How to Save Water When Washing Your Car
Keeping your car clean is important for several reasons. First and foremost, keeping your car clean can help prevent premature rust by removing road salt, dust, and dirt. But it’s also just nice to drive a clean car rather than worrying that your kids will start drawing smiley faces on their doors in the dirt (speaking from real-life experience here).
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But washing your car can require heavy water usage. Not only is that not great for the environment, but if you’re washing your car at home frequently it can add up when you get your water bill. According to a study cited by the LA Times, washing your car in your driveway can use up to 100 gallons of water in just 10 minutes. How can you keep your car clean without wasting gallons of water?
Buy a waterless car wash cleaner
YourMechanic writer Cheryl Knight recommends using waterless car wash cleaner to wash your car at home with no water. You can get this type of cleaner from any auto parts store, Walmart, or online at Amazon. Simply mist the spray over your car and wipe clean with a microfiber towel. You may need to go over particularly dirty sections several times.
Get an automatic shutoff nozzle
If your car is super dirty, you might prefer to wash it with water — but that doesn’t mean you have to waste 100 gallons. Simply fitting your hose with an automatic shutoff nozzle means the hose won’t be running the entire time you’re washing your car. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, an auto shutoff nozzle can save you up to 70 gallons of water per wash.
Use a pressure washer
Another way to use less water when washing your car is to use a pressure washer. A pressure washer can clean your car much more quickly than a traditional bucket of soapy water and hose. That means it uses less water to get the job done. Royce Industries reports that a pressure washer uses 50-70 percent less water than a traditional garden hose. Since you can get a lot of use out of a pressure washer around the home, it’s a good investment.s
Rinse with a watering can
Another method suggested by Knight is to rinse your car with a watering can. This method allows you to control the amount of water used, as you will need to fill up the watering can each time and carefully rinse to ensure you remove all the soapy residue from the car.
Find a car wash that conserves or recycles water
You may not have the space (or, let’s face it, the desire) to DIY wash your car. In that case, look for a local car wash that conserves or recycles water. For example, one of my local car wash chains, Flying Ace Car Wash, mentions on its “about” page that it recycles water, as well as using biodegradable soaps that are better for the environment. See what your local options are and visit their websites to see if they mention anything about water conservation, or call them if you can’t find the info online.
By using one of these water-saving methods, you can successfully save water while protecting your vehicle from corrosion caused by dirt, debris, road salt, and dust.
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Catherine Hiles (she/her) is a native Brit living and working in Dayton, Ohio. Cat has written about a variety of subjects, including finance, cars, and parenting. She is a frequent contributor to Dayton Mom Collective, The Penny Hoarder, and WDW Magazine.
Cat lives with her husband, their two kids, and their energetic pitbull mix. She counts running, lifting weights, walking, and reading among her hobbies. See more articles by Cat.