The country's first hosepipe ban has now come into force with another set to be imposed on August 12- and more companies warning bans are likely unless there is significant rain in the next few days. Months of little rainfall, combined with record-breaking temperatures in July, have left rivers at exceptionally low levels, depleted reservoirs and dried out soils.
The Met Office has warned there is “very little meaningful rain” on the horizon for parched areas of England as temperatures are set to climb into the 30s next week. While it could mean another heatwave – when there are above-average temperatures for three days or more – it is likely conditions will be well below the 40C seen in some places last month.
The situation has prompted calls for action to reduce water consumption to protect the environment and supplies, and to restore the country’s lost wetlands “on an enormous scale” to tackle a future of more dry summers and droughts. People in areas with a ban will no longer be allowed to use a hosepipe to clean their cars among other activities, with fines up to £1,000 being issued to anyone breaking the rules.
Car maintenance expert Ollie Green of Collect Service Go has put together advice on how to keep your car clean during a hosepipe ban whilst avoiding any unnecessary fines:
- Firstly, use a bucket of grey water and a clean sponge - A hosepipe uses between 400 and 480 litres of water when washing a car from start to finish. Whereas, washing your car with a bucket of grey water (water from your bathroom & kitchen sinks etc) only uses roughly around 32 litres of water. However, make sure to regularly check your sponge for harmful objects caught on it which can damage your car’s bodywork.
- Keep your car out of direct sunlight - When you have finished cleaning your car with soap and water, try and park the car out of direct sunlight, ideally in a garage. This then stops the water and soap from drying too quickly, leaving watermarks on the paint. This will help keep your car looking cleaner for a longer period of time and stops you from using more water to clean away these marks.
- Try cleaning your car with a waterless car cleaner – Not using any water at all, waterless sprays can clean your car of light dirt and dust marks to help give your car’s bodywork a nice clean and natural shine.
- Use microfibre cloths - Regularly clean your microfibre cloths to avoid dirt building up on the cloth, which in turn could scratch and damage your paintwork, as well as marking your car with additional dirt. It’s also important to wipe only in one direction to avoid scratches.
- Use a watering can - Try using a watering can with nozzle attachment full of cold water to rinse the body panels down after soaping. Just one watering can is sufficient to rinse away any soap after the cleaning process. Afterwards, leave to drip dry in a cool space, or use a microfibre cloth to wipe clean.
- Always wash the car from top to bottom – Most of the dirt on your car is on the lower sections, so washing from top to bottom avoids dirt being transferred to cleaner areas. Helping you to be more quick and efficient when cleaning your vehicle.
- Plan ahead and apply a polish, wax, or any other appropriate car care products - Adding these help to not only add a shine to your car, but also improves the overall protection from dirt by forming a protective layer and barrier between the paint and any debris.
