# Reduce, Re-use, Recycle....how might we?



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

So, this is used as a slogan in many aspects of eco-friendly living, so how might we apply it to detailing?

Would love to gather as many ideas of what people do as possible, especially the more creative or less obvious ones. There are all the obvious ones like using empty spray bottles for other stuff, collecting rainwater thats discussed here and Gordon's area of speciality, steam, that reduces chemical use in many applications.

I bet we all do it, even those who wouldnt consider themselves eco-friendly at all, so what ideas does everyone have? In these tough economic times it also makes a lot of £££ sense as well....


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

Only on a small scale, admittedly, but I've recently been playing chemist by using up some of my old almost empty products to create my 'own brew' of QD/spray wax. Condensed down into one bottle from 3 so the 2 empty ones have gone into the box for taking to the recycling with other plastic items.

These three were almost empty and gathering dust as I wasn't using them, so, I had about an inch of Clearkote carnauba moose wax, which for anyone who's used it will know it's a really thick cream (almost a paste), and could I get this last inch out of the bottle? Could I bloody hell :lol: Now I know that it's water soluble from when I've washed foam applicators out previously, so I put a couple of inches of distilled water into the bottle and shook it up making a white liquid wax solution which them poured out easily.

Then next into this went about 100ml of Poorboys QD+ which I've stopped using and being a carnauba enriched QD I figured it would mix well with my Clearkote wax 'solution', and it did.

Finally, to boost the volume, I added about 100ml of Optimum Instant Detailer to make up almost a full 16oz bottle of a carnauba rich QD/spray wax 

Everything mixed together very well and although it requires a little shake due to a little seperation if left standing, seems fine.

Proof of the pudding, of course, will come in the testing when I try it on the Puma later this afternoon/evening (or if it rains then tomorrow).

So, I've used up 3 old products that would probably have got thrown away to make space, got 2 old bottles to go for recycling and gained (hopefully ) a useful product :thumb:

I'll let you know what it's like (will probably strip the paint off the car :lol

EDIT: I've tried it out now:- 
http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=1441521#post1441521


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## Buck (Jan 16, 2008)

Have you tried those E-cloths yet? 

We bought a double pack - standard cloth and one for windows (you use the standard one first then buff with the glass cloth)

All I'll say is that our glass table in the kitchen which we need to clean at least once a day hasn't seen any chemicals for weeks and it looks cleaner/less streaky with less effort too!

TBH I've yet to use them on the car windows but SWMBO gives them a :thumb: particularly as she doesn't like the smell of Megs Glass Cleaner


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

Concentrates, you add the water

Very little point in transporting water lol!


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

Brazo said:


> Concentrates, you add the water
> 
> Very little point in transporting water lol!


Mark - I wish more stuff was available as concentrates  I bet >75% of the products in my detailing cupboard are >75% water :lol:

Optimum do a great job of offering concentrates of various products and products like Surfex that dilute so far make a lot of sense. The waterless stuff I have been trying comes ready to dilute 1:10.


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## Relaited (Jan 27, 2009)

My guys always recycle the returnable bottles and loose change ... lol

I know this will sound like a broken record, but the best results are achieved be the reduction of water usage, and the controlling and proper discharge of waste water?

We are trying to introduce recycling bins at our locations, a little harder when mobile.

Yes, steam is a great way to reduce water, control run off and minimize use of chemicals.

I donate my unused chemicals.

I have changed from a gas guzzling pick up truck to a Chevy HHR 30mpg highway, avg 26 now.

One thing I do, and I stole it from a speaker I heard not to long ago ... VOTE EVERYDAY. What that means is that wherever I go, I ask the business owner "How are you going green in your business". 2 thighs this does. 1) I get some pretty cool ideas and 2) it tells the owner that green initiatives are important to me!

