Monday, August 12, 2013

Conserve Water this Summer with WaterSavers {Visa Gift Card Prize Pack Giveaway}

watersavers logo
As summer starts to wind down and thoughts turn to fall and back to school, many people make one last  effort to get things cleaned and organized. One more time shaking out the throw rugs; one more time sweeping out the garage; one more washing of the car so that it's ready for autumn, too.

However, whether done by pulling out the hose at home or pulling up to a charity fundraiser, washing vehicles on driveways, parking lots and streets can actually do far more harm than good. Surprised? It's because the dirty water entering storm drains from pavement washing does not undergo treatment before it is discharged.

In fact, a study by the City of Federal Way, Washington, found that residential car washing led to numerous pollutants being released each year into their storm sewer system, including 190 gallons of gasoline, diesel and motor oil; 400 pounds of phosphorus and nitrogen; and 60 pounds of ammonia.

Can we say Yuck? Might as well just wash your car right in your local river, lake or ocean!

car wash
Source

Fortunately, we can all make better choices by listening to the knowledge and information from WaterSavers, a consumer awareness campaign from the International Carwash Association (ICA), that is committed to promoting the importance of using eco-friendly car washes that use less fresh water and return clean water back into the environment.

In fact, professional car washes are typically a much greener option for washing vehicles than washing your car in the driveway at home. Washing at home with a garden hose can use more than 60 gallons in as little as five minutes, but most professional car washes treat and recycle water, virtually eliminating waste.

The average homeowner uses 116 gallons of water to wash a car, according to the Mid-America Regional Council, and most commercial car washes use 60% less water for the entire process than a homeowner uses just to rinse the car.

reclaimed water

WaterSavers professional car washes actually  use only 40 gallons or less of fresh water per car wash – that's less than the typical home washing machine uses per load. Plus, the process then cleans and re-uses the water for future car washes, or it undergoes treatment prior to returning it clean to the environment.

So no more polluting our waterways or wasting precious water by washing your car in your driveway or conducting a car wash fundraiser in a parking lot! Head to WashWithWaterSavers.com to find out much more information and to find a certified location near you (you can also connect with them on Facebook and Twitter as well).

As this summer comes to an end, instead of grabbing a bucket and hose, take your car to a local WaterSavers car wash to help save water, protect aquatic life and preserve the environment.

And, thanks to their generosity, one person will be even more prepared to be eco-friendly this season and beyond, because...

One lucky person will win a WaterSavers Prize Package*!

WaterSavers Summer Prize Package
*Prize Package includes (1) $20 Visa gift card, (1) Pop-Up Trunk Organizer, (1) WaterSavers branded USB Car Charger and (1) Car Vent Clip.


I am working with the International Carwash Association to share these tips. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

267 comments:

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latanya t said...

my husband washes the car at home

robyn paris said...

i go to the car wash to get my car washed

Mami2jcn said...

We take our car to the car wash.

Pink and Green Mom said...

Ummm..I use the rain? I couldn't even tell you the last time I washed my car.

Anonymous said...

I make my husband wash the car! hehe

Unknown said...

I go to the car wash since I do not have a place at home where I can wash the car. They use recycled water so I think it is environmentally OK

B. Wilson @ Windy {City} Wilsons said...

In the driveway about once a year. We park in the garage, so it rarely needs washing. *lynn w on rafflecopter

Unknown said...

We usually wash it at home

Suburban prep said...

My husband washes it at home.

Monica said...

My husband takes it through the drive through carwash.

Thanks!

Candice said...

I usually take it to the car wash. I need to go more often though.

Debbie said...

It only happens about once a year and I take it through a car wash.

Denise S. said...

Mine gets washed when it rains.

Anonymous said...

i will wash it every few months at a shop

Chelsea said...

My husband usually washes ours in our driveway with the kids :)

Holly said...

My boyfriend washes it at home.

fancygrlnancy said...

Car wash usually.

Marti Tabora said...

I usually wash my car at home in my backyard because the car wash is a little too expensive for me.

Janet W. said...

I typically hand wash it at home.

Shelley P said...

We get our car washed at the car wash.

Cass said...

i take mine through the drive through car wash

mommy2luke2008 said...

I take it to the car wash and wash it by hand.

Yona Williams said...

We usually clean the car using one of those $2 sprays.

Unknown said...

We always go to a car wash. I agree that home washing wastes water and pollutes.

gannyofshy said...

I ALWAYS USE A HOSE AND NOZZLE TO WASH MY JEEP AND I DO IT AT THE SIDE OF MY HOUSE

Unknown said...

