The carwash employee | Victor Nikolov

He’s in the middle of the main space, waiting for the next customer. There are four parking spaces in the carwash, each of which can accommodate one car. Each space has a different height, which corresponds to the different sizes of the vehicles. His name is Victor Nikolov. For the past four years, he has worked at a car wash in Sofia’s east district.

“I can now claim that after so many years here and many washed cars, I know almost everything there is to know about a vehicle,“ says Victor.

Victor is a university student in Sofia. He balances his studies and work because he aims to be independent and earn his own money. His initial choice of job was of a carwash employee, because of his love for automobiles. “This is my passion, and I hope to one day materialize it and make it a reality,” Victor says.

He says there is some form of art in washing cars “There are steps and an algorithm to follow while washing a vehicle. Different detergents are needed for various car coatings. All is very precise and not as straightforward as it seems. Most cars are cleaned using a simple method that involves hot and cold water, a steam jet, soap, and drying.”

On weekdays, Victor would work 6 to 8 hours a day, and on weekends, he would work night shifts. Despite the fact that this can seem like a lot, he feels it is the perfect way to take a break from his academic studies.

“Even when I’m exhausted after work, I still make time for my friends when I’m done. The best thing is that they share my enthusiasm for automobiles. We often walk around the city center late at night, enjoying different automobiles,” says Victor.