A new car wash just opened its doors at 3600 Tidewater Drive in Norfolk, and it's giving away free suds while raising money for a local nonprofit along the way. Express Wash Concepts announced the grand opening of its newest Green Clean Express Auto Wash at the site, marking the company's 22nd Green Clean location spread across Hampton Roads.
According to the Express Wash Concepts announcement, the company says the Norfolk opening brings its total portfolio to 150 operating express car wash locations spread across six states. An earlier October release described a Moo Moo Express Car Wash opening in Columbus as the brand's milestone 150th location nationwide.
Whatever the exact count, the Norfolk site is rolling out the welcome mat for local drivers. From October 30 through November 8, the location is offering free Ceramic 4 Ultra signature washes, which the company values at $26 apiece. Customers can also sign up for the Wash Smart Unlimited Club at 50% off for the first three months on that same Ceramic 4 Ultra package.
A Ribbon-Cutting With a Charitable Twist
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new location was scheduled for noon on Friday, October 30. Beyond the free washes, Express Wash Concepts said it will donate $10 to Samaritan House for every new Ceramic 4 Ultra Wash Smart Unlimited Club membership purchased during the grand-opening celebration.
Samaritan House is described in the release as a Hampton Roads nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and families free themselves from domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault and homelessness, providing programs and services meant to support people rebuilding their lives and achieving lasting independence. Wash Smart members aren't limited to just the Norfolk site, either — a single membership lets customers wash at any Express Wash Concepts location across its family of car wash brands.
Part of a Bigger Hampton Roads Push
Norfolk's new Green Clean Express joins a fast-growing regional footprint. The Tidewater Drive opening follows a Newport News location at 6102 Jefferson Avenue that debuted in March, which the company at the time called its 134th location nationwide and 19th Green Clean Express Auto Wash. A Virginia Beach site at 4245 Holland Road, described by carwash.com as the company's 135th location overall and 20th in Hampton Roads, had already offered its own 10-day promotion of free Ceramic 4 Ultra washes from March 27 through April 5, 2026.
Company leaders say three more Green Clean locations are planned for Newport News, Virginia Beach and Franklin before the end of 2026. John Roush, founder and CEO of Express Wash Concepts, said every new Green Clean location represents another opportunity to serve customers and invest in team members, adding that the company is focused on making it easier for customers to find a great wash close to home while creating rewarding careers and opportunities for advancement.
From a Local Brand to a Regional Chain
Green Clean's growth traces back to 2021, when Express Wash Concepts acquired the business from its prior ownership. At the time, according to The Virginian-Pilot, Green Clean operated locations in five Hampton Roads cities, and leaders planned to open at least seven more locations in the region while eyeing expansion into other parts of Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. By September 2022, the chain had grown to 14 locations across Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, Richmond and Elizabeth City, with two more under construction, per the industry trade site carwash.org.
That same year, Green Clean Express donated more than $5,200 to the Suffolk Youth Athletic Association and Tidewater Arts Outreach following grand openings in Suffolk and Norfolk — a pattern of pairing new store launches with local giving that continues with the Samaritan House donation tied to this week's Tidewater Drive opening. Express Wash Concepts now operates five brands in total — Moo Moo Express Car Wash, Flying Ace Express Car Wash, Clean Express Auto Wash, Green Clean Express Auto Wash and Bee Clean Express Car Wash — all featuring express tunnel washes, environmentally friendly service and free vacuums.
