With a view to environmental protection, car owners have to consider a few things when it comes to private car washing on their own property. What is allowed, what is not?
- When washing a car on private or public property, there are a few things to consider.
- Are you allowed to wash the car on the street or in your own front yard?
- The Automobile Club Europe (ACE) warns of high fines of up to 100,000 dollars.
- One state imposes the highest penalties.
Anyone who drives their car into the car wash or washes it by hand in specially designated areas is on the safe side. Such systems are designed to collect oil and petrol residues that have been rinsed off, for example, so that they do not get into the environment. But what about when you reach for the water hose and cleaning bucket at home or on public roads?
There is no uniform regulation for this in Germany, it differs from state to state and must be taken from the respective statute, says the ACE. In some regions even the day of the week has to be taken into account. In some federal states such as Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate or Berlin, washing on Sundays and public holidays is generally prohibited.
In general: intensive washing of the car in the front yard at home is prohibited. This includes washing the engine or using chemical cleaning agents. There are exceptions for simpler cleaning, such as cleaning the windows with clear water. It is also permitted to use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the interior.
Anyone who nevertheless acts with gross negligence in the interest of the environment and thinks they can get away with the engine wash should know that the amount of the fine also differs from state to state and is always based on the damage caused to the environment. While in some countries only 25 dollars may be due for minor offenses, in other places you pay at least 500 dollars.
According to ACE, Saxony is the leader in terms of possible fines. In extreme cases, you can face a fine of up to 100,000 dollars.
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