Did you realize that each time you wash your automobile at home, 140 gallons of water are used? That is more than double how much water a conventional shower uses. Consider using a touchless car wash if you want to clean your automobile in a more convenient and water-saving manner.
A touchless car wash is a sort of automated car wash that cleans your automobile without touching it by using high-pressure water jets and specific chemicals. A touchless car wash avoids any physical contact with your car, in contrast to standard car washes that utilize brushes, towels, or sponges that might scratch or harm your car’s paint.
The use of touchless car washes is growing in popularity among automobile owners who wish to save time and preserve the appearance of their vehicles. However, are touchless car washes eco-friendly? In this article, we will evaluate if touchless car washes are actually worth the hype by contrasting their environmental effects with those of traditional car wash techniques.
Water Consumption
One of the main advantages of touchless car washes is that they use less water than other car wash methods. According to House Grail, a touchless car wash can use as little as 12 gallons of water per wash. This is because touchless car washes recycle water as much as they can.
The used water is collected and filtered, stored, and used again for the next wash. This results in a significant reduction in water use, especially in a time where water-saving is an important factor. Washing a car regularly may seem like an unnecessary use of water for the eco-conscious driver, but automated systems help the environment and ease the mind by reusing water wherever possible.
While home auto washing can consume up to 140 gallons of water per wash. This is due to the fact that the majority of individuals wash their cars using a hose that runs continually. You can still use up to 40 gallons of water per wash even if you use a bucket and switch the hose off when not in use.
Additionally, washing your automobile at home can pollute the water supply. Soap, oil, grease, filth, and other toxins may be present in the soiled water that runs off your road and affect aquatic life and ecosystems. This water frequently flows untreated into storm drains that connect to rivers, lakes, or seas.
The conventional automated car wash is another technique for washing cars that utilizes more water than touchless car washes. This kind of car wash cleans your vehicle with brushes, towels, or sponges. Up to 45 gallons of water can be used for each wash in a conventional automated vehicle wash.
This is still more than a touchless car wash, even though it is less than washing your car at home. Traditional automatic car washes can also chip or swirl your car’s paint, which is harmful. Touchless car washes are therefore gentler on your car’s appearance as well as more water-efficient.
Chemical Use
The usage of chemicals should be considered when assessing how environmentally friendly touchless vehicle washes are. Specialized chemicals are used in touchless car washes to clean your automobile without touching it.
In an effort to lessen the scratches and swirls frequently brought on by applicators, these chemicals were created with the car’s safety in mind. These substances might not be entirely safe for the environment, though.
Ammonium bifluoride, sodium hydroxide, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and hydrofluoric acid are a few of the chemicals used in touchless car washes. If these substances are not properly disposed of or managed, they may be poisonous, caustic, or hazardous to aquatic life.
The usage of chemicals may also be present when you wash your automobile at home or at a conventional automated car wash. Most individuals wash their cars at home with soap or detergent. Injurious substances like phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, or petroleum may also be present in these products.
If these components are not properly disposed of or managed, they may also pollute the water and endanger aquatic life. Just like automatic car wash machines, conventional ones usually also utilize the use of chemicals to speed up the cleaning and detailing process on the automobile. The problem arises when these substances aren’t properly process or disposed of – leading to them sweeping into the environment causing many harmful and averse effects.
Chemicals are like the evil twins of car washes. They make your car look good, but they also make the environment look bad. All car wash methods use chemicals, but some use more than others. If you want to be a good citizen of the planet, you should try to use less chemicals or more eco-friendly ones.
Doing so isn’t particularly difficult as you can do so by choosing products that are organic (not produced through toxic process), non-toxic, or biodegradable. Such products are like the good twins of car washes – they make your car and the environment look good.
Furthermore, you can also use a car wash that employs the use of a wastewater treatment system to filter out or neutralize the bad chemicals before they go into the waterways. You can imagine this as giving the evil twins a makeover. You can also use a spray-on or wipe-off product that does not need rinsing. This is like skipping the evil twins altogether.
Conclusion
Touchless car washes are great for your car, but not so great for the environment. They use less water than other car wash methods, but they also use more chemicals that can harm the environment.
Before you decide to go touchless, you should compare it with other car wash methods and see which one is better for your car and the environment.
You can also reduce the environmental impact of your car wash by using eco-friendly products, using a car wash with a wastewater treatment system, or using less chemicals or water when washing your car. By doing this, you can have a clean car and a clean conscience.
