You might want to make a new password Buck, I think your wife is posting on your account.
Automatic Car Washes and Salt
- Thread starter Jdeere562
- Start date
I highly doubt many of the car washer use RO filtration, and even if they do, how well is it maintained? The membrane is very delicate and if it breaks it’s useless and expensive to replace.
Even if they do have RO, unless the station is brand spanking new, I would not trust the equipment to be properly maintained.
Even if they do have RO, unless the station is brand spanking new, I would not trust the equipment to be properly maintained.
4WD
$50 site donor 2025
My Jeep gets salty sand and mud under it often. After hitting a car wash coming home - I place a sprinkler under it after it cools. Generally takes 4 spots to get the underside clean …
No-they almost all do. It's money back in to their pocket-verses using fresh water. Many times regulations require it.
Do Car Washes Recycle Water? Process, Usage & FAQs | House Grail
Find out if car washes recycle water and learn about their processes, water usage stats, and FAQ in our complete guide.
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Nowhere in that article reverse osmisis was mentioned. Notice I never said they don't treat and re-use the some of the dirty water.No-they almost all do. It's money back in to their pocket-verses using fresh water. Many times regulations require it.
Do Car Washes Recycle Water? Process, Usage & FAQs | House Grail
Find out if car washes recycle water and learn about their processes, water usage stats, and FAQ in our complete guide.
Wouldn't salt in the water cause spots on dark colored cars?
Salt in the water will cause spots on everything. It probably doesn't matter much for the wash water, the soap probably even has sodium chloride (and other nasties that would corrode metal if left exposed for too long) in it as shipped from the manufacturer, but it definitely does for the rinse water.
[URL unhttps://www.superiorcarwashsupply.com/blog/reverse-osmosis-systems-for-car-washesfurl="true"]
https://www.carwash.com/carwashs-guide-reverse-osmosis/[/URL]
They almost all use RO. Whether you choose to believe it or not.
When I lived in Canda and went though a car wash in winter with my black Mazda 3, it had white spots all over. They add surface tension reducing chemicals to the final rinse so the water beads off and doesn't leave too many spots. But they will be there.
The article mentions rinse water for RO. Not sure you know what RO is, how it works and how expensive the membrane replacement is and how crucial water quality is for the membrane life, but I do. So I believe in the good old human tendency to do things the easiest and least expensive way possible to maximize profits.
Since the water is not for drinking, there is likely no oversight, so even if the wash station has RO for the rinse water, there is no way for us to know the system is actually working as it should. And given my experience back in Canada during winter and seeing white spots on my cars, I would say these RO systems are just there to be compliant.
Some of that could be due to hard water, not because it has salt in it.
nope, RO will remove salt and any other minerals, if it works properly that is. Any spots mean RO is not working as it should.
What if they are using fresh water straight from the utility (or well if it's in the boonies) for rinse and recycling that for wash?
I washed my car at a self-serve wash and it left spots. I guarantee you there was no salt in that water, the last time any salt was dumped on these roads was at least 2 months ago. Those spots were entirely from the water supplied by the utility.
That's why I'm questioning that most car wash stations use expensive RO filtration. They either don't use it because of expense or don't maintain it.
That's the whole point of RO it removes all minerals and impurities so the finish is the best and customers don't complain.
I think if they aren't using RO, then they aren't using recycled water for the final rinse. They could theoretically use softened municipal or well water if they wanted rinse water that provided the best finish.
