In what would be the tightest water restrictions in a decade, the NSW Government has agreed to enforce stage-one restrictions to combat drought. The last time NSW lifted water restrictions was back in June 2009.
As from Saturday, Sydney residents will be banned from using sprinklers and hoses on their lawn/garden between 10 am and 4 pm to minimise evaporation. Hoses must be attached with a trigger nozzle or an instant on/off switch during these water-friendly times. Watering of hard surfaces such as pathways and your driveway, will also be prohibited along with the use of sprinkler systems. Those who break these rules could be slapped with a $220 fine and this increases up to $550 for businesses.
Sydney Patrol Officers will be patrolling the streets and are authorised to issue fines.
Those looking to wash, clean or detail their car, can do so if they are equipped with the right equipment i.e hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, bucket with shampoo or high-pressure cleaning equipment.
Nevertheless, whether there is a water ban or not, minimising water consumption during your car care regime should be a high priority as we should be reducing runoff as much as possible and ensure that there is enough water in our dams.
8 Ways You Can Cut Down On Water Use During Your Car Wash
1. Use a High-Pressure Washer
Use a high-pressure washer instead of a trigger nozzle garden hose attachment. The pressure washer can offer up to 20 times more cleaning pressure power than a garden hose while using up to 80% less water. Failing to rinse the car properly before washing can be the cause of permanent scratch marks and marring as the trapped dirt acts like sandpaper.
2. Use High-Quality Shampoo
Use a high-quality biodegradable car wash shampoo that creates a lot of foam and suds, a lifesaver for any car detailing professional. This makes cleaning a lot easier and more efficient. The more grime the car wash shampoo removes, the easier the rinse becomes, and less time required. You will come across some poor quality car shampoos where it does not foam that well or has weaker cleaning power. For heavily soiled cars, you should consider using a heavy-duty car wash shampoo that is slightly non-pH neutral for that extra cleaning kick.
3. Insert a Grit-Guard
Insert a grit-guard into your car wash bucket. A grit guard helps to reduce the likelihood of dirt particles being resurfaced to the top of the bucket and getting stuck on your wash mitt. Reduce cross-contamination and leave less dirt particles on the car surface, therefore making the rinsing process quicker with less water needed. You can probably get by without a grit-guard, but can be good for peace of mind.
4. Wheels & Door Jambs: Wipe Vs Spray/Rinse
When using wheel cleaner to clean the rims, rinse off the excess quickly and follow through with a wipe down using a Microfibre Cloth rather than solely relying on the pressure washer.
Door jambs and door frames, rather than blasting these crevices with your garden hose you can use the pressure washer or go one level better and do it by hand.
5. Shampoo Bucket: Less Is More
Don’t overfill your bucket. You really don’t need a lot of water to clean the car and a few litres should suffice. It is a great idea to pour in the shampoo and fill the bucket using the pressure washer as it will generate more foam than the garden tap. Using less water also allows for a better concentration of shampoo to water and ultimately cleaning power. TIP: Use your pressure washer to refill the bucket instead of your garden tap with the car wash shampoo already added, this helps to use an efficient amount of water, whilst achieving maximal suds. Take this one step further, by placing your microfibre wash mitt into the bucket as well, so that it can absorb a good concentration of the car wash shampoo.
6. Use the right Degreaser and All Purpose Cleaner
Using the right dilution for your Degreaser and APC can really go the distance whilst cutting your cleaning time in half. Especially when it comes to baked on brake dust, using an effective wheel brake cleaner, will help reduce the need for lengthy rinsing time with the pressure washer. Essentially with the right dilution, it should be able to melt off the brake dust with minimal effort without damaging your rims.
7. Waterless Wash
You can opt for a waterless wash, which can be purchased from your local automotive store. Simply a spray and wipe car wash spray, however we do recommend doing so with caution. Using a waterless car wash spray on a contaminated vehicle can cause more problems than intended, in the form of marring, swirl marks and scratching (costly to fix), etched windows etc. Although we think this technology can be great, it is not for all vehicles. Especially for a for full detail, waterless wash may be a risky option for a heavily soiled car. Waterless wash can be possible solution for cars with ceramic coating as well.
8. Call or Book a Professional Car Detailer
Alternatively, if you wish to save yourself the headache of doing the wash yourself or risk being slapped with a fine, you could book a car detailing service. Schmicko, an on-demand booking platform for car care and mobile boat detailing can conveniently come to your home and wash your vehicle. All Detailing Technicians are fully equipped with advanced equipment with water saving properties at no compromise to cleaning quality. It’s quality car care convenience with a shine.
Car Care Advice For The Everyday Driver & Enthusiast
With a relentless hunger to deliver car owners and drivers across the world with the latest emerging trends and innovations in the car space, you have tuned into the right place.
