Kiddie Car Wash

Whether children ride or run through this sprinkler, they’ll have fun pretending they’re at a real car wash!

Step 1: From 3/4" PVC pipe, cut two 60" pieces, three 36" pieces, and twenty 30" pieces. Clean up the cut ends using a file or utility knife.

Step 2: Cut a 4"-long piece from one end of a 60" pipe, and then clean up the cut ends. Use PVC cement to attach a 3/4" x 1/2" slip/threaded tee to the short and long pipes with the threaded opening facing away from the lettering printed along the side of the long pipe. Let dry. Then measure the length of the assembly and cut the long pipe so the length of the whole assembly measures 60". Clean up the ends and screw the brass hose adapter into the tee.

Step 3: Using the printed lettering along the 60" pipe and 60" pipe assembly as a guide, drill rows of 1/16" holes 1" apart starting and ending 6" from the top and bottom. Wash out any drilling debris from all the PVC pipes and let dry. 

Step 4: From a 3/4" dowel, cut two plugs 3" long. Coat them in epoxy or silicone sealant, insert into the bottom ends of the 60" pipe and pipe assembly, and let dry.

Step 5: Begin by attaching two elbows to a 36" pipe and add the 60" pipe and pipe assembly. Continue assembling the pipes using elbows and tees to form the framework. 

The only place we used PVC cement was to assemble the framework was around the tee with the hose adapter. That makes the rest of the parts easy to disassemble for space-saving storage.

Step 6: On the overhead pipes linking the two halves of the frame, hang sponges and pieces of foam tube from 1/8" ropes. You can also wrap portions of the frame with foam tubes and hang mop heads over the pipes. If you have access to a second hose, use cable ties to hang a lawn sprinkler from a pipe and route that hose off to the side. 

Avoid hanging sponges or tubes from loops of rope tied to the framework. These could present a choking hazard for small children.