We go to the car wash a couple times a year.

Karey said...

I go to my Mom's house and wash it myself!

evanoff said...

My husband or kids usually wash the car with big sponges and a big bucket of water

JC said...

We use local car wash service

Michelle S. said...

I wait for it to rain. I have well water at home so can't really spare water to wash by hand and no money for the car wash.

Unknown said...

Usually the rain is when it is washed.

Miss Sarah said...

We wash our van very rarely, but when we do, it's almost always at a car wash.

Thanks for the giveaway!

jenspurg said...

We got to the car wash when we wash it, but we don't do that very often.
huntandride@hotmail.com

Traci said...

carwash

bettycd said...

my car is washed by rainwater!

walk9 said...

By the rain or a quick rinse off in the driveway.

Christina said...

When I have my oil changed, they offer a free car wash. Sometimes in between that the kids like to wash it at home.

Unknown said...

I take my car to the car wash.

rounder9834 @yahoo.com

Karen Glatt said...

My sister washes my car for me because I am disabled and she washes it at my house.

Mijal Photography said...

I normally go to a car wash!

Sandra VanHoey said...

I wash our in the driveway so I can open up the doors and get all the trim inside

Tiffany Schmidt said...

Usually at home, but if I have a coupon, I'll take it to a car wash!

Unknown said...

At home the good old fashion way.

Darby Elizabeth said...

at a carwash

janetfaye said...

My son washes my car at my home.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

the rain washes it :-)
adinatm(at)aol.com

Anonymous said...

i bring it to a carwash

Carmen said...

I prefer going through the car wash,but most of the time end up doing it by hand in my parents driveway.

sdavis said...

i usually take my car to the car wash.

Kelly R. said...

I usually take it to the car wash .

Kayla said...

I try to go through the car wash!

CindyWindy2003 said...

i'm a bad car owner, i pretty much don't wash my car... i think in the last year i have hand washed it once and another time went through a gas station car wash drive thru, carawling(at)hotmail(Dot)com

Rhonda Tenderholt said...

we wash our vehicles out front so that the boys earn $$$ for boy scouts and other items. sometimes my husband goes thru a car wash.

Savor The Days said...

I really don't wash my car very often. Usually the rain keeps it clean enough.
kim(at)kimberlychance.com

Anne said...

When the car needs washing (which my spouse thinks is about three times as often as I do!), we usually go to the do-it-yourself bay at the local car wash.

Anonymous said...

I usually do the drive through car wash at the gas station

Missie Faye said...

I take it to the automated car wash when I'm not just letting the rain wash it.

Cheryl @ Simply Shoeboxes said...

We normally wash it at home.

Unknown said...

Usually at the car wash

Julie Lynn Bickham said...

I go to the car wash, only a few times a year though.

sohamolina said...

at the car wash

Caitlin said...

We use a bucket and dish soap. We'll be looking for a Watersavers carwash nearby now!

Colleen Maurina said...

We take our cars to the local car wash that is supposed to be gentle on cars.

Tamar said...

We use our hose!

Jody Sisson said...

We usually wash our cars at home in the summer and at car washes in the winter.
jodysis at windstream dot net

Bethany C. said...

We usually wash it at home.

peg42 said...

Usually at the car wash.
Thanks so much.
rickpeggysmith(at)aol(dot)com

d schmidt said...

We usually drive to the local car wash

Unknown said...

I usually run through one of the automatic car washes.

s said...

My local garage does it when I get an oil change.

Chaotic Karma said...

My husband washes it at home

~Veronica Vasquez~

Jennifer T. said...

I get my car washed at a local partially automated car wash. I just realized that it's a Water Savers one.

Helga said...

I take my car to the car wash.

Unknown said...

I usually get it washed at the gas station car wash.

steve weber said...

If it's nice enough outside I'll do it myself.

saving money said...

i wash my car outside on the driveway i really believe detailing myself is much better, when i first bought my car i left the car wash and it was severly scratched, the car was brand new, i was upset, after that i decided to do it on my own.

benz1171 said...

Washed at home.

Debra said...

my son washes it at home

Andrea said...

We take it to a drive thru car wash periodically.

BrunoDogg2 said...

I don't wash my car very often maybe once a year! But when I do I wash it myself in the driveway :)

Ashley said...

I usually wash it myself.

Ashley H.

ken ohl said...

I usually wash it myself. thankyou, ken pohl19@comcast.net

Unknown said...

I go to the car wash

Unknown said...

