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How to wash your car during water restrictions.
With water restrictions now in force across most of Australia – it is important to BE RESPONSIBLE with water when washing your car.
While most of us are committed to doing the right thing and are educating ourselves regarding what activities involving water usage we are, and are not allowed to do. There is some confusion and misinformation around.
It would be a shame if people neglect to wash their cars because they think they are not allowed to in the current situation.
Regular washing of your car is essential to remove bird droppings, bugs and pollution – even from rainwater – that can damage its finish.
In fact, washing your car plays an important role in protecting its paintwork and thereby maintaining it at its best condition.
It's OK to WASH your CAR*, even during water restrictions as long as you THINK SMART.
While water restrictions vary between local areas, there are a number of general principles acceptable in most areas, which are easy to adopt.
Simply follow these helpful tips on:
How to wash your car using less water;
The first thing to recognise is that the old days of hosing your car clean are over. This wastes a lot of water – a much more efficient way is to use a bucket and watering can.
- It is best to wash your car on a lawn, being careful to prevent run-off onto hard surfaces such as driveways or roads. Early mornings or evenings are the best times – just find a shady spot and remember to wash your car one section at a time.
- Start by removing loose dirt with water HINT: use a watering can.
- Follow this with a thorough wash using any ARMOR ALL® car wash solution. Pour it into a clean, large bucket and add water. HINT: it is best to avoid using dishwashing soaps as these may strip wax and leave a film on the surface – which will also make it difficult for a protective coating such as ARMOR ALL® High Performance Wax & Polish to adhere to the paint.
- Make sure you use a clean sponge or wash mitt and start washing your car from the top and gradually work your way down the sides. Do not forget to rinse your sponge regularly in the bucket to remove collected dirt or grime.
- It is important to rinse off the car before the car wash starts to dry. You can rinse the roof using a watering can with the nozzle removed, which will help disperse the suds. For the rest of the body, use the watering can with the nozzle on, again starting from the top and working down. HINT: using a watering can for the process reduces your water consumption by two to three times that of a hose.
- When the car is thoroughly rinsed, wipe it down with a chamois cloth.
Another way to minimise the amount of water used for cleaning your car is to clean your tyres with ARMOR ALL® Tyre Foam, which requires no water at all.
- Simply spray on and walk away, it is self-cleaning and dries in minutes.
Remember, if you think smart, you will keep your car looking its best and maintain its paintwork, while conserving as much water as possible and keeping within the water restriction guidelines.
Water restrictions may be here to stay for some time, so it is best to adapt NOW and make the smart way to wash your car a part of your car cleaning routine.
There is no need to neglect your car, but we should all be responsible in how we go about cleaning it.
*Important Information
Water restrictions vary between states/territories and local areas within states/territories. You should always check the water restrictions in your local area before washing your car, as water restrictions will change from time to time.
Here are some useful links:
NSW
Sydney Water www.sydneywater.com.au
Hunter Water www.hunterwater.com.au
ACT
ACTEW www.actew.com.au
QLD
Brisbane City Council www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
Gold Coast Water www.goldcoastcity.com.au
VIC
Melbourne Water www.melbournewater.com.au
Yarra Valley Water www.yarravalleywater.com.au
South East Water www.southeastwater.com.au
City West Water www.citywestwater.com.au
SA
SA Water www.sawater.com.au
WA
Water Corporation of WA www.watercorporation.com.au
NT
NT Water www.nt.gov.au
TAS
Hobart Water www.hobartwater.com.au
Have you made sure all your taps are not dripping? A dripping tap can waste anything from 3 to 22 buckets of water per day according to Sydney Catchment Authority.
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