Lafayette, Indiana: Rainforest Car Wash - Closed

A car wash with robotic monkeys, elephant trunk-rinsers, and a Tiki head that barks orders. Why would anyone in Lafayette have a dirty car?

Rainforest Car Wash

Stopped by to see this amazing car wash, but sadly they are out of business.

[Kristi Dorson, 08/04/2012]

Rainforest Car Wash

The Rainforest Car Wash was closed when we stopped (4-5-12). Not sure if it was just for the season or for good. There were a lot of signs on the vacuums that said "out of order."

[Kathie, 04/14/2012]

Rainforest Car Wash

The desire to roll down the windows to look closer at everything in this delightful car wash is almost overwhelming. It is amazing how much detail the owners have packed into this generally mundane experience! The attendant was very nice about taking our picture in front of the statue at the entrance, but a word to the wise - do NOT put your hand in his mouth (the statue's, not the attendant's...but probably not the attdenant's either); the statue's mouth does clamp down!

We will talk about this ride every time we get our cash washed from now on.

[Gordon Family, 08/09/2011]

Rainforest Car Wash

You can forget all about those over-rated theme parks and theme restaurants. In Lafayette, Indiana, you can get your car cleaned at a theme car wash. It's called the Rainforest Car Wash. Not because it's friendly to the environment, but because animatronic elephants hose down your car!

A trip through the rainforest begins with a short wait in line. There, the giant head of a tiki god bellows such instructions as "PLEASE TURN DOWN YOUR RADIO!" Naturally, we got out of the car and bowed down to him. Next, your car is prepped by two men dressed exactly like Marlin Perkins from Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. We weren't sure whether or not this was intentional, however, since car wash attendants across the nation already tend to dress like Marlin Perkins. After choosing from a menu of wash options--including a Gorilla Wash and a Crocodile Wash-we paid the attendant. He thanked us and remarked, "That's the first time I ever saw anyone bow down to Big Bubba!" We put our car into neutral and waited for the adventure to begin. Sadly, the windows are covered with suds and/or wax throughout most of the journey. That makes it difficult, but not impossible, to see the cheap robotic monkeys, snakes, idols and elephants.

At no time during the wash is it safe to roll down your window for a photo. We learned that the hard way.

[Mike Scholtz, 05/11/2000]