Technics

I've been hearing that a lot of these self-serve wash bays use recycled water. Unfortunately living in an apartment does not give me the option of doing my own handwash in the driveway and the self serve place allows me to throughly wash the car like it should be. Sometimes I use the touchless wash but it doesn't seem to get the car completely clean. Is it true that these self serve places use recycled water and what are the dangers if any to the cars finish?

Guitarman

Technics, I'd like to say i know a lot about the consumer based car wash drive throughs, but unfortunately i don't know much. I can tell you that one concern is whether or not they use reverse osmosis to clean the water because, up north salt residue from the roads IS a concern. That could do some damage to paint. since salt is so corrosive...

Also, I found this statement on one site;

"The recycled water is normally used in the early rinses and to mix with the detergents. It may also be used in the high-pressure washer. It should never be used in the final rinse."

I guess as long as the final rinse is not with recycled water, you'll be *ok*. I would simply ask about the use of recycled wayer in the final rinse before you pick a place that you want to stick with. If they don't know, (they should) keep looking.

AFAIK, they are required by law to use recycled water to comply with enviornmental water runoff laws.

Technics

Okay, but are you referring to the drive through car wash? I tend to not use those because I've seen some minor damage caused by the brushes. I was referring to to self service bays, where there is high pressure hose and there is a selector switch which allows you to get: "high pressure soap or rinse", "foaming brush", "tire cleaner", etc. All of these coming through one hose.

Guitarman

Yes, you're right-and I know even less about them unfortunately. I would *assume* they have to comply with the same laws and use recycled water for all but the final rinse. If they are using recycled for the final rinse...ACK!

There usually isn't anyone there to ask either, at least at those nearby me. I hope someone here can definitively answer that question. I'll do some digging and see what i can find out.