5 Eco-Friendly Tips for Washing Your Car

5 eco-friendly car wash tips

With spring finally here following months of cold weather, now is the time to wash that winter debris off your vehicle.
While washing your vehicle on a regular basis is a good way to have your vehicle looking clean and sharp, it’s also not great for the environment if you follow the traditional method of washing.
Fortunately, there are still ways to wash your vehicle while remaining eco-friendly, so read ahead to learn more:

Why washing your vehicle isn’t environmentally friendly

You may not realize, but washing your car in your driveway can be quite contagious to the environment. If you wash your vehicle the traditional way, you’ll be sending dirty and chemical-ridden water into the streets where it is eventually carried into large bodies of water. This can ultimately poison aquatic life and damage our ecosystem.

Park on the grass

If you want to limit the amount of damage done when you wash your car, you should strongly consider parking your vehicle on the grass.
The soil on your yard does a much better job of filtering the chemicals out of the water and also absorbs some of the run-off water. While having chemicals in your soil isn’t exactly environmentally-friendly either, it’s better than it going into a large body of water.
If you do it properly, you also won’t have to worry about watering your grass that week.

Go to a car wash

If you really want to ensure you’re taking an eco-friendly approach to washing your vehicle, you should consider spending a few bucks to have it cleaned at a commercial car wash.
Car washes are designed to use water more efficiently, as they’re often equipped with a number of devices that can clean your vehicle at a much quicker rate. Most car washes use less than half the water you’d be using to wash your car yourself.
Many car washes are also required to recycle their waste water into sewer systems.

Swap the hose for a bucket and sponge

Instead of using litres upon litres of water when you wash your vehicle, you can save oodles of water by using a bucket and sponge instead.
Sure, it may not be as efficient, but the amount of water you’ll save will be worth it if you’re someone who cares for the environment.

Pour the rinse water into the toilet

Instead of blindly throwing your bucket of rinse water down the driveway, take it inside and pour it down your toilet instead. This way, it can be filtered properly.

Wash in the shade

While you should avoid washing your vehicle in the sun for a number of other reasons, washing your vehicle in the shade will limit the amount of water you use, as it won’t evaporate as easy – especially on a hot, summer day.