this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2023
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Washing the car (lemmy.nz)
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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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?

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

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.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

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)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

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.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

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!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

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.