I know I should wash my car more because with all our driving up north it gets covered in dust and dead insects. But I don’t do it very often because it wastes water and I don’t really care if someone writes on my back windscreen “wash me!” It’s quite important that we are aware that any waste water that runs off a car when it is being washed contains substances which can pollute the environment. If you use harsh detergents, degreasers, cleaning agents and oils these can end up in our rivers, lakes, harbours and oceans. Most detergents contain sticking and wetting agents. Some are toxic to aquatic animal and plant life and they can contain chemicals such as phosphates, which act as nutrients and under the right conditions lead to algal blooms, excessive plant growth and oxygen depletion of the water. This kills fish and aquatic insects.
So this week I thought I would compile some tips on how to keep your car clean without harming the earth.
- Washing your car on a grassy area minimises runoff. The waste water is filtered by the grass and soil before it reaches the stormwater system and any pollutants are contained there. Nutrients from the waste water will be taken up by the grass and soil organisms will aid the breakdown of any biodegradable substances. This minimises pollutants reaching the stormwater system.
- Instead of a hose use buckets of water to reduce how much you use.
- Use just a little bit – about 1 tsp – of a good quality eco phosphate free detergent in the bucket for washing.
- For the dashboard, and even the upholstery all you need is a bottle of olive oil. It provides the nourishment needed but also cleans off dirt and dust. Wipe on with a cloth and rub in, then polish off. I find a microfibre cloth works best.
- For the windows you can’t go wrong with my glass cleaner which is 1 cup white vinegar to 2 cups of water. Spray on, wipe off and do a final wipe with newspaper.
- To get raindrop marks off car windscreens- cut a potato in half and rub on the screen.
- To remove insects which have stuck to the car take a plastic mesh bag (used to hold onions and lemons)and roll it into a ball. Use this to rub and collect the dead insects.
- To clean chrome on a car dip a damp cloth into baking soda and rub over the surface. Rinse, dry and shine.
- To clean rubber floor mats rub liquid furniture wax into them.
- To cover up small scratches on the car rub with a matching wax colour crayon.
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