Vehicle Fluid and Repairing Vehicles
Washing Your Automobile
Recipes for Your Automobile

Vehicle Fluid and Repairing Vehicles
Vehicle fluids include any fluid normally used in a vehicle such as engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, hydraulic fluids and radiator fluid.

Many of these fluids can be hazardous in themselves, and may pick up contaminants during use in the vehicle. They can contaminate water supplies and kill fish and other aquatic life even in small quantities.

If You Spill...

• Pour kitty litter, sawdust or cornmeal on spills to absorb the spilled materials. Sweep up absorbents after a few hours.
• If it's a large spill (over 1 gallon of absorbent), take the material to a house hold hazardous waste disposal center or event.
• If it's a small spill, place the used absorbents in a strong plastic bag in the trash.

Motor oil & antifreeze tips
It doesn't take much oil to seriously damage the environment. Oil can enter the Rouge River when someone dumps directly into the river or into a nearby storm drain. Remember. What is dumped into storm drains could end up in the Rouge River!

• With more than 25% of all car owners changing their own oil, it is important for them to dispose of it properly. When you change your oil, put used oil into a sturdy container, label it and take it to a local oil recycling location.
• Treat antifreeze the same way. Antifreeze is also dangerous to the environment. It contains ingredients that are poisonous to people, fish and wildlife. Many cats and dogs have died after drinking sweet-tasting puddles of antifreeze found on driveways, ditches or near storm drains.

For information regarding collection centers, contact your local community, or:

Oakland County
(248) 858-1352

Washtenaw County
(313) 971-7356

Wayne County
(313) 326-3936

Repair tips

• Keep your vehicle well-tuned and fix leaks from your automobile as soon as possible.
• Recycle all used fluids. Under no circumstances should any vehicle fluid be poured down any drain or dumped in the trash, or dumped onto the ground.
• Place a drip pan under your work area.
• Only repair vehicles in areas where leaks or spills cannot flow into the storm drain. Do not let leaks or spills fall directly on the ground. A good solution is to take your car to a mechanic.
• Do not mix waste oil with gasoline, solvents or other liquids before recycling. These items cannot be recycled if they are "contaminated" by each other.
• Change vehicle fluids indoors when ever possible. If it must be done out doors, stay clear of any storm drains or sanitary sewers.
• Inspect vehicles regularly for leaking oil and fluids.
• Minimize spills and drips: use spigots, drip pans and funnels when transferring fluids.

Washing Your Automobile
Believe it or not, there are some small changes you can make when washing your car to be Rouge Friendly. If you wash it yourself:

• It is best to go to a commercial car wash that uses water efficiently and disposes of runoff properly.
• Wash car on the lawn instead of the driveway to reduce runoff to the street or storm sewer.
• Use non-phosphate biodegradable detergents and mild soaps (see car soap alternatives in section below).
• Use water from a bucket instead of the hose to save water.
• Wash one section of the car at a time and rinse it quickly using a pistol grip nozzle with high pressure and low volume.

Recipes for your automobile

Car soap
1/4 cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap
Warm water
Mix ingredients in pail. Wash car on lawn instead of the drive to reduce runoff to the street or storm sewer.

Please address all comments and suggestions about the contents of this Web page to rougeweb@co.wayne.mi.us.

The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grants #XP995743-01, -02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -08 and C-264000-01.