# Mowing the lawn on a Sunday?



## Pazcat

This may seem like a bizarre question but are you allowed to mow your lawn on a Sunday in Spain?

I only ask as you are not allowed to in Belgium and it drives me nuts so I'm kind of hoping things are a bit more rational in Spain.
Technically it's something like 'no combustible engines shall be used on a Sunday'.

And while I'm on the topic of odd laws are there any other quirky ones like that that people should know about in Spain?


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## snikpoh

Pazcat said:


> This may seem like a bizarre question but are you allowed to mow your lawn on a Sunday in Spain?
> 
> I only ask as you are not allowed to in Belgium and it drives me nuts so I'm kind of hoping things are a bit more rational in Spain.
> Technically it's something like 'no combustible engines shall be used on a Sunday'.
> 
> And while I'm on the topic of odd laws are there any other quirky ones like that that people should know about in Spain?


I've never heard of that. Around here people still rotovate on a Sunday and I've just come in for a break from cutting my hedges (with a power hedge trimmer) - it's too hot at the moment (28)

I could do with an excuse not to carry on ...


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## Pazcat

As far as I know it's just a Belgian thing, maybe Swiss too. 
I can say from experience you do get told off for doing it.

Good to know that it's seemingly fine in Spain.


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## Pesky Wesky

The only problem you're likely to have is distubing someone's siesta (15:00 - 17:00 more or less). I'm not sure if it's law or not to keep noise down at that time, but it's not very "neighbourly".


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## Pazcat

True I suppose, I'll just have to push our siestas back an hour or two.


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## gus-lopez

Pazcat said:


> As far as I know it's just a Belgian thing, maybe Swiss too.
> I can say from experience you do get told off for doing it.
> 
> Good to know that it's seemingly fine in Spain.


& in Germany ! Very strict.

obscure laws ? Yes, lots.
Can't wash car in street or your own fenced & gated property!
Still in law is the one that says that you cannot work on your own property for more than 13 weeks . Never used now but could be if required or they don't like you ! :lol:

You cannot start any noisy work before 8am
The siesta time 2-4pm is a law . no noise.


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## Pazcat

gus-lopez said:


> & in Germany ! Very strict.
> 
> obscure laws ? Yes, lots.
> Can't wash car in street or your own fenced & gated property!
> Still in law is the one that says that you cannot work on your own property for more than 13 weeks . Never used now but could be if required or they don't like you ! :lol:
> 
> You cannot start any noisy work before 8am
> The siesta time 2-4pm is a law . no noise.


Yeah, Germany as well. Lots of tenants associations prohibit you from flushing the loo or showering after a certain time.

So where are you supposed to wash your car then?

Before 8am is fine by me, that's fairly standard in most places.
The siesta thing is reasonable enough although it's good to know this beforehand, that is the kids nap time anyway or that's supposed to be.


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## xabiaxica

Pazcat said:


> Yeah, Germany as well. Lots of tenants associations prohibit you from flushing the loo or showering after a certain time.
> 
> *So where are you supposed to wash your car then?*
> 
> Before 8am is fine by me, that's fairly standard in most places.
> The siesta thing is reasonable enough although it's good to know this beforehand, that is the kids nap time anyway or that's supposed to be.


at the car wash...... if you bother at all..........


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## Pazcat

Well "if you bother at all" is more my style, the day I find a car wash that still allows you to sit in it when it's running is the day I'll use a car wash again.


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## gus-lopez

Car washing , interior cleaning is a national pastime here. When I was first here I wondered how on earth 'standalone' car washes could ever make money, until the weekends/fiestas arrive! most of them you have to queue then. 
Many have bars attached & all garages have 2 or 3 different types.
I've never seen a Spaniard remain in his car at our local one where they have one that you can actually stay in the car. Along with 3 pressure washing ones & another for overheight/length vehicles. & airlines !  I've seen people still cleaning 2 hrs after I went past the other way . :lol:

Then you have the 'hand wash, clean,wax, interior, everything businesses'.
We aren't talking east europeans with a mop & bucket but spanish businesses that do nothing else. I thought that they would suffer during the crisis but it doesn't appear to have affected them.In fact in the underground car park of our Eroski Hipermercado they have a complete cleaning business set up recently, & doing well.


