Next Time Your Car Needs a Bath, Patronize Your 

Local Commercial Car Wash

Washing your car at a commercial car wash such as the Lexington Road Laser Wash 

is better for the environment than washing it on your driveway.

Have you ever stopped to think what happens to the oil that covers roadways and makes them so slick after a 

long-awaited rainfall?  Or, what about all of those soap suds that you rinse off of your freshly washed car?  

These oils and detergents typically run off the roads or your driveway into a storm sewer system that carries 

them directly to your local stream, lake or river.

A significant amount of storm water pollution is caused by everyday human activities that are not regulated by 

state or federal environmental agencies.  Washing and maintaining vehicles is one common source of runoff pollution. 

Used oil from a single oil change can pollute up to one million gallons of fresh water. And, it is estimated by the 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that American households generate 193 million gallons of used oil every year, 

and improperly dump the equivalent of 17 Exxon Valdez oil spills every year. 

There are many simple ways that people can reduce storm water pollution related to their vehicles.  You should 

wash your car at a commercial car wash, or at least wash your car on an unpaved surface, so that excess water 

can be absorbed into the ground.  Other suggestions are to:

 
- clean up oil spills and fix leaking automobiles, 
- use drip pans to catch engine oil and other pollutants while repairing cars, 
- recycle used motor oil, and 
- sweep driveways clean instead of hosing them down.  

Submitted by CREEC (Clark's Run Environmental and Educational Corp).

For more info about the organization, visit www.clarksrun.org.