A local coffee shop, he buys more milk than coffee. So he got the local grocery store to accept his milk bottles, and they take them to their recycling place. He donates coffee grinds to be used in teh garden ... great time with my kid on that project. And he buys his bagels locally, just up the road.

So, perhaps one could seek local distributors, find the best place to dispose of waste water, etc.

For our Mobile Vehicle launch, at first I was of the thinking that everyone had to have the Chevy HHR, but that would require a new vehicle purchase. Under the Reuse mantra, I am considering either converting existing vehicles into our Water $mart model, or buying used to reuse? Some vehicles have decent gas efficiency, and no hybrid offers decent cargo space anyway.

We have been approached by several organizations, and although we clean with little water, and do not create run off issues ... they go much deeper. They want to know how we wash our Micro Fiber Towels, how much water, etc.

Cheers,

-jim


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## Brazo (Oct 27, 2005)

Bigpikle said:


> Mark - I wish more stuff was available as concentrates  I bet >75% of the products in my detailing cupboard are >75% water :lol:
> 
> Optimum do a great job of offering concentrates of various products and products like Surfex that dilute so far make a lot of sense. The waterless stuff I have been trying comes ready to dilute 1:10.


Theres a whole range of valeting products in my local hardware store which consist of empty bottles and some very concentrated looking gels, they are marketed as eco/green products. I bought the screen wash which is a gel sachet about the size of a finger which you chuck in to the washer bottle and add water, or if its got a filter mix first with water. Its not bad!


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## Frothey (Apr 30, 2007)

Relaited said:


> I have changed from a gas guzzling pick up truck to a Chevy HHR 30mpg highway, avg 26 now.


and that's an improvement?


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

Buying local, good job Bilt Hamber are damn good!


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## parish (Jun 29, 2006)

In The Detail said:


> and that's an improvement?


That'll be US gallons - the figures would 36mpg and 31mpg to us :thumb:


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## Katana (Mar 31, 2007)

In The Detail said:


> and that's an improvement?


It is in america where diesel is uncommon for consumers, their gallons are smaller than us as well, so 30 US mpg is around 36 UK mpg.

edit: beaten to it ^^


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## Frothey (Apr 30, 2007)

But surely if you are really wanting to make a difference you would go for a diesel with a NOx and particulate trap , uncommon as they are. after all, you can't compromise when it come's to the enviroment.....


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

In The Detail said:


> But surely if you are really wanting to make a difference you would go for a diesel with a NOx and particulate trap , uncommon as they are. after all, you can't compromise when it come's to the enviroment.....


lets get back on topic shall we please....


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## snapsnap (Jul 18, 2008)

Those E-cloths are awsome for glass IMO - no steaking whatsoever and especially useful inside - as any overspray is just water.

What about a simple one - using a product right down to the very end - saves ££ too..


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

someone have a link to the e-cloths? New to me....

Edit: quick bit of Google and I'm pretty sure I have a set of these under a different name. The glass cloth has a slightly weird feel to it and doesnt look like a microfibre if its what I am thinking of. I use it for all my glass needs


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## PJS (Aug 18, 2007)

It is microfibre - http://www.e-cloth.com/how-it-works/what-is-microfibre - but a higher density by the looks of it - 480,000 strands, when the typical microfibre is 240,000?
Quite expensive, but then low volume and/or specialised machine/sole manufacturer producing them exclusively for them, could be the reason.
Then again, as the market is flooded with cheap Chinese pap, one way to mark yourself out as being better, is to hike the price up to create that distinction - quality vs expense is still considered this way even though we should all know better in this day and age.


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## Mirror Finish Details (Aug 21, 2008)

We bought the eco cloths from Morrisons and they clean really well. No chemicals either. Since the council collect our recycling properly now we only half fill the wheely bin a week, and I am sure we can do better.


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## snapsnap (Jul 18, 2008)

The E-cloths are only about a fiver in my B&Q - and they do feel strange, like a waffle-weave drying towel just very tough & rough (but pass the CD test fine)


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