Commercial Car Washes: The Eco-Friendly Choice

Why Is Using a Commercial Car Wash the Eco-Friendly Choice?

Many of us remember sunny summer days out in our driveway with the hose and a bucket of soapy water as the best way to wash the family car. But is that the best and safest way to wash a car? 

When we examine what really happens in the driveway versus in the commercial car wash, it can be surprising to find that commercial car washes are most often far more safe for the environment than a driveway wash. Here’s why: 

Water Volume

Most garden hoses put out ten gallons of water per minute. So even a quick five minute car wash in your driveway could use 50 gallons of water. When using a pressure washer, this number can increase dramatically. However, the average commercial car wash uses under 40 gallons for the entire car wash, and many car washes, because of modern, efficient equipment, use much less. This equipment benefits both the business and the environment. 

Chemicals & Water Recycling

What about harmful chemicals? Most municipalities have tight regulations for car washes. This can include using safe, low-impact chemicals. When washing a car in the driveway, the chemicals in the soaps, even dish soap, run off untreated into drains and ditches. This also means salt and other pollutants on your car are washed into these systems which are designed to prevent flooding, and involve no treatment of water. In other words, what you wash off your car goes straight back into natural waterways. The runoff can alter the pH of the water as well as the balance of ecosystems, negatively affecting wildlife and overall water quality.

However, commercial car washes treat their water, and the water is sent to a wastewater treatment plant so that any harsh chemicals can be removed before water goes back into streams and rivers and lakes. Many commercial car washes also use water recycling systems, such as Reverse Osmosis and Tank systems that reuse water. This saves the amount of freshwater needed and makes these businesses much more efficient.

Choose the Eco-Friendly Option

So the next time your car needs a wash, remember that the fun of a driveway car wash isn’t as kind to the environment as we once believed. If you’re looking for the eco-friendly car wash option, visit Andy’s Autowash in North Olmstead, Ohio. We have been making car washes more efficient and effective for years, all while giving a more thorough wash, protecting your car’s paint, saving fresh water, and preventing the polluting of our waterways, here in Ohio.