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For the past year and a half, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Emily Spokes has been awakened at 3:30 a.m. by the sound of garbage trucks crushing trash.

“It’s emotionally exhausting,” Spokes said. “I’ve literally been reduced to tears.”

The new homeowner says the garbage truck collects trash from the 24-hour Car Wash next door, which Spokes says is ruining the quality of her and her neighbors’ lives in more ways than one.

“People on the other side of the street have issues with these really bright floodlights that are on 24 hours a day,” she said.

On top of that, residents say the car wash's PA system is too loud and there's a constant overflow of cars on the street waiting to get into the car wash parking lot.

“They are frustrated that they’ve been there waiting for a long time, so once they have room enough to get through, they’re zooming,” resident Lyssy Pastrana said. “We have a lot of kids in this neighborhood. That is a dangerous situation.”

In addition to all these complaints, the car wash was parking cars on the sidewalk until recently when the Manhattan Borough President's Office intervened.

“The complaint is real. You have a car wash that is creating a dangerous situation because of backed up cars. The NYPD agrees with us,” said Borough President Scott Stringer. “We also have these flood lights that are disturbing the peace in the community, and a garbage truck at two, three o’clock in the morning that thinks it can just come and take all the trash out whenever they want.”

Stringer's office has been working with city agencies to try and address these issues.

Meanwhile, residents say they've tried to reason with the owner of the car wash, to no avail.

“There are people that live here. Yes, they have a 24-hour business, but they also have to understand that we have to sleep; we have to get peace of mind,” said Pastrana.

NY1 called LMC Car Wash and a manager told the station that the car was has been trying to work with the neighborhood. He agreed to ask the garbage truck to change its hours and, as far as the floodlights, he said he had not heard any complaints, but would look into it.

The station called the Department of Environmental Protection, which sent inspectors to the location. A spokeswoman told NY1 the DEP observed the activity and is evaluating the results to determine the best course of action.

Spokes is now hopeful and says after NY1’s call to the car wash, the owner called to arrange a meeting with her. NY1 will continue to follow the situation.

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