Going Green: Choose Earth-Friendly Detergents for Your Car Wash

With all the rain we’ve had this week, my car has never looked better. In fact, it’s glistening. I often wondered why people avoided getting their car washed if it looked like rain was on the way. … Did they think the rain would ruin the results of the wash, or did they think the rain would save them money by rinsing off the car the natural way?

I think rain is the best car wash on the planet. And, it’s better for the planet at the same time.

But just in case we hit another three-week dry spell, a few eco-friendly car wash tips can make a difference. My husband and I use our biodegradable dish detergent with water from our rain barrel to wash our cars. We don’t have to worry about the soap suds harming the environment, since the products are safe. We use Dr. Bronner’s and it has no phosphates or fake fragrances.

This is cost-effective too.

We’re using gallons of water we’ve collected in our rain barrels, so we don’t have to add another 80 gallons to our water bill. Yep, that’s how much the average home car wash consumes. (If that number seems surprising, consider that a typical toilet consumes four gallons of water per flush.)

If you’re not using special soaps, make sure to wash your car on gravel or on the lawn so the suds don’t run into the street and into the water system. Suds on the grass are not ideal either, but it's less harmful than sending it into the sewers.

Eventually, those bubbles can harm fish and other wildlife. Phosphates actually cause algae growth that in turn can suffocate aquatic life, according to a study by the Washington Toxics Coalition. Commonly used soap chemicals also affect the reproductive health of fish.

Another way to keep your car washing "green" is to make use of old T-shirts or other rags in the drying process. They make great buffing cloths, so let's not even consider paper towels.

Do-it-yourself washers aside, some commercial car washes are now offering earth-friendly products too. So during your commute, take a look at the signs. Businesses that use green products are proud of it, so they'll promote it wherever they can.

Since our vehicle emissions already do enough damage to the earth, we can at least make sure our cleansing routine is less toxic.