Car Wash for Work Trucks and Vans Near St. Paul — Built for Vehicles That Don't Fit Anywhere Else
- David Knutson
- Mar 9
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 27
You pull up to a drive-through car wash with your work truck. Maybe it's got a ladder rack. Maybe it's a full-size cargo van. Maybe it's just a lifted F-250 that clears the height sensor by an inch.
The machine rejects it. The attendant waves you off. You drive away with a truck full of job-site grime and road salt and no good options nearby.
If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. It's one of the most common things we hear from drivers who end up at Rice Street Car Wash — and it's exactly the kind of problem our setup was built to solve.
Our touchless automatic fits vehicles up to 8 feet tall. Our self-serve bays clear 9'6". If it fits on a Minnesota road, it almost certainly fits here.
Why Work Trucks Get Rejected at Other Washes
Most drive-through tunnel washes are built around a standard sedan profile. The conveyor systems, side brushes, and overhead equipment are sized for passenger cars — and the moment your vehicle is taller, wider, or has anything mounted on top, the system either can't accommodate it or poses a real risk of damage.
Common reasons work trucks and vans get turned away:
Height over 7'–7'6" (standard cloth express car wash tunnel ceiling limit)
Ladder racks, utility racks, or roof-mounted equipment
Extended mirrors that exceed width tolerances
Long-bed pickups or extended wheelbase vans
Aftermarket lift kits or oversized tires
The result: the drivers who need a reliable wash most — contractors, tradespeople, and fleet operators — are the ones who have the hardest time finding one.
What We Offer at Rice Street Car Wash
We run two types of washes at 1736 Rice Street in Saint Paul, and both are designed with larger vehicles in mind.
Petit i360 Touch-Free Automatic
Our touchless automatic uses high-pressure water and professional-grade chemistry — no brushes, no friction, nothing that contacts your vehicle. That means no risk of rack damage, mirror snags, or scratched equipment.
Up to 8 feet tall — fits most full-size pickups and cargo vans
Touch-free: safe for ladder racks, roof equipment, and oversized mirrors
Four wash packages: Basic, Silver, Gold, and Diamond
Full undercarriage rinse included — critical for fleet vehicles hauling through job sites all winter
Self-Serve Bays — Maximum Flexibility
For vehicles that need more than the automatic can cover — or for drivers who want to get hands-on with the wheel wells, running boards, and undercarriage — our six self-serve bays offer the most flexibility.
9'6" height clearance — the highest you'll find at a self-serve wash in this area
~10 feet wide per bay — room for extended cabs and long-bed trucks
10 wash functions including tire cleaner, concentrated soap, and foaming wax
$4 for 4 minutes — add time as needed, pay by card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay
Open daily 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Many of our fleet customers use both: self-serve to blast the wheel wells and undercarriage, then the touchless automatic for a full-vehicle finish.
Vehicles We See Here Every Week
Rice Street Car Wash sits on a major commercial corridor in Saint Paul. A significant portion of our daily traffic is working vehicles — not just weekend SUVs. Here's what pulls through regularly:
Vehicle Type | Best Wash Option | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
Full-size pickup (F-150, Ram 1500, Sierra) | Touchless automatic | Fits easily, full undercarriage rinse removes job-site salt |
Extended cab / long-bed (F-250, F-350) | Self-serve or touchless | 9'6" bays handle height; self-serve reaches all angles |
Pickup with ladder rack or topper | Self-serve or touchless | Touch-free means no brush contact with rack hardware |
Cargo van / Sprinter | Self-serve | 9'6" clearance handles most full-size vans comfortably |
Service van (plumbing, HVAC, electric) | Self-serve (above 8'0") or touchless (under 8'0") | Touch-free protects mounted equipment and exterior graphics |
Pickup with lift kit / oversized tires | Self-serve | Extra clearance accommodates lifted profiles; wand reaches wheel wells |
Dually pickup (F-350 DRW, Ram 3500) | Touchless (measure first) | Max width 84–90" (tires + fenders); call us at 651-300-9274 if unsure |
Why Fleet Washing Matters More in Minnesota
Work vehicles in Minnesota face conditions that most of the country doesn't. MnDOT applies hundreds of thousands of tons of road salt each winter — and that salt doesn't just dirty a vehicle. It accelerates corrosion on the undercarriage, frame, and any exposed metal, including the brackets, mounts, and equipment on a work truck.
