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Thread: Washing your car on the driveway

  1. #1
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    Default Washing your car on the driveway

    so is it legal to wash your car on the driveway? or your neighbours could bitch when they start seeing soapy water running down the street

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    Quote Originally Posted by RX_EVOLV View Post
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    so is it legal to wash your car on the driveway? or your neighbours could bitch when they start seeing soapy water running down the street
    Not legal, but very common.
    Quote Originally Posted by killramos View Post
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    You realize you are talking to the guy who made his own furniture out of salad bowls right?

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    Quote Originally Posted by RX_EVOLV View Post
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    so is it legal to wash your car on the driveway? or your neighbours could bitch when they start seeing soapy water running down the street
    I think in Calgary its illegal to have any soap/liquid even if bio-degradable, going through the sewer. In Edmonton, its legal
    Originally posted by GTS Jeff
    You know those bored stay at home moms who's entire lives revolve around driving their kids to soccer, various cleaning accessories, and worrying about neighbourhood rapists? The kind of people that watch the View and go "uh huh..." Those unfulfilled people who try to fill the void in their empty lives by writing whiny letters to the editor complaining about shit that no one really cares about?

    Well imagine if instead of writing that letter to the editor, she just posts on a car forum for car enthusiasts. That's Kritafo.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dj_rice View Post
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    I think in Calgary its illegal to have any soap/liquid even if bio-degradable, going through the sewer. In Edmonton, its legal
    I've heard people in Calgary getting in trouble just for rinsing their cars off, not even using soap. It mostly depends on your neighbours. None of mine have seemed to care, but I try not to rub it in everyones faces when I do use soap.
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    That's why I just say I have a 4" dick and lift weights to make up for it.
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    My car sounds like shit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by LilDrunkenSmurf View Post
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    I've heard people in Calgary getting in trouble just for rinsing their cars off, not even using soap. It mostly depends on your neighbours. None of mine have seemed to care, but I try not to rub it in everyones faces when I do use soap.
    Can I wash my car on the street?
    Under theDrainage Bylaw 37M2005, you may use only water to clean your car. If you are washing your car on the street, you must not use any kind of soap or any product other than water, and your car must not be overly dirty.

    Since the Drainage Bylaw states that only water may enter the storm sewers, we strongly suggest using a carwash to wash vehicles.

    What is the fine for washing my car with soap on the street?
    The specified fine for violating this section of the bylaw is $500 for a first offence.

    Can I use biodegradable soap to wash my car on the street?
    No. All soaps and detergents are prohibited substances under the Drainage Bylaw. Only plain water can be used to wash vehicles.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RX_EVOLV View Post
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    so is it legal to wash your car on the driveway? or your neighbours could bitch when they start seeing soapy water running down the street
    It's all about your neighbors.

    But realistically, you only get to do that may be 3-4 months of year anyway.

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    I picked up some Optimum No Rinse from Carzilla several weeks back. Worked like a charm and you just look like you're handwashing from a bucket of water.

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    I also use ONR if it isn't too dirty otherwise wand wash first and can finish by hand as well. I use the gary dean method.

    I just use I think a small capful into a gallon of distilled water from like walmart and then put that in the bucket with my towels.

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    No chemicals and you're supposed to capture the water and use the city's online turbidity comparison photo scale apparently to make sure it's ok to go down the storm drain
    Too loud for Aspen

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    This has come up many times:

    options:

    - wash with water only (I used to do this, with a microfibre mitt and a bucket)
    - wash with ONR
    - wash with soap, but keep the water from entering storm drains: one person washed their car on their lawn while another diverts the water from their driveway to their lawn

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    For some reason it seems ironic that it’s more legal to pollute ground water than storm sewer drains
    Originally posted by Thales of Miletus

    If you think I have been trying to present myself as intellectually superior, then you truly are a dimwit.
    Originally posted by Toma
    fact.
    Quote Originally Posted by Yolobimmer View Post
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    guessing who I might be, psychologizing me with your non existent degree.

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    The phosphates etc, will be reduced down to nothing by the time the water ever reaches the rivers through the ground.

    The storm drain runoff does not have this chance.

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    Damn. That double door garage house I saw that opened into the backyard sounds good right now. It had a concrete pad leading out too so I could totally see someone using that to wash their car privately with all the soap they want.

