Five things you never knew about washing your car

Whether or not there is a drought in the area, most people are keen to do their bit to minimise water wastage. There are a variety of ways to save water inside the home and outdoors in your backyard but when it comes to washing our cars often confusion arises. Should I use a bucket or a hose with a trigger nozzle? Should I take it to a commercial car wash? What about the runoff?

It is certainly possible to maintain a shiny, clean car while still being mindful about your personal, environmental impact and actively working to be more water efficient.

You can wash your car without water

Obviously the best way to save water is to simply not wash your car. However, as proud car owners, that is probably not acceptable to most of us. Waterless car wash products provide a good clean, especially if you use them regularly. Find out which ones Smart WaterMark certifies.

Large commercial car washes can be very water efficient

Five star commercial car washes use very little water for each car wash as they use systems that recycle water and often treat it before sending it to the sewer. Just look for the Australian Car Wash Association sign and Smart WaterMark logo. Search to find your closest Smart WaterMark accredited car wash.

Washing your car on the street may contaminate the waterways

City stormwater systems are not actually equipped to collect anything other than excess rainwater and do not have mechanisms for filtering or treating whatever else might make its way down local drains. So the car oils and soap suds we wash off of our cars, along with anything else that might be in the street, are able to flow freely back into the water systems and are responsible for the contamination of beaches, rivers, and streams. Find out more here… Best ways to avoid this are to wash your car whilst parked on the grass or visit a 5-star accredited commercial car wash.

Each council or water utility area may have different rules about car washing

Check with your local council or water utility to see if there are any restrictions that cover your area when washing the car.

Using two buckets is best

You may be one of the people that can wash a car using only two buckets of water and that's a great way to save water. But this tip is about having two separate buckets – one for washing and the other for rinsing. That way you’ll ensure you don’t scratch your beautiful paintwork as you wash it.