In the early days of car washes, car wash owners and customers paid little attention to the amount of resources used by the wash. Now, as certain resources have become more limited, people are paying more attention to their impact on the environment. With that, customers are looking for environmentally-friendly businesses, including car washes, to support.

Modern car washes can reduce their resource use and become more eco-friendly by looking at ways to reduce electricity, water, and unsafe chemical use. Making these changes can help car washes appeal to new, eco-conscious customers, while also saving owners/operators money.

Reducing Electricity Use

Car washes can make a reduction in electricity use through the installation of newer, more energy-efficient equipment, such as motors and variable frequency drives (VPDs). Motors with a National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Premium® efficiency motor program label will help to reduce electrical power consumption, and the costs associated with it.

VPDs work similar to a dimmer switch in that they allow the power running to car wash equipment to be adjusted to lower levels. Operating car wash equipment at lower power levels, instead of always at the highest setting, will save money over time.

Water Use: A Case for Recycling

Washing a car, whether at home or at a car wash, requires a large amount of water. The amount of water used by a commercial car wash can range quite a bit, from about 30 to over 120 gallons of water per vehicle. Over time, this water use adds up, creating massive water and sewer bills for car wash owners/operators.

Water recycling equipment is available to help reduce car wash water usage. Some water recycling equipment is even capable of recycling 100 percent of wash water to the point that it can be reused in all stages of the car wash. This decreases car wash owners’ need to use city water, which drastically reduces water/sewer bills.  

Choosing Safer Chemicals

Most standard car wash chemicals contain unsafe ingredients such as hydrofluoric acid (HF) and ammonium bi-fluoride (ABF). These harsh chemicals are often corrosive and flammable, and must be handled with extreme care by car wash employees as improper use can lead to serious injury and even death. Over time, these chemicals can also corrode car wash equipment, leading to high replacement costs.

Newer, eco-friendly car wash chemicals are noncorrosive, biodegradable, and nonflammable, and are comparable in terms of cleaning power to their unsafe counterparts. These eco-friendly chemicals are much safer for customers’ cars, car wash employees, and car wash equipment. While the initial cost of purchasing these safer chemicals may be higher, the money saved over time is worth the investment as less equipment will have to be replaced due to corrosion by abrasive chemicals.

Making small changes to reduce electricity, water, and unsafe chemical use can make a big difference for car washes. With an investment towards becoming more environmentally-friendly, car washes can appeal to a brand new audience of more eco-conscious customers, delivering higher profits and more loyal customers.   

For more information about Aqua Bio and how our systems are designed to save you and your car wash a ton of money by reusing 100% of the water collected contact us today.

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