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Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 77F. Winds W at 15 to 25 mph..

Mainly clear. Low near 50F. W winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph.

Falisitee Vidrio preps the windshield of a car at the Big Sponge Car Wash in Galt on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

John Griffin, owner of the Big Sponge Car Wash, shows pictures of how the car wash looked when he bought it, after it had sat idle for 18 months, on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

A car enters the car wash at Big Sponge Car Wash in Galt on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

Falisitee Vidrio preps the windshield of a car at the Big Sponge Car Wash in Galt on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

John Griffin, owner of the Big Sponge Car Wash, shows pictures of how the car wash looked when he bought it, after it had sat idle for 18 months, on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

A car enters the car wash at Big Sponge Car Wash in Galt on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

Cars steadily moved through the Big Sponge Car Wash, getting sudsy Wednesday morning in Galt. The business has been at this location since December of last year.

John Griffin, owner of the car wash, doesn’t just operate the Big Sponge Car Wash. He rebuilt the business and helps others build and rebuild their own car wash dreams throughout Northern California through his other business — Big Dog Builders, Inc.

Griffin highlights his customer-service oriented business. From the towel drying at the end of the wash to the free vacuum and window cleaner provided to customers, Griffin is proud of the product he and his employees put back out on the road.

When the rundown former car wash was purchased after 18 months of idleness, a 40-yard materials bin was filled with junk left on the site. Griffin couldn’t get the trash receptacle where it belonged due to the overgrowth of the landscaping.

“That’s how bad it was,” Griffin said as he looked through old photographs. Items had been stolen, like an air compressor. Things had been broken by vandals and thieves.

“It took two and a half weeks, four hours a day to clean the inside of the bay. We used power washers, and scrubbed the walls and the equipment. It was black,” he said.

Eventually, layer by layer, the walls were white again and the equipment cleaned. The exterior of the business was painted and walls were added inside.

Griffin added a new computer and equipment meant to clean the tires and rims even better. He installed a poodle brush — a brush shaped with a poodle cut — as well as high-powered water nozzles that follow the tires and rims down the line.

In all, Griffin added $85,000 in additional equipment as well as $40,000 to 50,000 for signage, the vacuum remodel and other needs.

On Wednesday, the bay smelled of bubble gum as Falistee Vidrio brushed the bugs from the front and rear of a car.

“The prep soap is scented. Today is bubble gum, but we have vanilla and other scents. The triple foam is also scented,” said Griffin.

Big Sponge Car Wash also adds a thin layer of Teflon to protect better against the bugs and dirt that stick so badly.

The Galt car wash is used as a model to show other interested business owners looking to start a car wash or refurbish an existing business. Griffin sells the equipment and maintains it.

So far, Big Dog Builders has built 12 car washes and rehabbed 30-40 businesses.

Contact Jennifer M. Howell at jenniferm@lodinews.com.

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday.

Cost: The car washes are priced at $6, $8 and $10 with an additional Teflon coating option for $2.

Location: 604 Fairway Drive, Galt, CA 95632.

Contact/more information: 744-0461; www.bigspongecarwash.com; bigdogbuildersinc.com.

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