These days the idea of living a green and environmentally friendly lifestyle is gaining a lot social traction. Thankfully this trend is supported on the supply side too, as everything from house cleaning to car washing can now be done in a way that’s nicer for the environment. This has obvious benefits for the planet and of course for future generations, but it is also good for you. Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which we can wash our cars the environmentally friendly way.
Green Cleaning Products
Most of the car cleaning products from yesteryear were made from toxic chemicals. The main problem with this is that the runoff often ends up in the storm drain, and from there it makes its way to the local wetland or ocean outlet pipe. This isn’t good for the environment, and in fact, handling toxic cleaners isn’t good for the person washing the car either.
An alternative to this is to buy green car wash products. These products are plant-based and fully biodegradable. You can look for an eco certification, or simply ask the people at the store where you buy your supplies. They’re good for the earth and there’s no risk of toxicity to you.
One reason everybody isn’t using green products is that some people say they’re ineffective. This isn’t based on anything scientific, but just the judgment that if it’s all-natural, it can’t work perfectly. Actually, the opposite is true. Newer and more innovative technologies are making eco-cleaning products a lot more effective, while also lessening the environmental impact. Whereas once we needed to sacrifice quality and effectiveness when we chose to go eco, now we can get the best of both worlds. This improvement in car cleaning product technology means that there is now no reason to not use an environmentally friendly alternative. And since there’s so much demand for eco-friendly cleaning products, large amounts of money is going into further research and development, which means they just keep getting better!
Use Less Water
We all know that using less water would help, but this can be pretty tricky. How do you wash your car without using gallons of water? One thing you can do is to be a little conservation minded while you’re doing your car washing, by making sure that you’re not leaving the hose running when you’re not using it, and making sure that you wash your car on the lawn so that you’re getting the double benefit of watering your lawn.
Another option is to buy a waterless car wash solution. These products come in the form of a spray bottle, and drastically cut down on the amount of water used. You simple spray it on and wipe it off. There are some limitations to this however, as if the car is really dirty then it will need a pre-rinse or pre-wash first, which sort of defeats the purpose. But nevertheless, it’s definitely a good option to have available, especially for the regular clean.
Stay Dirty
This might not be to everyone’s taste, but one thing you can do to help the earth is to simply limit how often you wash your car. Does it have to be showroom quality every day so that you can drive to work? Unless you’re driving on dirt roads every day or your windshield is completely covered in dust, you don’t need to do it every week. There’s a big difference between needs and wants, so if you’re really committed to the eco-cleaning ethos, then this is something you should consider.
So there we have it. The reality is that car washing can be done in an environmentally sound way. It just takes some consideration and preparation on your part. Buy green products, use less water, and cut down on the amount of washing. Every little bit do will go a long way in preserving our resources for future generations.
Car Care is Australia’s largest mobile car detailing network. Take a look at their Car Detailing Melbourne page for more information.