For a business that depends on its vehicles, that's a maintenance cost problem. A corroded frame or a rusted-out running board isn't just unsightly — it's a repair bill.
Regular washing — especially undercarriage rinsing — is one of the simplest things a fleet operator can do to extend vehicle life. Our touchless automatic includes an undercarriage wash in every package. Our self-serve bays let you direct the wand exactly where the buildup is worst.
A $4 self-serve wash or a $10 basic automatic is cheap insurance against a $1,500 undercarriage repair.
Memberships Work Well for Regular Fleet Washing
We don't have a formal fleet billing program — but our Unlimited Membership is a practical option for businesses that wash the same vehicle regularly. At $20/month per vehicle, a driver who washes once a week is already saving money compared to pay-per-wash pricing.
What members get:
Unlimited touchless automatic washes — any package tier
Free vacuums every visit (6 Fragramatic vacuum stations on-site)
50% off a second vehicle with a Family Plan
No contract — cancel anytime
For a two-truck operation, a pair of memberships at $30/month total covers daily washing all winter long. If keeping vehicles clean is part of how your business presents itself to customers, that math works out quickly.
Common Questions from Fleet & Work Truck Drivers - FAQs
1) Will your touchless automatic damage my ladder rack?
No. The Petit i360 is fully touch-free — high-pressure water only, no brushes or foam pads that contact your vehicle. Ladder racks, utility racks, and roof-mounted equipment pass through without contact.
2) My cargo van is pretty tall. Will it fit?
Our touchless automatic handles vehicles up to 8 feet tall, which covers most standard cargo vans and Sprinters. If your van is taller than 8 feet or has roof-mounted equipment, our self-serve bays clear 9'6" and give you full manual control.
3) Can I wash my truck every day if I have a membership?
Yes — our Unlimited Membership means exactly that. Wash as often as you need. Many of our members who work on job sites through the winter run through the automatic two or three times a week.
4) Do you offer fleet accounts or invoicing for businesses?
We don't currently offer formal fleet invoicing, but memberships work well for businesses with one or two vehicles. If you're managing a larger fleet, reach out to us directly at 651-300-9274 and we can talk through what makes sense.
5) My truck has a snow plow attached. Can I run it through the automatic?
Plows are not permitted in the touchless automatic — but our self-serve bays are a great option and can handle the job beautifully. The bays have 9’6" of clearance, a wide footprint, and 10 wash functions including a high-pressure wand that gets into all the angles a plow picks up. Pull in, take your time, and get it clean.
6) I drive a dually. Will it fit through the touchless automatic?
Our touchless automatic can accommodate most duallys, but we do recommend checking your overall vehicle width before pulling in. Our maximum width for tires and fenders is 84–90 inches, so please measure before your visit to make sure you’re a good fit. If you’re unsure, give us a call first at 651-300-9274 — we’re always happy to help.
7) Where are you located?
1736 Rice Street, Saint Paul, MN 55113. We're on Rice Street between Larpenteur and County Road B — easy in and out for larger vehicles. Open daily 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM.
If Your Truck Fits on a Minnesota Road, It Fits Here
Rice Street Car Wash is built for real vehicles — not just the ones that fit in a standard tunnel. If you've been turned away before, or you've been hand-washing a work truck in a parking lot because nothing else works, come see what we've got.
📍 1736 Rice Street, Saint Paul, MN 55113
📞 651-300-9274 | Open Daily 6:30 AM – 7:00 PM
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