Forecourt firms with valeting operations should be on the lookout for customers misusing their equipment following the rise of a new TikTok trend that sees (usually) young people dance about on their cars while playing with jet-wash machines.
While some have been warning of the risk this trend poses to vehicle bodywork, the danger posed to human bodies is far more significant, as commercial jet washes often operate at 2,000 psi (150 BAR) – more than enough pressure to cut through human flesh. Commercial machines can also dispense water at 70°C, leading to the potential for serious burns being sustained after just a second or two’s exposure.
@neesgill what a busy Saturday x #fyp #viral #trend #carwash #bestie ♬ Lights - Sped Up Version - Ellie Goulding & Speed Radio
Presumably being unaware of these dangers, the amateur performers in these videos, many of which are collated together under the ‘carwash’ hashtag on TikTok, typically dance provocatively around their cars, often standing, sitting and sliding on bonnets and roofs while spraying their vehicles and sometimes themselves with the jet wash lance.
The shampoo setting is often deployed, presumably due to the visual drama bubbles bring, while the brush attachment is sometimes used to performatively ‘wash’ the dancing derrières of those performing the stunt. Fast-paced pop music is overlaid on the videos, with a sped-up version of Ellie Goulding’s Lights being a popular accompaniment.
As with many social-media trends, this viral video meme is thought to have emerged in the USA, but it has now spread to the UK, with British number plates clearly on display, and MFG’s valeting signage visible in the embedded video.
While any legal liability for forecourt operators may be offset by the warning signs and disclaimers commercial jet washes carry, the risk of injury to those misusing such equipment remains as real as the disruption to business any such incident would bring.
