How to Wash Your Car Eco-Consciously

Part of being eco-conscious is saving water, and it’s undeniable that washing a car takes a lot of water. Car washing also involves cleaning products – many with non-biodegradable or otherwise toxic ingredients – that get washed into the street during the average car wash. That run-off then heads for the storm drains which go into the nearest river or body of water.

So it makes sense to look into more eco-conscious ways to wash your car.

Here are some ideas for saving water and keeping toxic chemicals out of the water supply:

Install a rain barrel

[ad#ad-2] Rain barrels are an excellent source of recyclable, free water. As long as the barrel is installed above where you park your car, you can attach a hose to the barrel’s hole (via a threaded bushing with attached faucet) and wash your car as usual. You can also fill buckets from the barrel and wash your car that way.

Head for the car wash

The run-off from commercial car washes is more likely to be directed to the local water treatment plant instead of running into storm drains. Also, commercial car washes use air-powered jets to decrease water use. The average garden hose sprays water at a rate of about 10 gallons per minute, so washing your car in the driveway could use hundreds of gallons of water quite easily. Commercial car washes use about 35-40 gallons of water per car.

Waterless car wash

You can actually clean your car without using water at all. There are waterless car wash products commercially available. These come in a spray bottle, and are sprayed onto your vehicle and wiped off without rinsing. One bottle of biodegradable, waterless car wash is good for multiple washes – one company claims ten car washes in one bottle of cleaner.

Make it short

If you choose to use water to wash your car, try to cut down on the time you spend running the hose. As noted above, garden hoses use quite a bit of water. You might consider a water-saving nozzle for your garden hose as well.

Biodegradable cleaning agents and soaps

If you like the idea of a sudsy scrub-down for your car, consider biodegradable soaps and cleaners. There are such soaps available commercially, or you can make your own with biodegradable dish soap and detergent. Use 1 cup liquid soap and 3/4 cup powdered laundry detergent per 3 gallons of water. If your biodegradable soap and detergent are concentrated, try using half that amount.

Hopefully, these tips will help you keep your car clean in a way that is mindful of the earth. Remember, too, that you’ll save money on your water bill by implementing eco-friendly car washing.

photo credit: daveparker

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