proud to serve this community for five years, and we would love the chance to show you the Jax Wax difference. Stop in and see us at 3859 Lemay Ferry Rd, St. Louis, MO 63125, or call (314) 939-1130.