What Car? Q&A - How can I wash my car during water ban?

Q: I live in an area with a hosepipe ban, so what is the best way to wash my car?
Julie Pierce, Greenwich, London

A: We would advise you to wash your car less often. If you must use an automatic carwash, which can be detrimental to the paint finish over time, try to find one that uses a filtration system to recycle the water it uses. Try to clean bird droppings off as soon as possible, because they will damage the car's paint.

The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) recommends washing your car in the rain to save the amount of water needed for rinsing.

Other ways motorists can help to save water include filling the washer bottle with collected rain water, filtered through a fine mesh.