Automatic Car Washes and Salt
- Thread starter Jdeere562
- Start date
I believe that the better establishments filter out the salt for all of their water albeit underside water or the main wash water.
One of the reasons that car washes are so pricey is that there is/are lots of people involved in keeping the washing products replenished and the filtration system up to par. This isn't the segment but I'll look for it.
I was watching on the, IIRC, History Channel a segment on the worlds best car washes. I believe it is in Germany and quite a marvelous system for washing vehicles.
One of the reasons that car washes are so pricey is that there is/are lots of people involved in keeping the washing products replenished and the filtration system up to par. This isn't the segment but I'll look for it.
I was watching on the, IIRC, History Channel a segment on the worlds best car washes. I believe it is in Germany and quite a marvelous system for washing vehicles.
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EDIT: I realize this doesn't actually answer your original question for the regular small car wash business but it's interesting just the same.
They recycle some of the water so it's diluted. They could use fresh water only for the undercarriage rinse. The "spot free rinse" option would be mineral free, so finish off the undercarriage with that. Basically you should ask the owner rather than assume.
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At 5:30 you see a thoughtful employee removing an antenna.
Let's put that at the top of the list I wouldn't trust most .....oh, you know.
The painful repartee translation was more akin to Japanese news product than German.
Let's put that at the top of the list I wouldn't trust most .....oh, you know.
The painful repartee translation was more akin to Japanese news product than German.
I have some of this in a pump sprayer I spray the undercarriage with after a wash:
www.saltaway.com
Home | SaltAway
www.saltaway.com
Some of the Kwik Trip stations here (Kwik Star in Iowa) do reuse a portion of the wash water. Prior to reuse it is run through a reverse osmosis system.
Only way to really know is to ask Management at 'your' car wash business.
After Winter and the salting season, I make it a point to drive during the 'second' rain and rinse the undercarriage off that way.
I also live in the salt belt.
Winter: I use the self car-washes.
Summer: I use a waterless wash and wax.
After Winter and the salting season, I make it a point to drive during the 'second' rain and rinse the undercarriage off that way.
I also live in the salt belt.
Winter: I use the self car-washes.
Summer: I use a waterless wash and wax.
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Good thing I work at a dealership. So, during the winter on the days I get off early, I hand wash the car inside with the in-house pressure washer. I also brought an undercarriage pressure washer attachment from amazon for $25~. Can't go wrong
I run my Honda through the wash at least every other day. My previous Honda Civic didn't get washed nearly as often and the current car is looking much better after 8 years of ownership than the previous Honda Civic. The car looks really good for its age and I believe it's because I run it through the automatic car wash very frequently and I live in the rust belt. Once it starts getting a little rusty it's bye bye time to trade.
Nothing like a good ole spring thunderstorm to take care of the underbody flush.
My wife's new 2002 Honda Accord coupe SE in black was run through the dealership's "free" carwash before delivery. The rotating brushes covered the entire car with fine hairline scratches that really stood out in bright sunlight. The detail guys at the dealership went over the car several times with buffers and polish to no avail. We spent a lot of money over the next few years on paint correction, never were able to get it all out. We traded it on her 2020 CRV, it had about 80k on it when we were starting to have to replace rusted brake lines. We've used some touchless washes, but I won't ever use a brush carwash. I usually hydrospray the cars weekly and go to a hand carwash about once a month that also pressure washes the undercarriage. The hand carwash does a full clay bar cleaning and Graphene coating twice a year. I avoid brush carwashes like the plague.
You can't filter out salt unless you use Reverse Osmosis. That ain't gonna happen in a car wash.
I don't see how it would be feasible in a car wash, the rinse water for the filters has to be fresh. That alone would make it nearly impossible to do. Might as well use that fresh water for the wash.
As I noted above some are using RO. There are others:
Can car washes help in the fight to conserve Utah's water?
Utah's water goes to all sorts of places, from farms to drinking water, lawns and industrial uses. But what about the water cleaning off vehicles?
www.ksl.com
See my edit.As I noted above some are using RO. There are others:
Can car washes help in the fight to conserve Utah's water?
Utah's water goes to all sorts of places, from farms to drinking water, lawns and industrial uses. But what about the water cleaning off vehicles?
Thanks to all for the input. Granddaughter ran my car thru the wash last night I suppose diluted salt water wash beats full strength salt on the undercarriage.
Plus it rained over an inch yesterday before the wash. So hopefully most of the salt was washed off the road for the 4 block trip home.
Plus it rained over an inch yesterday before the wash. So hopefully most of the salt was washed off the road for the 4 block trip home.
Dang, mine's an ass hole.The car wash in my driveway always uses fresh softened water and the guy that works there is really nice.
