1 yr. ago • 90%

Washing the car

What are people's approaches to washing cars? It seems the options are:

Wash at home on grass (not an option for us)
Wash at home on the driveway (technically allowed where I am, but pollutes the rivers, although may be OK if you can find an eco wash and wax product?)
Go to an auto car wash (not too expensive, but likely to scratch up your car)
Pay someone for a hand wash (costs hundreds)

I just washed our car on the driveway, and tried to minimise run-off going into storm water, but it didn't work that well. Have found this product, but no idea if it's any good, or greenwashing.

Any other ideas?

20 comments

I park my car outside in the rain, which is about as much washing as it gets...

What's the benefit of washing a car? (Not a judgment, but a genuine question)

6
- Depending on how dirty it is, I would assume at the very least cleaning the car removes things that can harm the paint (and result in corrosion later down the track) like bird poop, road grime and brake dust to name a few things.
  
  Even just washing very infrequently, maybe a couple times a year could probably save the paint on your car and prevent premature corrosion of a vehicle!
  
  Plus some people just like their car to be shiny I guess!
  
  4
  
  Thanks for the info! Interestingly, I searched up about washing cars and got articles about how you need to do it in a specific way or you'll scratch the paint (the suggestion was you should not take a cloth or sponge anywhere near the car until you've waterblasted it).
  
  So washing might save the paint, but it might damage it as well if you don't do it right!
  
  I've never owned a new car so never felt the inkling to wash it, but my neighbour across the road bought a ute and washed it every day for weeks. Surely that can't be good for it.
  
  4
- Yeah same question. I used to wash cars often but stopped doing it. Perhaps once a year. I do wash off bird poo straightaway as I've been told that will eat into your varnish.
  
  2
- To be honest we don't wash it that often, but are getting it ready to sell at the moment.
  
  But there was a lot of crap that had built up, which I'm sure isn't great for the paint.
  
  2
  
  Do you have a touchless car wash nearby?
  
  You can sometimes also find do it yourself car washes that you basically waterblast it with soapy water.
  
  I never wash cars so maybe you should listen to someone else.
  
  2
- It looks like shit, particularly if the vehicle is quite a light colour. Given how much a new car is worth, obviously an owner would like to keep their vehicle tidy. It's also a bad look for a company vehicle. Sometimes paint can be damaged if grit and mud is stuck to the paint, bird droppings are particularly bad for this.
  
  If your vehicle has been near the sea, you would want to rinse off any salt water as quickly as possible
  
  1
  
  I don't live near the sea, have never owned a new car, and don't have a company car. Rain seems to keep the cars clean enough.
  
  2
There’s a middle ground with your 3rd option, a Washworld or equivalent. They capture and reuse or discharge into wastewater instead of stormwater. You can clean how you normally would without the risk of scratching that may come from a regular car wash.

They frown upon this (technically against their posted T&C’s) but if you go early or late and take a bucket and cleaning equipment there’s not usually an attendant around to tell you off. I used to water blast and soak the car, squirt a bit of the soap in the bucket and hand wash, then rinse. Cost less than an automatic wash and got a better result.

4
- Thanks, yeah, someone else mentioned these as an option.... good to hear they work well.
  
  1
I have used this product https://www.unitedcarcare.co.nz/products/optimum-no-rinse-wash-shine-rinseless-wash and it works great, it's cheap and lasts forever. It's not waterless but it drastically reduces the amount of water used.

I mix it up and put it in a sprayer. Usually I do hose off the car before washing if it's really dirty but the routine is mix it up in a medium sized bucket, fill your sprayer, spray a section of the car, give it a few seconds to lift the dirt, then use a really loaded sponge to wipe off the dirt, then use a microfibre to dry it off. There are lots of youtubes about this product. Just do a search for Optimimum No Rinse" or ONR.

There is also a wash and vax variant.

2
- Cool, thanks might check it out
  
  2
I wash my cars on the driveway, just water and an old towel or shirt, dont use any detergent or anything so dont need to worry about run-off. Then dry with an old sheet, then polish/wax

One doesnt get washed often as it is 22 years old and parked outside. Other gets washed every time I use it which isnt that often, its over 40 years old.

2
Is this a promo post?

I would wash it on the driveway with soap and water. The amount of cleaning solution once mixed with storm water is probably minimal anyway.

Touchless car wash is also an option for about $12-14 if I remember correctly.

If the car you drive is worth a lot of money to you, then pay for the service you need.

I'm just glad I don't own a black coloured car, that would need a wash at least once a week!

1
- Is this a promo post?
  
  Yeah, I'm sure companies are targetting the lucrative lemmy.nz market 🤣
  
  I would wash it on the driveway with soap and water. The amount of cleaning solution once mixed with storm water is probably minimal anyway.
  
  Yeah, no it's not. My council hasn't banned it, but recommends you don't do it. It will depend on region, but runoff from washing cars is a big deal.
  
  Edit: this is your first post here (at least on this account)... you might want to think about accusing people of being shills and try to participate in the much more friendly atmosphere here than it is in the other place.
  
  3
  
  Alright, alright it is technically my first post with this account as my other account is with lemmy.world.
  
  I did joke about not having a black car to lighten the mood. Should I use emoji to ensure that no one is offended? Did I not engage in your post with my opinion on the actual subject?
  
  Report me to the mods then mate. That'll teach the first poster a lesson right?
  
  2
We just wash on the driveway once or twice a year!

Given that you are (rightly) concerned with run off, finding a suitable wash/detergent is key. Do note that all the pollutants you are washing off are still going somewhere and if they were not stuck to your car they'd be on the road and washed into stormwater anyway.

IMHO washing your car in an eco friendly manner is ambulance at the bottom of the cliff, all those pollutants are already in the environment. We're just figuring out which mattress to stuff them under.

1

You've viewed 20 comments.