Puppy Auto Wash

I loved these K9000 dog wash systems when I lived in Wilmington, NC. So I was very happy to find out there was one locally. First visit May 2025- the place was nice, looked clean, and everything worked as expected. However, the water was so incredibly hot it was uncomfortable to even have my hands under it..let alone bathe my dogs with risk of burning/overheating. We were quickly out of there. Flash forward to today 11/12/25- terrible smell as soon as you walked in. I understand it’s a dog wash and will smell like wet dog, but the area back by the tubs didn’t look like it had been cleaned for a while. Mounds of dog hair, caked on top of equipment stashed in corners. The whole place seemed like it was in need of a good cleaning. The machine I used was out of shampoo. There were bulk bottles on top of the machines, but the lids were off and no where to be found and I didn’t feel like I could trust them. Add in a random bottle of Head & Shoulders 2-in-1 sitting along with the bulk bottles and it was just an overall not great experience. As I said, I loved these dog washes in Wilmington and I appreciate having them locally, and the convenience of 24hr access…but the upkeep seems to be deeply lacking. I want to be able to bring my dogs here monthly, but I don’t know if I can rely on that based on my experiences.

This was my first time experience with apex puppy auto wash, which I learned is 24 seven and is right next to the Apex dog park. There are two stands. It receives exact dollar bill or credit card or smart wallet payment on your phone. It’s $10 for 10 minutes and you have unlimited access to shampoo, conditioner, flea control products Rinsing and dryer. When your payment is accepted you then choose what we would like to start with. If you click rinse, use the water hose it’s a warm temperature and if you’re ready for shampoo, pressure poop and use the same water hose and with the hose water and shampoo will be dispensed. The drying portion has two buttons there is a high and low and there is a drying hose. There is an option for your dog to be chained to connect to the collar but my dog did well in the area I did not have to bring any towels or products during the bath. It was very easy and he was able to walk out dry and clean. I am happy this location is near by and near the dog park 🙂 I have been sharing with my friends about this place. If you ever have an issue, reach out to the company on FB or via email. Also, next door there is a dog barber (separate business) if you are looking for one; the barber was very friendly.

Utilized the self dog wash and was happy with the facilities. Just wish people cleaned up after themselves a little better.

we’ve been here a few times, each time the shampoo has been out. this time there was so much hair in the drain the the water wouldn’t drain properly. i had to dig out the hair with a stick.

I'm glad this place exist! Not sure why it's rated so low. Yes, it smelled like wet dog, but that seems to be expected. The baths were clean, worked so well and I left with a happy dog with a shiny coat! 🐕. He also smells great. This is where I will wash my dog moving forward.

I have been using the puppy spa for 3 years but the last three times I have tried the machines were filled with hair, the area really smells bad and there were buckets of hair next to the machines. The whole place needs a good cleaning and regular maintenance cleaning the machines.

The place is open 24x7, which is nice. Their machines take both cash and card, so there's no futzing with a pocket full of quarters. The water takes about a full minute to heat up, so I recommend using that time to run the rinse cycle to wash and disinfectant out of the lines before spraying your dog down. There are no onsite vending machines for towels or other things, so bring everything you'd use at home. The machines do have shampoo, conditioner and a flea wash included. There is a blow dryer on the washing machine and it works pretty well but isn't heated. A fine place but doesn't have all the amenities some other places around here do.