10 Things You Didn’t Know About the World’s Largest Car Air Freshener

It’s official: Soapy Joe’s is home to the world’s largest car air freshener

1. We were kind of just kidding at first…

Each year, we like to come up with something new, fun and eco-friendly for Soapy Joe’s Day, our annual rally to raise awareness surrounding the need for water conservation and eco-friendliness. With 2018 marking 20 years of our sustainable car wash practices, we wanted to make a big statement—but also one that would be representative of our brand and the communities we serve. Looking at our signature biodegradable air fresheners, the idea started swaying.

2. And then it got real.

We laughed a little when we thought of making a giant air freshener. We even wrote it off at one point. But once we started Googling, we realized a world record was ours for the taking. No one seemed to have the largest car air freshener on lock.

3. Our manufacturer is the real MVP.

After we decided to chase the record, our longtime air freshener manufacturer was right there to help sort out the logistics. They dedicated weeks of work and their entire team just to bring the idea to life. They even coordinated shipping on an industrial wooden pallet!

We would give them a direct shoutout, but the bosses tell us we’re not allowed. So, we’ll just say, you know who you are and hope you realize how much we appreciate you.

4. Making it smell good was a project of its own.

In order to be an air freshener, it has to give off a nice scent. At this size, that meant tracking down the concentrate we use for our regular air fresheners, putting large volumes of it in spray bottles, and spraying the giant piece all around for hours on end.

5. It made its debut at the beach.

We first announced our pending attempt at a world record during an April 2018 beach cleanup in Imperial Beach. We then unveiled the supersized air freshener at our Imperial Beach car wash a few days later on Soapy Joe’s Day.

6. We spent months getting it into Guinness World Records.

It turns out that getting a Guinness World Record isn’t that easy, even if you’re far and away the favorite. We started the submission process in April 2018 and received the certificate in December 2018, providing all sorts of measurements, re-measurements, videos, statements and other documentation in between. It was like a second job! Well worth it, though.

7. It went viral.

Media outlets throughout San Diego, Southern California and even across the country have picked up the official press release. We’re told it even made the news in Pittsburgh!

8. It’s a really big version of the Soapy Joe’s air fresheners San Diegans know and love.

While scaling up, we made a point of staying true to our classic air freshener. The world’s largest car air freshener is made of the same biodegradable materials found in the ones that San Diegans hang on their car mirrors, layered again and again to achieve the same effect. The only difference is that those hang from a string, and this one needs a dock line.

9. We built our own metal stand for it.

When we weren’t quite sure how to give this accomplishment the display it deserves, a few Soapy Joe’s team members stepped up and welded a metal stand from scratch. Shoutout to Oscar and our maintenance team – your hard work never ceases to amaze us.

10. You’ll see it around.

With all that went into it, you can bet we’ll be taking the world’s largest car air freshener on the road every chance we get. Until then, it’s here at our headquarters for safe keeping. Stay tuned for its next public appearance!