Clean Cars, the Green Way
Green tips for washing your car
Simple Green Car Wash
Surprisingly, the best choice is to take it to an automatic car wash, which uses less than half the water of even the most careful home car washer. Plus, the wastewater at car washes is treated after use. The water you use at home to wash your car runs into the storm drains and then to streams where it poisons aquatic life. It carries with it a witch's brew of gasoline, oil, exhaust residues, and of course any detergents you use.
But if you do wash your car at home, you can do several things to make the task as eco-friendly as possible.
- Wash your car on your lawn or over dirt. Grass and dirt filter toxins so they don't end up in the storm drain.
- Use a water-saving hose nozzle. A nozzle with adjustable settings and shut-off saves countless gallons of water.
- Use a biodegradable soap for cars. There are a number of good soaps out there, including Simple Green Car Wash.
- Consider waterless washing products. The number of waterless products is growing, so check one out.
