Who Got the Griot's Waterless Wash Email?

[Setec Astronomy]

Griot's just sent an email out touting their waterless (the product name is Spray-On Car Wash) as a solution where there are water restrictions (among other reasons to use it).

A couple of things popped into my mind--is it even legal to wash your car this way in CA?

And another thing, that has been touched on in a few threads in discussion of the water use of the "multiple towel" method of rinseless washing...if you want to do a good (safe) waterless wash, you're going to use a lot of product and a lot of towels, if you're in CA you're then going to have a whole pile of dirty towels that need to be washed, which is going to use a bunch of water.

Alternatively, I can do a rinseless wash on a (not too dirty) car with a half gallon of solution (and preferably 2 gallons of rinse water) using a single mitt/sponge. Arguably the whole process (2.5 gallons plus one pc. of media to wash) uses less water than a "waterless" wash and having to wash a half-dozen towels in the washing machine.

But I'm going to guess that even if a waterless wash is legal under the water restrictions, a rinseless wash isn't. Comments?

[Bunky]

Water restriction laws often tend to be narrow task oriented laws. They forbid certain items like a traditional hose wash but then allow car wash places, industry (as in CA) to use as much water as they want. Until you actually ration water then you will see general behavior changes such as realizing cleaning 25 towels can use as much water as conservative 2 bucket wash with a pressure washer.

[Audios S6]

Just a quick and unverified search found HE washers use 15-30 gallons of water. So you are right that you're going to use more water with the waterless and GDWM, but you'd do the same with your wash mitt, right? You'd still wash your drying towels too, right? The use of a rinseless or waterless wash is still going to reduce the overall water consumption.

One option would be water reuse/grey water, collect your water with a wash mat, place in storage tank to use for flushing toilets and other non-potable uses. This would require some replumbing of your home, but it's certainly an option and would justify washing your car as you are re-purposing the water. I don't know if it would pass muster based on the way the law is written, but it certainly meets the spirit of the law.

Or take it to the next level and retrofit your pool system as a rapid sand filter and biological treatment/clarifier in your back yard and then you can drink your wash water. Actually, I think I need to get into business re-purposing all these pools before some other guy makes his millions.

[SameGuy]

As long as I've been alive (and longer) we've had summer water restrictions -- and we are nowhere near as dry as most of the US! We are allowed to water lawns only certain days of the week (with a complete ban on lawn watering usually lasting about four weeks in July and August). There is also (theoretically) a ban on open-spigot car washing year-round, and any kind of driveway car washing during the July/August period.

All that said, I'm doing a load of laundry regardless of the wash method I choose, so rather than being a closed-minded NIMBYist, it's only sensible to choose the method that uses the least water up front.

[dcjredline]

I like the water reclaiming for the toilet idea!!! get a little soapy in there to help clean the toilet also!