Water is more precious than ever — but it is also a key ingredient to a clean car. Where and how you wash makes all the difference to the environment and to the community that shares your water source.
Where You Wash Matters
Don’t fall for the myth that washing at home is better for the earth. When a person washes their car at home, they’re likely using a typical garden hose. These hoses can release up to 6-12 gallons of water per minute; after ten minutes of spraying, filling, washing, and rinsing, you could be using upwards of 100 gallons of freshwater. By comparison, professional car washes like Mister reduce freshwater use by about 60-65% per car.
Additionally, when cars are washed on streets and driveways, soils, salt, grease, chemicals, and other pollutants flow into storm drains and back to the original water source, which can be harmful for the people, plants, and animals that depend on it.
If you are considering not washing your car at all, think again. Dirty vehicles contribute to cross-contamination as the waste, chemicals, and bio pollutants your car inevitably gathers are not disposed of through treated channels.
So, the at-home method is a no-go, and you need a wash…
How Mister Conserves Water
Through every stage of the wash process Mister is committed to using water in the most efficient way possible, which includes a variety of technologies to reduce water usage and use every drop.
It starts when you enter the tunnel, cameras and sensors detect the length of your vehicle, so the application of Mister products is carefully timed and tailored to your specific car. This ensures proper coverage and conserves water and chemicals between vehicles.
Mister uses different types of water at each stage of the wash to utilize every drop.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) – purified water free of unwanted minerals and particles that can cause spots
- RO Reject – remaining mineral-rich water that has been separated out as part of the RO process
- Recycled – water collected from the car wash trench that is rebalanced and treated for reuse in the wash
- Freshwater – straight from the tap and provided by the city water supply
Each type of water is used or combined with Mister’s proprietary chemistry system and protection products cleaning products that are best suited to each stage of the wash. For example, our RO water is used in the most visible places like your windshield and windows that need to be spot-free. Recycled water is used in the underbody where the mineral-rich water can help break down tough grime.
All cleaning products are free from phosphates and dyes that could harm the environment. These safe chemicals are applied with high efficiency nozzles that use as low as a quarter gallon per car and rain down with specialized spray patterns to get the intended cleaning or rinsing effect – accomplishing more with less water.
After Your Wash
All the water used in the wash process drains into the main trench and then into underground settling tanks that remove heavy sediments, balance the pH, and breakdown bacteria. As water flows through each of the three tanks, waste and solids settle to the bottom, bringing the cleanest water into the next tank.
Mister’s reclaim system pulls water out of the final tank to be used on the lower parts of the vehicle, like your wheels and underbody. Water that can’t be reused is responsibly returned to the city system, and waste is disposed of responsibly.
Continuous Improvement
Mister has the unique privilege of complete control of the wash process from water quality to chemistry, and there are extensive resources dedicated to research and development. The Mister water team – a combination of chemists, engineers, and water quality specialists – continually innovate and improve systems to be responsible stewards of water.
During each stage of the wash, Mister is committed to reducing freshwater use, increasing efficiency, and protecting the environment across all communities where Mister operates.
Interested in learning more about where your water comes from? Visit projectwet.com/mister.