 About Car Wash Kits
Keep pollution out of our streams and Puget Sound
Car wash kits keep soap and car fluids -- which are toxic to fish -- out of our waterways by rerouting water to a water treatment facility. So if you hold community or charity car washes or are an organization that works with those who do, learn how you can get a free car wash kit or build one of your own! Don't let our water quality go down the drain!
» Where to get a car wash kit
» Who should use a car wash kit and when?
» How do car wash kits work?
» Why use a car wash kit
Why use a car wash kit?
- When a car is washed on pavement such as a driveway or a parking lot all the soap, detergents, oil, and road grime that washes off the car goes straight into a storm drain. All storm drains lead directly to streams, lakes or Puget Sound.
- That water runoff, containing soap -- even biodegradable soap -- and automative fluids, is toxic to fish, can harm plant life and degrade our water quality.
- A car wash kit redirects the dirty water away from the storm drain by connecting a hose to a toilet, sink or drain that sends the polluted water to a water treatment plant.
Who should use a car wash kit and when?
- Organizations such as schools, clubs, churches and other non-profit organizations that hold community or charity car wash fundraising events.
- Residential groups such as townhome complexes, condominimums, homeowners associations or others who may have a high volume of car washing in their community.
- Use a car wash kit if using a professional car wash for a fundraising event (external link) is not feasible.
- Using a professional car wash service is the best thing you can do to keep our water clean and protect our flora and fauna. Use a car wash kit as an alternative if a professional service is not available to you.
How a car wash kit works
Car wash kits work by redirecting dirty water -- polluted with soap, oil and automative fluids -- away from the storm drain. The kit uses a hose to connect to a toilet, sink or drain that sends the water to a water treatment plant. When you don't use a car wash kit, the water runs off the driveway, parking lot or street into a storm drain and directly in to our streams, lakes and rivers. Those pollutants damage water quality and poison fish and other animals.
Go to car wash kit resources |
