January 3rd, 2026 | By Ryan Genova
Clean Machine Car Wash & Detail Center in Glenside is currently constructing 18 brand new vacuum stations on the plot of land along Glenside Avenue which borders Primex Garden Center.
Co-owner Jerry Goldstein said they were able to break ground last week after purchasing the property in December 2020 for $1.2 million.
“Things are moving. We ran into a few roadblocks but the wheels are in motion. We’re excited to get this project working,” he said. “It’s going to bring a better product to our customers and wait times should be lessened. We’re just trying to be good neighbors and provide as much value as we can.”
The car wash’s current 12 vacuums will be demolished and replaced with parking. The payment kiosks will shift in order to improve traffic flow on the property, and a third pay terminal is in the works.
Goldstein said he’s hoping the new system is up and running by the spring, and that the vacuums will continue to be free of charge to the community.
“We’re getting rid of the antiquated existing vacuums and we’re going to make two of the three pay lanes members-only. The third pay terminal will be for retail customers looking to buy one wash,” Goldstein said.
Completion of the above projects is expected to align with Clean Machine’s 50th anniversary, which Goldstein believes first opened in the spring of 1976. The business was the brainchild of their late father, Mr. Elliott Goldstein, and it’s been owned and operated by the family ever since.
“There aren’t many businesses around that have survived that long. Third generation businesses don’t have a great track record. We’re proud of that,” he said. “Either me or my brother is here almost every day.”
For more on the business’s evolution over the years, you can read our previous coverage here.
In related matters, Clean Machine’s Fort Washington location (471 Pennsylvania Avenue) is up and running. Jerry and his brother Randy purchased the property in May 2025, and Glenside customers should be able to use their monthly memberships at both locations in the near future.
“We’re still working to marry up our point-of-sale systems. We’re going to try to finish the vacuum project first and roll out the new system after that. We need some upgrades at that location,” he said.
More to come.
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