GET THE FACTS…
Did you know that professional carwashers only use eight to 45 gallons of water per car depending on the type of carwash?
Washing your car at home in the driveway, for only 10 minutes, wastes 80 to 140 gallons of water. To top that off, the untreated waste water and soaps, oils, and sludge from a home carwash seep directly into the environment via storm sewers, which are not intended for this type of use.
The dirty water at a professional carwash is either treated and reused, piped to water treatment facilities or runs into municipal-approved drainage facilities.
Unfortunately, not enough motorists are aware of these facts. Nearly 40 percent of the motoring public washes at home. This is a tragic reflection on how many of us treat the environment. But it doesn’t have to be.
Did you know that another danger to the environment-acid rain-is also a danger to your vehicles finish? You don’t have to look any further than your car’s finish to see the effects of acid rain.
Acid rain damage to automobile finishes is widespread and manifests itself in dull-looking spots that are etched into your car’s finish. As a result, the professional carwash industry urges motorists to wash their cars after a rainfall in order to remove acid-containing rainwater produced by emissions from fossil-fuel burning engines or plants that react with your car’s paint to form sulfuric and nitric acids.
A professional carwash is able to remove this harmful acidity. The international Carwash Association (ICA), headquarters in Chicago, IL, recommends frequent washing (every 10 days) to help eliminate the problems of acid rain and keep your vehicle looking new.
- The average passenger car on the road today is nearly eight years old, which means car owners are keeping their cars longer and taking better care of them. Frequent professional carwashing should be an important part of that care.
- Today, more than 300,00 people in the United States are employed in the professional carwash industry, which supports more than 600 equipment manufacturers and suppliers.
- Annual professional carwash sales are in excess of $2.5 billion.
If you haven’t tried a professional carwash or you haven’t been to one lately, there is no time like the present to get your vehicle thoroughly cleaned and conditioned while protecting the environment we all cherish. What’s more, as AAA Show Your Card and Save members you can do so at a discount.
The Car Wash Operators of New Jersey have provided you with a list of facilities across the state that will honor your AAA membership with discounted wash packages.
To receive a discount, simply show your AAA membership card to the cashier. By doing so you will receive a discounted carwash and become one of the thousands of New Jersey AAA members who are helping preserve the environment while taking excellent care of the investment they have in their automobile.
