The environmental benefits of a professional car wash

By Stephanie Perrault

Did you know that washing your car at home is more harmful to the environment than a professional car wash? You might initially think that an at-home wash would save water and generally be more environmentally friendly, but that isn’t the case. Next time your car needs a wash, consider these reasons for why a professional car wash is a greener option than taking on the job yourself.

The Water Savings

The biggest benefit of a professional car wash versus an at-home wash is the amount of water saved. Depending on individual usage, washing your car in the driveway with a hose can use as much as 100 gallons of fresh water per car.

At Raceway Express Car Wash, we closely monitor water usage and use approximately 40 gallons of fresh water per car. To provide context, taking a bath uses between 10 to 40 gallons of water, whereas a load of laundry takes between 13 and 50 gallons.  Living in the desert, water availability is of prime importance, so a water savings of almost 60 gallons at a professional car wash is a huge benefit to the environment. 

Soap Disposal

Another reason you may want to choose a professional car wash instead of washing your car in the driveway is the disposal of soaps and detergents. When you wash your car at home, the soaps and dirty residue from the car runs into storm drains, where it can affect plants and animals in the ecosystem. Professional car washes, like Raceway Express Car Wash, properly channel the dirty water into the sewer system, where it can be cleaned and processed safely at a municipal water reclamation plant. Choosing to wash your car at home can harm our environment with soaps and detergents, whereas an express car wash processes them safely without harm to the local ecosystem.

Next time your car needs a wash, think twice before you bring out the hose and soap to the driveway. Not only is a professional car wash a more environmentally friendly car wash, it’s also faster, convenient, and is guaranteed to leave your car sparkling clean.

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Stephanie Perrault serves as director of marketing for the Raceway Car Wash Company. In this capacity, she is responsible for strategic planning, marketing initiatives, media campaigns, brand awareness, store aesthetics, and customer experience. Perrault is an experienced marketer and storyteller. Prior to joining Raceway Express Car Wash, she founded the marketing firm, Create Confidently, to provide branding and storytelling for small businesses. Prior to founding Create Confidently, Perrault was a managing editor for the East Valley Tribune.