How Many Liters of Water Are Needed to Wash a Car?
3 Answers
At car wash facilities, water usage ranges from 100-200 liters (using high-pressure water guns). When car owners wash their cars at home, typically one bucket of 20-40 liters is sufficient. There are also so-called waterless car wash methods that consume even less water, though these are only for cleaning the exterior of the vehicle. Below are the standard requirements for car washing: Exterior Surface: No water marks on the paint surface, and no dirt or water stains at the seams of various components. Car Windows: No water stains, oil stains, insect marks, or water streaks on the inside or outside of the glass. Interior: Rearview mirrors should have a clear mirror effect with no water stains or streaks; the dashboard should be dust-free, ashtrays should be free of ash, seats should be dust-free, seat cushions should be neatly arranged and not messy, the floor should be free of sand and dust, and cleaned floor mats should have no water marks.
My neighbor Lao Wang has been running a car wash for ten years, and he says it depends on the situation. Traditional high-pressure water gun car washes use the most water, with SUVs and other large vehicles requiring at least 200 liters per rinse, equivalent to two bathtubs of water. If it's a detailed wash with waxing, even more water is used. Now, his shop promotes waterless car washing, using special cleaning agents and microfiber cloths, which only requires 500 milliliters of water per car. Washing cars at home with a hose is even more wasteful—if the water runs continuously for half an hour, it can consume half a ton of water. So, either choose a professional shop with water recycling equipment or make sure to turn off the tap tightly when washing your car yourself. For environmentalists, I suggest washing your car once every two weeks is sufficient.
Last time I checked the data during a community water-saving campaign, a regular car wash by hand typically uses about 120-150 liters of water. However, steam car washing is becoming popular now, as high-temperature steam can sterilize and remove dirt, using only 8-10 liters of water for the entire process, and it cleans even better. I tried a low-water car wash on my car, which involves spraying some neutral cleaner and then wiping it off with a drying towel, using only 30 liters of water. Remember to choose a cloudy day for car washing, as washing under the sun causes water to evaporate quickly, leaving water marks. Using a self-service car wash machine in the neighborhood is the most cost-effective, costing 6 yuan for ten minutes with automatic water cutoff, using about 80 liters of water.
