Hey everyone - my HOA recently put out a bulletin saying that car washing was no longer allowed in our private driveways which have their own hose outlet. Their reasons being that the car wash soap draining into the sewers was bad for the environment, and since the condominium complex has a shared water bill, I was making everyone in the the second building who doesn't have a driveway or a place to wash their car, pay for my car wash.

1. How bad for the environment is car wash liquid? Are there eco-friendly brands? There is no grass for the soap to drain into, only sewers.

2. I don't let the water run while I'm washing my car. It takes about 15 minutes total (water running) for me to wash my car - regularly. This is about the time some people can take a shower in. I use less water in my condo to offset the amount of water I use for a car wash. I'm sure this can be proven via measurements/readers for valves/pipes, but could be more trouble than its worth for them.

To me, this all sounds like jealous condo owners in the second building who can't wash their cars. I specifically made sure that it would be OK to wash cars in my private driveway when I purchased this condo. There is nothing in the condo's rules/manual about car washing.

Anyone have any suggestions for me fighting this? I loathe paying careless people to wash my car at those car wash places.

HELP!

 

There are bio shampoo's/soap/detergent/ect but I think (reading and watching the news,) your state (CA) is in the poor house for not only cash but WATER. There are select areas here in Florida that water bans are rolling but the bio stuff, well, it aint here yet! By the way - please keep your politicians over there

J

 

you can also use one of the waterless wash products...
qew, etc

http://www.autopia.org/forum/detailing-art...y-part-1-a.html

or those coin operated wand type places (i hate those, but they are usually not bad if you keep the wand back from your top seals)

last idea: got a friend with a hose and a dirty car? either wash with him and supply products or offer to wash his too... of if hes a good enough friend maybe he will just let you use his hose!

 

See if the HOA will let you use Gliptones wash 'n glow car wash soap, it is biodegradable. I'm sure there are other brands out there too.

http://www.gliptone.com/retail/

 

http://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.html
Takes like 4 gallons with a two-bucket method? (I have yet to use it)
Anyways, I am pretty sure that my Meguair's gold class wash says "bio-degradable" and safe for the environment.

 

Optimum bills their No Rinse product as biodegradable and environmentally friendly. As is the regular shampoo I buy from Majestic Solutions.

If it's a water restriction sort of rule, you could get around that by using ONR and store bought distilled water. It's usually about $1/gallon. I've even done ONR washes in my garage - you use so little water that it's really not a problem to wash the car indoors.

 

Thanks for all the input! I'm going to try some of the biodegradable stuff and distilled water, maybe even fill a few buckets with tap water. ARGH.

I'm just so annoyed at this new 'rule'. I know that its just a bunch of bitter occupants in the other building who don't have a garage or access to a spigot.

 

^ lame bro. but i agree with looking into a product like ONR.

i plan to shift my washing in the summer to ONR for times when my car isn't REALLY dirty - just enough to warrent it being cleaned.
with a two bucket ONR method i use around 6-7 gallons of water + 1 extra gallon to pre-rinse the car with a chemical-sprayer. i think you'll find the results rather favorable, and it's surely better than taking it to a swirl-o-matic plus makes you feel good to do it yourself.
additionally, there'd be no need to even ask the HOA about this, as you wouldn't be using the hose AT ALL.

thank God for living in the location with the largest supply of fresh water in the world - probably the only thing Michigan has going for it right now

 

FWIW, a local member here, that lives in a condo, has had good results with ONR.

 

big thread from a month ago with LOTS of info, links and reviews of ONR:
https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=672245

enjoy