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## baldilocks

I prefer NOT to be in the car while it washes after having the experience of the damned machine breaking down part way through the wash with the brush mechanisms pressed against the doors and windscreen so that I was trapped. Fortunately I had the receipt and it had the place's phone number on it so I was able to use my mobile to call for help.

SWMBO was waiting for me to collect her a couple of miles away and started panicking when I hadn't arrived.


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## Pesky Wesky

baldilocks said:


> I prefer NOT to be in the car while it washes after having the experience of the damned machine breaking down part way through the wash with the brush mechanisms pressed against the doors and windscreen so that I was trapped. Fortunately I had the receipt and it had the place's phone number on it so I was able to use my mobile to call for help.
> 
> SWMBO was waiting for me to collect her a couple of miles away and started panicking when I hadn't arrived.


OMG!!
I'm never going in one of those again!


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## Aron

When I was a kid growing up in Scotlandmy granny would not allow any work to be done on the sabbath. It was shameful to have the washing hanging out. Even today, now living in Spain I hate hanging the washing out, but my neighbour is alway mowing his lawn.

As for me, I don't mow my lawn as it is a tiled terrace!


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## baldilocks

what's a lawn?


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## Pazcat

Aron said:


> When I was a kid growing up in Scotlandmy granny would not allow any work to be done on the sabbath. It was shameful to have the washing hanging out. Even today, now living in Spain I hate hanging the washing out, but my neighbour is alway mowing his lawn.
> 
> As for me, I don't mow my lawn as it is a tiled terrace!



I think the law is most likely some throwback from this belief although these days it's dressed up as 'enjoying peace & quiet'.
Nothing is open either on a Sunday here and that goes back to the whole sabbath thing too.


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## JaneyO

Personally I pick the coolest day of the week!


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## Aron

Pazcat said:


> I think the law is most likely some throwback from this belief although these days it's dressed up as 'enjoying peace & quiet'.
> Nothing is open either on a Sunday here and that goes back to the whole sabbath thing too.


Being retired, I lose track of the days. Today, because we had visitors I thought today was Sunday!!


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## jimenato

gus-lopez said:


> Car washing , interior cleaning is a national pastime here. When I was first here I wondered how on earth 'standalone' car washes could ever make money, until the weekends/fiestas arrive! most of them you have to queue then.
> Many have bars attached & all garages have 2 or 3 different types.
> I've never seen a Spaniard remain in his car at our local one where they have one that you can actually stay in the car. Along with 3 pressure washing ones & another for overheight/length vehicles. & airlines !  I've seen people still cleaning 2 hrs after I went past the other way . :lol:
> 
> Then you have the 'hand wash, clean,wax, interior, everything businesses'.
> We aren't talking east europeans with a mop & bucket but spanish businesses that do nothing else. I thought that they would suffer during the crisis but it doesn't appear to have affected them.In fact in the underground car park of our Eroski Hipermercado they have a complete cleaning business set up recently, & doing well.


One multi-function carwash in Estepona has a dog-washing station...


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## el romeral

The Spanish have the second noisiest society on earth :drum: after the Japanese. I do not think there are too many enforced noise related regulations here :horn::director:.


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## gus-lopez

el romeral said:


> The Spanish have the second noisiest society on earth :drum: after the Japanese. I do not think there are too many enforced noise related regulations here :horn::director:.


Don't you believe it the mayoress in Mojaccar has banned bars from having music, chiringuitos the same,Private parties at home are subject to noise restrictions , & she has just been talked out of introducing laws to prevent people making excessive noise at home including walking on tiled floors after midnight in high heels ! :lol:


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## Muddy

I can't wait to get to Spain and have a dust bowl for a garden!
It's June and the grass is still clogging the mower as it's still damp at the bottom of the garden!








Oh, and no law on Earth will stop me washing my own car 
Is this to protect these businesses and/or water supplies?


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## extranjero

*noise*

We have the angle grinder from Hell here( never heard of a tile cutter) one man working for years because the owner won't pay a gang of professionals to do the job in a fraction of the time.All hours, most days hes whirring away and the noise is unbearable.


