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I used to be a clean car freak; not only regular
washing, but a wipe down every single day in the mornings - courtesy of
overnight dew on the vehicle. Then I moved to state that had dust in place of
humidity and after a few months gave up - it was absolutely futile.
These days, I keep the inside tidy, but my
vehicle gets a proper wash once every 12 months or so - and whatever nature
provides in the form of rain. Instead of my vehicle making a statement about
me or being a status symbol, I see it only as a tool now - it's serviced
regularly and gets me from A to B. It's become a rather shallow relationship
:).
That's probably okay for my own situation,
spending much of my time in the bush in a vehicle with little resale value;
but in the city I guess appearances need to be kept up for a number of
reasons; be it to preserve resale value, for work or just so you're not know
as "that person with the dirty car" who drags down neighborhood
property values and incites the wrath of the local homeowners association :).
Also, if you live in an area known for high corrosion, such as near the ocean,
then it makes sense to wash your car to protect it.
There's a few things you can do to make your
car washing a little less harsh on the environment and water resources. Here's
some tips:
Wash your car on the grass.
This will give the grass a drink, the soil will
help to break down impurities and prevent the water from entering stormwater
drains and winding up in local waterways. Some of the chemicals in car wash
detergents are nutrients for algae; so this water getting into waterways can
help feed algal bloom and eutrophication problems.
Be hose wise
Use an adjustable trigger nozzle to improve
pressure while reducing water consumption.
Detergent
Use an earth friendly detergent or consider not
using any at all if possible. If you do use detergent, don't use in excess of
manufacturer's recommendations; you'll only waste money, put more chemicals
into your lawn and you won't get a better result.
Use a bucket more
The hose should only be used for the final
rinse. Sure, it's easier to sit there and blast off grime with the hose, but
it uses a ton of water. A bit of elbow grease using a sponge and bucket is
good exercise too :).
Wash in the shade
Hot metal evaporates water incredibly quickly.
The more that evaporates, the more you'll need to use so try and either wash
your car in the shade, wait for a cloudy day or do it early in the morning or
late in the evening.
Wash less
Back in the day, it wasn't unusual for guys to
wash and polish their vehicles every Sunday - it became somewhat of a
tradition. If you're washing your car purely out of habit rather than
necessity, take a deep breath and try and go cold turkey for a while. It can
be done and your car won't fall apart :)
Automatic car wash
Is an automated car wash greener? The
answer is - it depends. If you pass a car wash on your way to and from work,
or during any of your regular driving, it could be a more environmentally
friendly alternative. Modern car washes use far less water than a home wash
and they recycle their water. Automated car washes use anywhere from 20 to 45
gallons of water, but home washing can easily use in excess of a hundred
gallons.
If getting to a car wash requires a special
trip, then it's likely not a green option when you consider the emissions of
your vehicle and gas consumption to and from the car wash.
Waterless car wash
I've noticed a lot of products on the market
now claiming to be waterless car washes that are also environmentally
friendly. I can't say I've ever used them, but I have read some encouraging
reviews. These products are made primarily from vegetable extracts and
silicone. The are said to attract dirt via electrostatic means and then coat
it. It's a matter of wiping on and wiping off. I was always taught that wiping
off dirt in such a manner scratches the paint work, but if these products do
really coat dirt, I guess it wouldn't be such an issue.
Perhaps these waterless car washing products
could make a good alternative for when your car has only light grime or could
be used every other time in order to reduce overall consumption of water.
As always, with any product claiming to be
environmentally friendly, read the label and do a spot test first.
A nice shiny car is certainly a pleasure to
behold, but given that fresh water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource
and the general environment is rebelling against all the toxins and excess
nutrients we've pumped into it over the years, it's now time for us all to
practice moderation in all things - including washing our cars.
Have some tips for environmentally friendly car
washing? Please add them below!
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