The Unlimited Auto Wash Podcast

Water Conservation and Clean Cars: How Unlimited Auto Wash Balances Both

• Kevin Dalton • Episode 6

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What Are The Biggest Challenges In Achieving And Maintaining Third-Party Sustainability Certification?

Sustainability requires far more than just talk—it demands relentless improvement, meticulous attention to detail, and sometimes, facing down intimidating inspectors with clipboards. Kevin Dalton pulls back the curtain on what it truly means to maintain third-party sustainability certification at Unlimited Auto Wash, possibly the only certified green car wash chain in Florida.

What does genuine environmental responsibility look like in an industry traditionally associated with water waste? Kevin shares how his team tackles increasingly challenging benchmarks each year, from reducing water usage by 4.5% per vehicle to reformulating cleaning products with vendors. The conversation reveals surprising considerations most customers never imagine—like how towels shouldn't be completely dry before use and how soap composition affects both cleaning power and employee health.

Ready to experience eco-friendly car cleaning that doesn't compromise on quality? Visit one of our six convenient Palm Beach County locations or head to UnlimitedAutowashClub.com today!

To learn more about Unlimited Auto Wash visit:
https://www.UnlimitedAutoWashClub.com
Unlimited Auto Wash
561-WASH-ME-2

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Unlimited Auto Wash podcast. Get ready to discover the secrets to keeping your car looking spotless and new. Here's your host, Kevin Dalton, owner of the Unlimited Auto Wash, ready to make your ride shine like never before.

Speaker 2:

Going green isn't just about using less water. It's about meeting strict standards, navigating endless paperwork and convincing inspectors that your soap really is eco-friendly. Kevin Dalton breaks down what it takes to earn sustainability certification and why it's more than just a fancy sticker on the door. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sophia Yvette, co-host slash producer. Back in the studio with Kevin Dalton. Kevin, how's it going today?

Speaker 3:

Fine, thank you very much for asking, sophia.

Speaker 2:

So, Kevin, what are the biggest challenges in achieving and maintaining third-party sustainability certification?

Speaker 3:

Sure. Well, this is our third year of being a sustainable company and challenges are that our certification process gets harder every year, process gets harder every year and one of the main challenges is getting with our vendors who provide us with, for example, our soap to make it a little bit less soapy so that we can rinse off the car with less water usage. Making sure that our customers are aware of what we're doing for them and why we're using certain products that maybe another car wash down the road doesn't use. But we have very good reason. We're very proud of what we do. It's a continuing challenge.

Speaker 3:

Our vendors are in for the task.

Speaker 3:

We are trying to make sure, for example again I touched on the soap and I'm going to do it again to make sure the soaps are a low pH to neutral soap so that it doesn't damage the skin on our employees' hands when they're washing your car.

Speaker 3:

Their hands and arms and extremities stay wet for a good part of the day that the blowers are hitting the car from 30 seconds of being on to maybe 27 seconds this year and then maybe 25 seconds next year, and all these numbers that we're trying to achieve change yearly, but we're really doing our best to make sure that we're doing the best job for our customers to remain sustainable. I'm going to touch on one more thing, for example, the amount of time that we're washing our towels that we used in the drying process. They actually shouldn't be completely dry when we dry them. Just because you don't want a completely dry towel hitting your car Trust me, you just don't and that's the way most car washes operate, and so it's about the amount of time that we're using the electricity to dry the towels. But there's so many variables and we're so proud of the fact that we are a sustainable company and that we're getting better all the time.

Speaker 2:

What are the key environmental benchmarks that Unlimited Auto Wash must meet in order to maintain the certification?

Speaker 3:

So it's across the board. For example, a 3% less water usage per vehicle over for 2025, which we were able to meet. I believe we came in at about four and a half percent less water usage per vehicle and electric usage we go by the kilowatt hour our actual bill of how many dollars? Because, of course, the rates per kilowatt hour change and we're able to do that by about one and a half percent. Unfortunately, though, some of those benchmarks are hard to really look at because of the entire property and trying to figure out, for example, if the air condition was used more because it was a hotter summer. So how do you differentiate that? But we're meeting the demands and meeting the goals that is set for us and we're absolutely positively no question that we'll meet those demands for next year as well.

Speaker 2:

So, Kevin, how do sustainability certifications impact your operational costs and long-term business strategy?

Speaker 3:

electricity. That certainly saves us. But we're finding that, for example, we're having to use higher quality towels, the soap manufacturers and the other chemicals we use trying to treat for us. There's a cost involved for us to find the vendors that can treat the elements of the product we're using to meet what we need to meet and those costs become a little bit more. But in the grand scheme of things we're saving substantially more by being a green company for sure.

Speaker 2:

And what role do customers play in supporting sustainability efforts at your car wash locations?

Speaker 3:

Well, right now it's just a matter of letting them know the last two and a half years that we're actually a sustainable company, and some are very excited to hear that we're a sustainable green company and probably the only one in Florida being a car wash chain and so it's exciting for us to see that customers excited that we're trying our best. We're actually going to get them involved more later this year when our busy season slows down and we can really find things for them to do, pass out what they can do at home for themselves to help save the environment as well. So we're excited about that.

Speaker 2:

That's amazing, and so be honest, what's more stressful? An inspector with a clipboard or a customer who insists on a triple wash after driving through a puddle?

Speaker 3:

Well, no, I would say the inspector. We had one late last year that we were given benchmarks. The previous year, when he showed up, the benchmarks had changed somewhat. We met those challenges, but it was a little spooky to know oh my gosh, did we meet these new numbers? But no, we certainly get our fair share of customers who return within that 72 hours to get a free wash. If their car got bird poop on it or whether they went through a mud puddle, we don't mind. Rewashing the vehicle, it's a good thing.

Speaker 2:

Love it, Kevin. We'll catch you in the next episode. Have a fantastic rest of your day.

Speaker 3:

Well, thank you very much, Sophia. It was great talking to you today.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for listening to the Unlimited Auto Wash podcast. Keep your car looking its absolute best by visiting one of our six convenient Palm Beach County locations or by heading to unlimitedautowashclubcom. Remember, at the Unlimited Auto Wash we make you look good. See you next time.