The car wash!

Anonymous said...

Our most common way to wash our car is in the driveaway!

wigget said...

usually by hand

abfantom said...

We usually wash the cars in the driveway unless it is really cold outside.

abfantom at yahoo dot com

abfantom said...

G+ and GFC ids: abfantom fantom

abfantom at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

we have the neighbor kid wash the car

Victoria Nyquist said...

I hardly wash my car, but when I do I wash it at a nearby gas station!

whirlofwings said...

I fill a bucket with water and soap, and I scrub with an old hand towel.

Stacy said...

My local car wash offers free washes for green cars on St Patrick's Day, so I take advantage of that every year. Otherwise I wash it at home or support a local youth group by pulling into a fund-raising car wash.

Jessica Cox said...

We use a car wash when we wash our car
Jessica Cox

Katie said...

i get it done at costco's car wash

nicolesender said...

My husband washes the car at home using a pail of soapy water and then spray rinses.
nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

Pinky Sade said...

I have it washed at a car wash

llinda29 said...

I wash it myself

Anonymous said...

The most common way that I wash my car is through a professional car wash.

dlhaley said...

I take it to a car wash.

Unknown said...

We go to the car wash in town

Unknown said...

I usually take it to a car wash.

Unknown said...

the water hose, and a bucket of suds!

kroch said...

We usually use a large sponge with soap and the water hose.

apple blossom said...

right from our house outdoor faucet

Becca said...

I wash my car at the cheapest local car wash. It is the kind where they vacuum your car and send it through the line without you in it.

dv8 said...

I just let the rain wash my car.

Seyma Bennett Shabbir said...

Either hubby washes it or we go to a car wash
seyma_bennett@hotmail.com

twbellamy said...

I go to a car wash.

crankyyanky1 said...

The rain washes my car!!

Jamie Leigh Martin said...

It rains.. That's how my car gets washed. I'm surprised car washes stay in business in the Pacific Northwest!

tiffanynichole89 said...

the car wash

Liz said...

Most of the time, I wash it myself.

Love3570@aol.com

Emaisgr8 said...

Usually my husband hand washes it at home.

FIBERONE said...

I do not wash the car. We have had a lot of rain this year and the rain keeps my car clean enough for me.

Unknown said...

I usually wait until you can write in the dust, and then will I get gas, I go to one of the car washes behind the service station to save time and money.

Katie Robbin said...

At home

Anonymous said...

I usually wash it at home.

Unknown said...

I wash it at a car wash.

Unknown said...

I take it to the car wash!

Anonymous said...

I go to the car wash.

rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

Jessica Schank Snow said...

We take ours to the dealership where they used reclaimed water to wash the cars.
Thanks for the giveaway! =)
JJs2468@aol.com

Unknown said...

Usually we take it to a car wash, at times the granddaughters will wash the car to get wet and cool off and have fun, normally washed about every month or so, .

Tracey said...

I wash my car myself at home.
traymona[at]aol.com

Literary Winner said...

We usually wash our cars by hand at home.

maggie at literary winner dot com

Melanie Montgomery said...

I use the car wash

dfraley3 said...

I wash it the old fashion way -- bucket, soap and hose.

bayctygrl said...

wash it myself at one of those drive up washes

jbmthill said...

Our cars get washed at home in the driveway with a bucket of soapy water and a hose!

like2sweeP@gmail.com
Beth H

Austin Baroudi said...

We usually got to the car wash.
mcfallsk8er(at)aim(dot)com

Anonymous said...

we usually use a touch-free car wash:)

jmatek AT wi DOT rr DOT com

Mary said...

WE usually drive it through a car wash and vacuum out ourselves.

mogrill said...

I usually just wash it by hand.
Thanks for the chance.
mogrill12@gmail.com

Ellie Wright said...

My son usually washes mine at home.

judy gardner said...

i wash the car at home

velvetelvis46@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

I wash it at home in the summer, but take it to a car wash in the winter.

Wanda McHenry said...

We put it through the car wash at the gas station when we fill up.

slehan said...

Car wash - I'm too lazy to do it myself.
Thanks for the contest.

slehan at juno dot com

clc408 said...

I usually wash it myself in the driveway.

Unknown said...

We usually wash our cars at home.

Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

I wash them at home with dawn, a wash cloth and the water hose!

aperry said...

car wash

Unknown said...

I usually drive through an automated car wash.

Discovering the Me in Mommy said...

the car wash

sherylssg said...

I either go to a local car wash or support a local organization holding a car wash.

sflickinger at rocketmail dot com

Michelle said...