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## MaidenScotland

el romeral said:


> The Spanish have the second noisiest society on earth :drum: after the Japanese. I do not think there are too many enforced noise related regulations here :horn::director:.




Whoever decided that gem has never been to Cairo


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## MaidenScotland

Aron said:


> When I was a kid growing up in Scotlandmy granny would not allow any work to be done on the sabbath. It was shameful to have the washing hanging out. Even today, now living in Spain I hate hanging the washing out, but my neighbour is alway mowing his lawn.
> 
> As for me, I don't mow my lawn as it is a tiled terrace!




Lol on just reading the posts I thought Sandra will be telling Mary that is how is was in Scotland.. 

Yes we never hung a washing out on a Sunday, all food was prepared on a Saturday evening and we could not cut with scissors, sew or knit..


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## Pesky Wesky

el romeral said:


> The Spanish have the second noisiest society on earth :drum: after the Japanese. I do not think there are too many enforced noise related regulations here :horn::director:.


I've heard that too, although I don't know if it's an urban myth - after all the Japanese are not well known for their rowdiness, are they?
Overheard at the bus stop on a Wednesday morning, which means that they were referring to Tuesday night...
It wss my daughter's birthday yesterday. We had a party.
Oh, so you went to bed late?
No, we finished at midnight but only because the police came. The neighbours called them. You know what the Spanish are like...
Both women raised their eyebrows at the incomprehensible Spanish who wanted to get their sleep on a Tuesday night. They were both South American



baldilocks said:


> what's a lawn?


We tiled over the front lawn and put gravel down in the back and our water bill went down dramatically. Those lawns are guzzzzzlers!!


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## soldierboy001

Muddy said:


> I can't wait to get to Spain and have a dust bowl for a garden!
> It's June and the grass is still clogging the mower as it's still damp at the bottom of the garden!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, and no law on Earth will stop me washing my own car
> Is this to protect these businesses and/or water supplies?


Will you still be saying "no law on earth will stop you washing your car" as the hand cuffs are put on.


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## Muddy

soldierboy001 said:


> Will you still be saying "no law on earth will stop you washing your car" as the hand cuffs are put on.


Well IMO stupid laws should be broken. If this is an actual law and it would appear so, then I'll work around it.
Common sense means this law should be to avoid ice forming in winter, water eroding land, detergent permeating into ground water and of course water shortages.

From what I've read using recycled water on your own land is allowed so I'll be buying plenty of water butts and doing it that way. Mind you, using a hose with gun on the end doesn't use much water at all.
If that also is illegal in some way I'll wash it in my garage out of site of nosy neighbours


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## baldilocks

Muddy said:


> Well IMO stupid laws should be broken. If this is an actual law and it would appear so, then I'll work around it.
> Common sense means this law should be to avoid ice forming in winter, water eroding land, detergent permeating into ground water and of course water shortages.
> 
> From what I've read using recycled water on your own land is allowed so I'll be buying plenty of water butts and doing it that way. Mind you, using a hose with gun on the end doesn't use much water at all.
> If that also is illegal in some way I'll wash it in my garage out of site of nosy neighbours


Water from car washing invariably contains detergents and oily films which find their way through street drains and into watercourses killing wildlife and fish which eat the likes of mosquito larvæ.

It isn't the laws that are stupid but are necessary to control the likes of stupid people who are incapable of using a bit of common sense for protecting the environment.


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## Muddy

baldilocks said:


> Water from car washing invariably contains detergents and oily films which find their way through street drains and into watercourses killing wildlife and fish which eat the likes of mosquito larvæ.
> 
> It isn't the laws that are stupid but are necessary to control the likes of stupid people who are incapable of using a bit of common sense for protecting the environment.


Yes that's what I thought regarding detergent etc.
So assuming we're not all stupid here, a bit more info from government would be handy perhaps like suggest what you should use to wash your car, I don't mind using just water and nothing else if it helps the environment and our drinking water.
But this must depends on location and infrastructure because not all locations will be so sensitive, or is the Spanish system not set-up to remove as many contaminants from water!
So what do every single one of the car washers around the country do as far as type of detergent they use?
And what happens to all the water? Goes into a holding tank and then where does it go!


