About Car Wash Kits
Keep pollution out of our streams and Puget Sound

Car wash kits keep soap and car fluids -- which are toxic to fish -- out of our waterways by rerouting water to a water treatment facility. So if you hold community or charity car washes or are an organization that works with those who do, learn how you can get a free car wash kit or build one of your own! Don't let our water quality go down the drain!

Why use a car wash kit?

• When a car is washed on pavement such as a driveway or a parking lot all the soap, detergents, oil, and road grime that washes off the car goes straight into a storm drain. All storm drains lead directly to streams, lakes or Puget Sound.
• That water runoff, containing soap -- even biodegradable soap -- and automative fluids, is toxic to fish, can harm plant life and degrade our water quality.
• A car wash kit redirects the dirty water away from the storm drain by connecting a hose to a toilet, sink or drain that sends the polluted water to a water treatment plant.

Who should use a car wash kit and when?

• Organizations such as schools, clubs, churches and other non-profit organizations that hold community or charity car wash fundraising events.
• Residential groups such as townhome complexes, condominimums, homeowners associations or others who may have a high volume of car washing in their community.
• Use a car wash kit if using a professional car wash for a fundraising event (external link) is not feasible.
• Using a professional car wash service is the best thing you can do to keep our water clean and protect our flora and fauna. Use a car wash kit as an alternative if a professional service is not available to you.

How a car wash kit works

Car wash kits work by redirecting dirty water -- polluted with soap, oil and automative fluids -- away from the storm drain. The kit uses a hose to connect to a toilet, sink or drain that sends the water to a water treatment plant. When you don't use a car wash kit, the water runs off the driveway, parking lot or street into a storm drain and directly in to our streams, lakes and rivers. Those pollutants damage water quality and poison fish and other animals.

For questions about the Car Wash Web page, please contact Mary Lear, Stormwater Services section.