When it comes to pollution from cars, emissions from tailpipes and air quality concerns are focal points. However, not much attention is given to the practices involved in car care which too are equally responsible for disturbing the balance of nature. There are lot many things which you can do to make sure that whatever you are doing to maintain your car is eco friendly. Some of these tips are given below, so next time when you wash your car, try to follow some of these.
1. Avoid using paper towels
The first thing that you can do is to skip the paper towels. Most people are in the habit of using paper towels for the purpose of cleaning the windows, however, not many are aware of the fact that even newspapers work equally well, if not better and unlike paper towels they do not leave behind tiny bits of paper. You must be getting daily newspaper or at least a weekly local paper, so put them to good use and save some bucks.
2. Wash without water
Hell lot of water gets wasted in washing a car. But, nowadays several companies have came up with cleaners which are derived from corn, palm, soybean and coconut derivatives. The most promising feature of such cleaners is that they require absolutely no water. Simply spray the cleaner on the cloth and the car and then wipe clean. You can even easily get hold of a full line of eco friendly car care products for rims, wheels and interiors.
3. Use cotton swabs
When it comes to keeping the air in your vehicle clean, nothing could be more effective than cotton swabs. These are very essential tools as they can get into hard-to-reach places for your car such as the airflow vents. If these vents are not cleaned properly then the dust accumulated around it will blown into your interior when you start the air conditioner or the blower is turned on. This is great for avoiding allergies to dust mites.
4. Do not stay on top of the trash
No matter how much convenient it appears to use the floor or the backseat of the car as your garbage can, eventually you are polluting your own vehicle. So, it’s better to make a distance from such practices. Also, it will be much better to dispose off the stuff immediately rather than allowing it to pile up. This way, you are more likely to take the time to recycle those items which shouldn’t be going in the trash.
5. Wash your car by yourself
While the option of using automatic ‘drive-through’ car wash may appear quite easy, but it can never be termed as environment friendly. Not only it causes a huge wastage of water and electricity but also uses products on your vehicle that contain toxic chemicals. So, it will be much better if you wash your car by yourself or at most hire a professional car detailer who can do the job for you.
6. Window cleaner
Quite often, it happens that you get a headache or become cranky in your car, even when you are not stuck in the traffic. Your window cleaner may be the reason behind this as a lot of cleaners available in the market have toxic chemicals in them. However, it’s not necessary to use such cleaners to get a streak free shine when some common household products can help you to achieve the same result. Simply add half cup of distilled vinegar into two cups of water in a spray bottle and use this solution for cleaning windows and mirrors. You can even add few drops of lemon juice into the cleaning solution that will make sure that you get a fresh scent in your car. This cleaning solution can be used even in your home.
7. Avoid air fresheners
Using these little fragrant items has become a popular trend in recent times. However, these air fresheners could be the worst things that you can put in your car. The reason is quite obvious, most of these sweet smelling products contain toxic chemicals such as benzene and diethyl phthalate and the worst part is that you are inhaling these chemicals in your entire drive.
8. Handheld vacuums
The traditional car washes use huge, polluting and extra large vacuums for cleaning your car. However, this is a total wastage of electricity as your little handheld vacuum can provide you the same result (unless there is a super sized mess in your car). So, if these little handheld vacuums can do the trick, what’s the point in using those large and polluting vacuums.
9. Regularly replace your cabin air filter
Most of the cars that have been manufactured after the year 2000 have air filters in them. The function of these filters is to remove the dust, smog, pollen and mold spores that enter through the ventilation system. If these are not removed from the circulation, the air inside your car can be six times dirtier than the air which is outside. Replacing the cabin air filter regularly helps you to improve the air quality.
10. Conserve water
If you cannot cut usage of water entirely then at least use it judiciously when washing your car. Many people simply leave the hose running when not in use while washing the car. Such sort of practices must be strictly avoided. You must understand that water is one of the most important and valuable natural resources and should not be wasted like this.
