This Country Will Be the First to Ban Car Washing at Home

A controversial measure, but one that's gaining more support over the years for environmental reasons.

Keeping a car clean isn't always easy. A bit of rain can leave it covered in spots, and mud can build up on the lower half, making it look messy.

For many car owners, spending an afternoon at home washing their car is convenient. The ease of doing it in the driveway or garage is practical, but in this country, they want to ban it completely.

In Sweden, washing cars on the street is pretty common, but a new report highlights the severe environmental impact. According to the report, over half of all cars in the country are washed on the street, a practice that isn't liked by everyone.

Now, several municipalities have proposed laws to end street car washing. But that's not all: according to the Big Car Wash Report 2024, 58% of Swedes support banning home car washing.

Robert Dimmlich, the initiator of Sustainable Car Wash and CEO of the Swedish Gas Station Organization, is happy with the growing support for the ban: "It's great that more and more people want to prohibit home car washing."

According to Dimmlich, street car washing releases 1,000 tons of oil and 50 tons of heavy metals into rivers, lakes, and seas each year. This has raised awareness of the environmental dangers of the practice. This kind of environmental damage likely happens in other countries too, especially where there's no strict legislation.

Currently, there's no law against washing your car on the street or at an intersection, either in Sweden, in other European countries or the U.S. however local and state regulations in the U.S. often limit home car washing to conserve water and prevent environmental pollution. In Sweden municipalities have started to ban hand car washing unless it's done in areas with proper filtration. Ignoring this rule can result in fines of up to 10,000 Swedish kronor (around $1,000). 

As environmental awareness grows, it wouldn't be surprising to see similar measures considered in the United States. With water conservation and pollution reduction becoming increasingly important, the idea of regulated car washing could catch on here too.