Dust storms drive heavy demand at Erbil car washes, workers extend hours

ERBIL — Car wash businesses in Erbil have seen a surge in activity in recent days as dust storms heavily soiled vehicles across the city, leading to extended working hours for employees.

Ahmad Aziz, who has worked in the car wash industry for nine years, told 964media that their work has been continuous from morning until night without pause.

He said that on regular days, washing and cleaning a car typically takes between five to 10 minutes, but the recent dusty conditions have extended the process to nearly one hour per vehicle.

“Vehicles have become so dirty that we need close to an hour just to clean one,” Ahmad said. “Customers should not rush us. The past few days have been very dusty.”

Ahmad added that during periods of dust storms, the workload at car washes increases, requiring more time and effort to properly clean each vehicle.

A recent dust storm swept through parts of the Kurdistan Region, leaving cars, homes, and streets coated in thick layers of dust. Some media outlets reported hospitalizations in Erbil due to respiratory issues, but the local health directorate refuted those claims.