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## jimenato

Muddy said:


> Yes that's what I thought regarding detergent etc.
> So assuming we're not all stupid here, a bit more info from government would be handy perhaps like suggest what you should use to wash your car, I don't mind using just water and nothing else if it helps the environment and our drinking water.
> But this must depends on location and infrastructure because not all locations will be so sensitive, or is the Spanish system not set-up to remove as many contaminants from water!
> So what do every single one of the car washers around the country do as far as type of detergent they use?
> And what happens to all the water? Goes into a holding tank and then where does it go!


And what about all the detergents and so on from washing machines, terrace cleaning and so on. And where does all the millions of litres of agua fuerte and fregasuelos detergent end up?


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## Overandout

Car washes in official sites have seperators to avoid the grease entering into the sewage system. Your drains don't.

Car wash businesses pay a licence which covers the cost of treatment of water with high detergent content as a result of thier activities. You don't.

Your own "normal" detergents from washing yourself, clothes plates etc you do pay for via your water bills, but as has been stated the law draws the line at washing cars on private properties.

You will also find that as well as the law, most residential communities will also have in their statutes that it is prohibited to wash vehicles in the grounds of the community.

Believe me, I'd rather face the wrath of the police with the law in hand than the wrath of a "presidente de la comunidad" with the statutes in hand !


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## soldierboy001

Muddy said:


> Yes that's what I thought regarding detergent etc.
> So assuming we're not all stupid here, a bit more info from government would be handy perhaps like suggest what you should use to wash your car, I don't mind using just water and nothing else if it helps the environment and our drinking water.
> But this must depends on location and infrastructure because not all locations will be so sensitive, or is the Spanish system not set-up to remove as many contaminants from water!
> So what do every single one of the car washers around the country do as far as type of detergent they use?
> And what happens to all the water? Goes into a holding tank and then where does it go!


These days good quality car shampoos are ECO friendly and Biodegradeable and will cause no problem. The Spanish system as far as a report went some years ago stated that water treatment over here is better than in the UK and water from the taps is better quality. The problem in the old days was the pipes they used that made it iffy ( personally with over 30 years of visiting Spain I never had a problem ) but with the newer plastic pipes not a problem.
On the caravan site I live on water is distributed to the pitches via plastic pipes and at every toilet/shower block is a fancy spring type tap which some people use thinking it is spring water but in actual fact they are connected to these same distribution pipes. The reason they are there is for touring people and tenters that do not connect to the pitch water stand.
Were does the water go from a car wash well when you wash your car it goes into the drain of the car wash and is then filtered into their holding tank and re-cycled to use again. An amount will be lost to evaporation into the atmosphere and any lost will be replaced into the holding tank from the water supply.
I was told when I first came to live in Spain that it is against the law to wash your car in the street but never followed it up and the one time I did do it 10 minutes after I had finished a police car came past and gave me an old fashioned look but just drove on, I carried on with my G&T I had just poured


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## Pesky Wesky

soldierboy001 said:


> I was told when I first came to live in Spain that it is against the law to wash your car in the street but never followed it up and the one time I did do it 10 minutes after I had finished a police car came past and gave me an old fashioned look but just drove on, I carried on with my G&T I had just poured


The only person I have ever seen washing their car in the street is the (very nice) policeman who lives across the street from me.

It's a true story folks!!


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## Muddy

jimenato said:


> And what about all the detergents and so on from washing machines, terrace cleaning and so on. And where does all the millions of litres of agua fuerte and fregasuelos detergent end up?


Good point. I guess this is just a damage limitation exercise as you can't possibly stop everything bad getting into our water.
I really can't see how a bit of fairy liquid what I use to wash the car is doing more harm than all the other jays fluid type of things going down the drains, after all I'm only using the same stuff you do your washing up with!!!
Will just have to look for environment friendly car wash stuff then..


