Washing the car is a necessary evil; practice keeps cars and helps them last longer, but the process has a negative impact on the environment, whether done at home or by a commercial car wash. An environmentally friendly car wash is a commercial car wash or product that helps minimize the environmental impact of washing a car. Some car washes have been built with features such as filtration systems that allow for the recycling of water and cleaning products that degrade once released into the environment.
Most commercial car washes use countless gallons of water every day to clean the cars that go through them. In many cases, the water is flushed into the area’s sewer systems, where it then runs to a water treatment plant. An environmentally friendly car wash has typically installed filtration systems that recycle as much of the water as the system can save, recycling it to the next car wash instead of disposing of it.
An efficient system can recycle as much as 90 percent of the water used.
Soaps, varnishes and other chemicals used to Bilvask can also create an environmental problem. They are washed out of the car and into the sewer system or drained into the ground surrounding the car wash. Biodegradable chemicals are typically one of the most important features of an environmentally friendly car wash, as these soaps and detergents are designed not to harm the environment; they collapse and disappear instead of remaining in the ground and water.
Some other touches can help make the carbon footprint of an environmentally friendly car wash even smaller. Towels can be made of materials that are sustainable or easily durable. The inside of car washes can also be made environmentally friendly using recycled materials in areas where people are waiting for cars to be washed.
For the person who prefers to wash his car at home
There are some environmentally friendly car wash products designed to minimize water consumption and pollution. Typically, gallons of water are used to moisten the car, apply soap and then rinse. Some new products are simply sprayed on a dry car and then wiped off with a cloth. This not only saves water, but also prevents soaps and polishes from being absorbed into the soil when water runs into the lawn or into sewer systems.