I take my car to an automated car wash. Thanks for the chance to win!
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com

Ash said...

The place where we get our oil changed gives a free car wash with an oil change, so that's how our car gets washed

demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com

Tara said...

at the car wash, yeah!

kyl neusch said...

use the rain

Theresa N. said...

Go to the car wash.
theresa n
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

kdrae said...

I always go to a car wash!

Growl Tiger said...

I pay someone to do it!

Deb S. said...

I usually wash the car myself.

KentuckyCooking said...

We usually wash it ourselves :)

Ariel said...

We wash it at a car wash.

Unknown said...

I like to either take it to a car wash or to a charity car wash especially.

kathy f said...

I wash it at home.

Clair Shumack said...

We normally go through the automatic car wash

Abbi said...

The most recent was the kids doing it at home, the most common is at an automatic car wash but nothing is done very often!

Sue Hull said...

I go to the car wash where the use the watersavers.I like knowing the water is recycled. Thank you :)
sue-hull64 at comcast dot net

Brenda H said...

I go to the touch free car washes most of the time.

Unknown said...

My husband washes it in the driveway.

polly said...

My husband washes the car in our driveway

TheAtticGirl said...

My hubby washes the car in the driveway when he has time.

Aleksandra Nearing said...

1-2 times a year we might wash it in the driveway, but usually we just leave it as is or go through the gas station. Has been raining too much in Atlanta to wash it frequently!

Unknown said...

I wash it in the driveway.
gabbflabber at live.com

ReggieMann said...

I wash my car at the car wash

Unknown said...

My husband takes it out to the car wash.

Unknown said...

Drive through Car Wash!

Unknown said...

We usually only get it done every 6 months or so. It's so pricey! Because we don't get it done often, we have to splurge on the most expensive package.. LOL! Thanks for a great giveaway!

Rita M said...

Nowadays we wash our cars a local car wash - does a great job & they have awesome vacuums!

An Apel a Day said...

By hand once or twice a season.

tina reynolds said...

we usually go to a car wash

Terra Heck said...

I usually take my car through a car wash with the long hose that I manually use to get all around my vehicle. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com

Unknown said...

I usually ask my teenagers to take care of washing my car for me. Or, sometimes my husband will take it with him to the firehouse and wash it during his down time.

SnowflakeDay (Audra) said...

I'll admit, I rarely wash my car. When I do, it's done in our driveway with the hose.

Unknown said...

Usually we just take it to the drive through car wash

-Brooke Adametz

Unknown said...

I wash my car in the driveway with the waterhose.

Krazy Kat Freebies said...

I usually wash it myself at the car wash or at my son's house out in the country!

Crazylicious85 said...

We use to wash cars in the driveway, but our water pump messed up again, so we have no outside running water. Now we just take it to the car wash and either do it ourselves or go through the automatic car wash. A lot of times we just let the rain rinse and not worry about it though!

Di said...

go to a car wash

Anonymous said...

I usually go to the charity car washes held by the sports team.

Unknown said...

I wash my car in my driveway with one bucket with soapy water and a sponge and one bucket with only water to rinse. Small car, works like a charm.

Sherry said...

I take it to the car wash.

MELINA said...

My husband washes the car at the car wash

Erika Marie said...

I always take my car to the touchless wash because I have bad water at home :) That's the only way I usually get my car washed unless it rains LOL!

Unknown said...

We wash it in the driveway with a little natural dishwashing liquid and a lot of elbow grease.

Unknown said...

i wash in my lawn with a shamoi

joseph GERSCH

h. mcnaron said...

when it rains!!! ha!

a marie hj saver

Christina said...

Hmmm... are you supposed to wash them? LOL. I seriously wash mine like 2 times a year by hand. Normally the rain does an okay job to buy me time.

Nicole said...

we use a drive through car wash

Jackie said...

My husband usually washes the cars. In the winter, we go to the car wash.
Thanks!

Sadie said...

I take the car for a car wash in town once a month.

Robert said...

I have one of those 15 year olds.
rslebron(at)live(dot)com

Treesa said...

We take it to the car wash every once in awhile

cc_girly(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

We scrub and wash our cars at home!

Unknown said...

hubby takes to car wash

wen budro said...

I take it to the car wash every so often....I don't wash it very much.

Unknown said...

I actually rarely wash my car & if I do it's at home.

cylina said...

We wash our cars by hand at home

Anonymous said...

we just wait for rain-our cars are old!!!
4mariemh atgmaildotcom

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