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## Muddy

Overandout said:


> Car washes in official sites have seperators to avoid the grease entering into the sewage system. Your drains don't.
> Well that makes sense to a degree.
> But where does the grease come from, I'm talking about car washing not engine washing and degreasing!
> Anyway I think we're talking about detergent right!
> So what happenes when you live on the campo, no drains and you wash your car on your land?
> 
> Car wash businesses pay a licence which covers the cost of treatment of water with high detergent content as a result of thier activities. You don't.
> Makes sense, but like I said previously I'm using washing up liquid! And in theory doing less damage than someone washing their smalls because I'm using more water so the detergent is more diluted than what comes out of a washing machine!
> 
> Your own "normal" detergents from washing yourself, clothes plates etc you do pay for via your water bills, but as has been stated the law draws the line at washing cars on private properties.
> Have you got a link about the actual law? It's just that I've read from a few different sites that you can wash your car on your own property as long as you use recycled water. So from a water butt and what comes out of your washing machine if you really want to prove a point!
> 
> You will also find that as well as the law, most residential communities will also have in their statutes that it is prohibited to wash vehicles in the grounds of the community.
> I plan on being out in the sticks, so this one shouldn't be a problem for me at least.
> 
> Believe me, I'd rather face the wrath of the police with the law in hand than the wrath of a "presidente de la comunidad" with the statutes in hand !


Point taken and noted!


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## Muddy

soldierboy001 said:


> These days good quality car shampoos are ECO friendly and Biodegradeable and will cause no problem. The Spanish system as far as a report went some years ago stated that water treatment over here is better than in the UK and water from the taps is better quality. The problem in the old days was the pipes they used that made it iffy ( personally with over 30 years of visiting Spain I never had a problem ) but with the newer plastic pipes not a problem.
> On the caravan site I live on water is distributed to the pitches via plastic pipes and at every toilet/shower block is a fancy spring type tap which some people use thinking it is spring water but in actual fact they are connected to these same distribution pipes. The reason they are there is for touring people and tenters that do not connect to the pitch water stand.
> Were does the water go from a car wash well when you wash your car it goes into the drain of the car wash and is then filtered into their holding tank and re-cycled to use again. An amount will be lost to evaporation into the atmosphere and any lost will be replaced into the holding tank from the water supply.
> I was told when I first came to live in Spain that it is against the law to wash your car in the street but never followed it up and the one time I did do it 10 minutes after I had finished a police car came past and gave me an old fashioned look but just drove on, I carried on with my G&T I had just poured


Good to know there are "ECO friendly and Biodegradable" options. I guess I'll have to switch to that from fairy liquid then and do my bit for the planet.
But what about the washing machine, are there ECO friendly versions of that!


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## baldilocks

Muddy said:


> Good point. I guess this is just a damage limitation exercise as you can't possibly stop everything bad getting into our water.
> I really can't see how a bit of fairy liquid what I use to wash the car is doing more harm than all the other jays fluid type of things going down the drains, after all I'm only using the same stuff you do your washing up with!!!
> Will just have to look for environment friendly car wash stuff then..


But what goes into your household drain and then to the sewage treatment is not the same as what goes into the street drains then to the local river system without going through the sewage treatment.


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## Muddy

baldilocks said:


> But what goes into your household drain and then to the sewage treatment is not the same as what goes into the street drains then to the local river system without going through the sewage treatment.


Ok but when people clean their patio with Jays fluid type cleaners that's not going down your water drain either, that also going down the street drains and that stuff is very nasty! But of course there is only so much you can and can't control.

But I'll not have any street drains anyway, but that is still covered regarding detergent getting into ground water, hence the need to use recycled water!


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## baldilocks

Muddy said:


> Ok but when people clean their patio with Jays fluid type cleaners that's not going down your water drain either, that also going down the street drains and that stuff is very nasty! But of course there is only so much you can and can't control.
> 
> But I'll not have any street drains anyway, but that is still covered regarding detergent getting into ground water, hence the need to use recycled water!


Our street drains are a grid that goes right across the road at the bottoms of the hills, at junctions and in some cases part-way down the hills which help to prevent the roads becoming river-beds. The pipes that carry the water away are always running with water from the various springs under the village.


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