Wash your car by hand
The Basics
This will save you money, save the environment and help you keep fit too.
A car wash uses hundreds of litres of water – compared to just the few litres you’ll use at home. And you won’t be driving to the car wash saving fuel too.
Carrying the bucket to and from the car helps build upper body strength.
Common Myths, misconceptions and excuses
- “It’s bad for the environment as the soap goes onto the grass / drain”. There’s a hose ban pipe ban at the moment so washing your car on the grass will. Buy ecological washing detergent.
Tips & Tricks
- Wash the car on the lawn, this way you’ll water the grass at the same time, the grass also acts like a sponge saving our river ways from some of the detergents we use.
- If you have kids, get them to help too, it’s a great way to have fun and don’t worry about them getting wet – it’s all part of the fun.
- Vacuum the car at home too… the vacuums at garages usually stop just before you finish so you never get to do the inside of the boot area anyway.
- Wax the car once a month – this will protect the car much better than a car wash wax – and you will burn more calories whilst doing it.
- If you pay a fiver every other week to get your car washed that’s £130 a year – you could donate £10 a month to a charity instead and have £10 left over to use at a carwash when you really need to use one.