>For those who absolutely insist on washing their car themselves, there are definitely a number of products you can use to minimize your impact. Eco Touch, No-Wet, Freedom, Lucky Earth, and Dri Wash-n-Guard all make waterless car cleaning products.
All of these products offer two distinct advantages over so-called “traditional” hand washing methods. First, they minimize the impact of toxic runoff from dirt, oil, brake dust, and even the cleaners themselves. Not only does it usually go into the local environment, their effects can be spread far and wide due to unfiltered storm drains leading to large ecosystems. The second advantage they have is that they don’t use that precious resource, water. While a drought might be the last thing on the minds of many people in the Northeast right now, it is still a significant problem around the country and the world.