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    I always wash on my driveway, so do my neighbors. The slope of my driveway makes all the water runoff into the gravel alongside it, never hits the street.

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    Quote Originally Posted by schocker View Post
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    I also use ONR if it isn't too dirty otherwise wand wash first and can finish by hand as well. I use the gary dean method.

    I just use I think a small capful into a gallon of distilled water from like walmart and then put that in the bucket with my towels.
    Quote Originally Posted by rx7boi View Post
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    I picked up some Optimum No Rinse from Carzilla several weeks back. Worked like a charm and you just look like you're handwashing from a bucket of water.
    Is the distilled water necessary, and which version of ONR is recommended?
    The Car wash, wash and shine, or wash and wax?

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    Quote Originally Posted by jwslam View Post
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    Is the distilled water necessary, and which version of ONR is recommended?
    The Car wash, wash and shine, or wash and wax?
    I've only used ONR a couple times so I'll let someone more experienced say if distilled is necessary or not.

    I use the regular blue ONR (wash/shine) because I have ceramic coating on my vehicle. Otherwise, you'd get the green one which comes with a wax.

    This stuff smells like candy out of the bottle I was tempted to take a little sip #darwinawards

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    Quote Originally Posted by jwslam View Post
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    Is the distilled water necessary, and which version of ONR is recommended?
    The Car wash, wash and shine, or wash and wax?
    I use distilled because it comes as 4 L so easy to portion out the ONR and it also will not leave water spots. If you have soft water, that would work too.
    I have the 32oz bottle of the wash and shine. One cap this size is what I use for the 4 L of water
    https://www.carzilla.ca/optimum-cana...ash-shine-32oz
    These are the dilution ratios and cap sizes. I also mix a gallon to use in a spray bottle while I am washing if I need to add extra.
    ONR Dilutions (Per Label):

    Wash solution: ratio 1:256 or 1 oz/2 gallons or 30 ml to 7.68 liters of water (3.9 ml per liter)

    Clay lube: ratio 1:64 or 2 oz/1 gallon or 60 ml to 3.84 liters of water (15.6 ml per liter)



    Regarding quick detailer: before we introduced Optimum Instant Detailer, we listed a quick detailer dilution that has since been removed. You can still use it this way of course, but our dedicated product will perform much better.



    Quick Detailer: ratio 1:16 or 8 oz/1 gallon or 240 ml to 3.84 liters for water (62.5 ml per liter)





    Regarding the caps:



    8oz size cap holds .25 oz or 7.5 ml

    32oz size cap holds .5 oz or 15 ml

    128oz size cap holds .5 oz or 15 ml

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    Quote Originally Posted by jwslam View Post
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    Is the distilled water necessary, and which version of ONR is recommended?
    The Car wash, wash and shine, or wash and wax?
    Not a requirement. I have been using ONR for 5+ years with both RO water and just warm tap water in the winter. It is fine, but it depends on your technique. Also technically I think distilled water can actually absorb a bit more. If you dry after every panel, then I think you are fine with just tap water. If you are going to go around the whole car before drying then I would suggest using distilled water.

    I do 2.5 Gallon car washes weekly. Here is my process:

    Prerinse the car in some way. IE: Spraying diluted ONR on the car or hosing off the car if possible. If it was really cold, I go through an automatic touchless wash (my car is coated).

    Wash the car with ONR + Big red sponge

    Dry car with drying aid - I use Bead Maker (amazing gloss but laughable durability). Turtle Wax Ice Spray Wax / Seal N Shine is a better more durable option with less pop but good durability.

    In the winter I don't bother cleaning my wheels because they get trashed immediately after leaving the garage.

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    Um .. by the way, how about just outside of Calgary, at SpringBank? Can I was my car?
    The Original !

    1234567, ¦h³Ò¦h±o

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    I agree what people mentioned about the versatility of ONR. I taught a few of my friends who live in a high rise to use the rinseless method using ONR in their parkade.

    In winter time I've started using a compression foamer with Autoglym's Polar Blast (or other shampoo/foaming shampoo) and wiping if off using MF towels. However, this method you use A LOT of towels.



    I use the IK Foam 1.5 compression foamer that I can be found from Amazon.

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