[claycourter01]

When you finish a wash, do you think it's OK to empty your wash buckets in an area that will drain into the landscaping?

I have a long driveway at the end of an incline, so it's a pain to lug the wash buckets up the driveway to the street to empty them.

It would be more convenient to empty them at the bottom of the driveway and let them drain into the yard, but I have some nice ornamental trees there that I would not want to harm.

Do you think most of the car wash soaps we use here (Meguiars, Pinnacle, etc.) are sufficiently biodegradable to be safe when draining into landscaping? or not?

[ArjanRDC]

Into landscaping, yes. But not down drains. The contaminants that the wash mitt collects and then deposits back into the bucket are considered harmful. Its actually against the law to wash your vehicle without collecting waste water. Barely anyone collects the waste water, but just fyi.

As silly as it sounds - i would suggest collecting the water and dumping it at a DIY car wash as they have proper disposal drains in place that collect the water/contaminants.

[eluded]

Originally Posted by claycourter01

... Do you think most of the car wash soaps we use here (Meguiars, Pinnacle, etc.) are sufficiently biodegradable to be safe when draining into landscaping? or not?

Only one way to find out

[claycourter01]

Originally Posted by ArjanRDC

Into landscaping, yes. But not down drains. The contaminants that the wash mitt collects and then deposits back into the bucket are considered harmful. Its actually against the law to wash your vehicle without collecting waste water. Barely anyone collects the waste water, but just fyi.

As silly as it sounds - i would suggest collecting the water and dumping it at a DIY car wash as they have proper disposal drains in place that collect the water/contaminants.

thanks

[smithf80]

Originally Posted by ArjanRDC

Its actually against the law to wash your vehicle without collecting waste water. Barely anyone collects the waste water, but just fyi.

That sounds like a very California law.

[rolltidef32]

Originally Posted by smithf32

That sounds like a very California law.

Yep, damn liberals! lol

[jhuber]

I would think a small amount is probably fine. The product is designed to be used in your driveway. I have dumped buckets right on the driveway or in the grass for years never with a dead spot or line along the driveway imagine it should be no problem.

[ipilcher]

Originally Posted by smithf32

That sounds like a very California law.

Sounds silly even for California, given that the "contaminants" from the car are exactly the same stuff that's already on the roads.

[ArjanRDC]

Originally Posted by smithf32

That sounds like a very California law.

Yeah seriously. They count the stuff coming off the car (oil, brake dust, etc) as hazardous. So its not the actual suds thats illegal, its the stuff removed in the process of washing. Since some sewers dump to rivers and waterways, we really don't want oil and harmful contaminants flowing into there.

The law really isn't enforced at all either. I have heard in some county in SoCal it is, but not widely. You see mobile detailers all the time not properly collecting the waste, which is a crime, but no one says anything.

[claycourter01]

Originally Posted by jhuber

I would think a small amount is probably fine. The product is designed to be used in your driveway. I have dumped buckets right on the driveway or in the grass for years never with a dead spot or line along the driveway imagine it should be no problem.

thanks

[Dog Face Pony Soldier]

Originally Posted by ArjanRDC

Into landscaping, yes. But not down drains. The contaminants that the wash mitt collects and then deposits back into the bucket are considered harmful. Its actually against the law to wash your vehicle without collecting waste water. Barely anyone collects the waste water, but just fyi.

As silly as it sounds - i would suggest collecting the water and dumping it at a DIY car wash as they have proper disposal drains in place that collect the water/contaminants.

No way in hell I'd be driving to a car wash to dump out my wash bucket. People are insane.

[Polo08816]

Originally Posted by smithf32

That sounds like a very California law.

Originally Posted by rolltidef32

Yep, damn liberals! lol

Originally Posted by ipilcher

Sounds silly even for California, given that the "contaminants" from the car are exactly the same stuff that's already on the roads.

California always has silly ways of doing everything.

[kent11202]

Originally Posted by glennQNYC

No way in hell I'd be driving to a car wash to dump out my wash bucket. People are insane.

But if you did we could have a thread on how to dry out the interior of a BMW that got soaking wet when the bucket spilled after making a turn or hitting a bump. I don't think we've ever discussed that process.....

[goj]

Originally Posted by rolltidef32

Yep, damn liberals! lol

Liberals? Try a drought

[GeorgeR]

Check some of the lawn care forums, they shampoo their lawns on purpose. It is used mainly as a surfactant but other "benefits" are claimed.

[rjd598]

Originally Posted by ipilcher

Sounds silly even for California, given that the "contaminants" from the car are exactly the same stuff that's already on the roads.

first thing that popped into my mind when i read the quote lol

[ipilcher]

Originally Posted by kent11202

But if you did we could have a thread on how to dry out the interior of a BMW that got soaking wet when the bucket spilled after making a turn or hitting a bump. I don't think we've ever discussed that process.....

Well the root cause is obviously the run-flats.