Waterless car wash

[DetailAddict]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterless_car_wash

A waterless car wash or dry wash is a technique used to wash a vehicle without the use of water. This technique uses a product that contains many different ingredients, including wetting agents, lubricants and protectants. The detergents and wetting agents in the product combine to soften and emulsify surface grime, while a specific blend of fluids and lubricants attach a microscopic layer of protectant to the surface. The protectant is often an extremely rare (and expensive) substance[citation needed] which provides a bonded layer of protection against any remaining abrasive not broken down by the detergents and wetting agents.

The protectant often contains extensive cross linked polymers, which make it extremely effective as a car wax or glaze. The product often contains a complex mixture of cleaning elements along with the glaze ingredients.

With proper application, the product lifts dirt from the vehicle by emulsification. The product surrounds dirt molecules, lifting them from the paint surface, before you start to wipe. At the same time, the application process initiates the cross chain polymer linking process that results in an extremely shiny, highly protective glazed finish. All this happens very rapidly due to the balance of ingredients within the product itself.

The application process does not involve high pressure nor extensive rubbing and also does not require "soaking" - using a high volume of product. When used as directed the vehicle will shine, and water will bead on it.

http://www.ecotouch.net/product_details.php?pid=19
http://www.nowet.com/carwash.htm
http://www.quickiehq.com/
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9833530-54.html

[GroundHog]

so would you recommend a product like this over a normal wash/dry/polish?

[ZK]

I usually use Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine on my car. It isn't a "waterless" wash but it is an "rinseless" wash. This allows you to wash a car indoors safely without marring, no water spots and keep the car out of the elements. Perfect for places where you don't have access to a hose or when it is really cold/hot outside. The floor will get wet though.

Optimum no rinse does not contain wax but it does leave the surface very slick. http://www.optimumcarcare.com/norinse.html

Usage is pretty wierd, you'll need a bunch of microfiber drying towels to dry the car. Pretty much just wipe the stuff on and dry it. I usually do a panel at a time to make sure I don't miss a spot. On wheels it is a little harder but same technique. Wipe on with a mitt and dry with microfiber towel.

Your mitts and towels will turn black after you use. The technology behind it binds all the dirty stuff to your mitts and towels. When you apply it on the car you can see the water binding all the dirt together into clumps and when you wipe they all end up on your mitt. It is nasty looking but is fine for the paint. Wash the mitt/towels afterwards with a microfiber detergent. I can do a whole car with 2 gallons of water. Becareful when wiping though, don't dry parts of the car you haven't wiped because you can drag dirt from the unwashed parts and cause swirls. I've replaced my normal maintenance car washes with no rinse washes exclusively because of ease of use and swirl free cleaning. It is also helpful when doing other people's cars in parking lots and other random places with no hose. :)

Here's someone else's wash with Optimum No Rinse - this is what it looks like to wash with this stuff.

Equipment
http://www.pbase.com/3lg/image/74650559.jpg

Washing
http://www.pbase.com/3lg/image/74650567.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/3lg/image/74650571.jpg

After wash
http://www.pbase.com/3lg/image/74650573.jpg
Water on floor
http://www.pbase.com/3lg/image/74650577.jpg

[earlyapex aka jack ass]

You do a car that dirty with that stuff? You are a brave man.

[JERRY]

You do a car that dirty with that stuff? You are a brave man.


That's exactly what I was thinking... I might just be an idiot, but I tried something very similar to this with my Ducati, and spent $$$$$$$ getting it the scratches and stuff out.

Jerry

[DetailAddict]

haha... yeah... i personally would never do waterless car wash, therefore I would never recommend any waterless car wash products.

I posted this because a lot of folks were wondering what waterless car wash is... well, here you go... :)

closet thing to waterless car wash I've ever done is cleaning bird dropping from the car when I am not able to wash the car. and that of course, is just spot clean with detail spray...


You do a car that dirty with that stuff? You are a brave man.

[KakimotoEVO]

Interesting topic. I just ordered some Poorboy's waterless spray last week: http://www.autogeek.net/pbsaw16.html
But I am still skeptical about it and plan on using it as a last resort only. (i.e. No host access and must clean my car for a show or something) The thinking is that it would be at least better than using ordinay detail spray alone.

Leo, if you have hands on experience with any of the product you listed above, please elaborate on the risks of getting swirl marks. I have a black car, it's a PITA to keep swirl free!

Thanks,
Adrian

[KakimotoEVO]

Interesting topic. I just ordered some Poorboy's waterless spray last week: http://www.autogeek.net/pbsaw16.html
But I am still skeptical about it and plan on using it as a last resort only. (i.e. No host access and must clean my car for a show or something) The thinking is that it would be at least better than using ordinay detail spray alone.

<Never mind - I posted after seeing your reply>
Leo, if you have hands on experience with any of the product you listed above, please elaborate on the risks of getting swirl marks. I have a black car, it's a PITA to keep swirl free!
</Never mind>

Thanks,
Adrian

[ZK]

Adrian, I would use that if your car is not too dirty ... probably 1-2 days after washing or light dust (not pollen). Otherwise, use regular washing.

As I said, it is not a "waterless" wash - it is a "rinseless" wash. You mix it with a couple gallons of water to wash a car. I would not recommend any "waterless" washes like the ones mentioned above or Chemical Guys/SmartWax "ONE" which is pretty popular.

Optimum No Rinse is proven to not produce swirls if you use it properly. That said, if your car is covered with mud and other stuff... it's probably not a good idea.Â* Some detailers do a ONR (Optimum No Rinse) pre-rinse with a garden sprayer before ONR washing to further prevent marring. For every day driving cleaning, it is fine. Works good on bugs and such too. Lots of detailers use it in their mobile operations. After washing, you can go straight into swirl removal, your favorite wax/sealant just as if you did a regular wash.

I was pretty skeptical of it at first but after tons of positive feedback, I decided to give it a shot. I am definitely a converted skeptic! Like I said, it takes some getting used to but after you get the hang of it... :)

There's lots of demo videos online.

F430 done with ONR
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-744800996428313622

Dirtier car, as you can see, when done right, your drying towel is completely clean. It may require multiple passes before drying.Â* If your drying towel is dirty - you didn't do it right.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2077855946412498290

Other videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR8z8boxPXw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSyOXjZtMqY

[ZK]

If anyone wants a demo, I will be happy to provide one. I always have a gallon of this stuff around for mobile operations.

[lqdchkn]

So when you do it; do you use a separate rinse bucket for the sponge like the one guy in that vid. or just the ONR bucket all the way through like the others?

[DetailAddict]

I've never used any of the products I listed... i just listed them so people get an idea of what it is...

Sounds like ZK has some experience in this, you might want to check him out. :)

[ZK]

So when you do it; do you use a separate rinse bucket for the sponge like the one guy in that vid. or just the ONR bucket all the way through like the others?


I use one bucket. The two bucket method is a carry over from traditional washing. If you want to be super extra careful, you can use it. Otherwise, just make sure the area you are cleaning is really clean before you dry and dip often to make sure your mitt is dripping wet. This is where you get marring from if you mess up.

And I forgot to mention, only use microfiber towels and mitts... a sheepskin (wool) mitt will work as well but I prefer microfiber for this kind of washing. The stuff is engineered to work with microfiber - if you don't use it, the bonding and release characteristics is different.

A traditional wash is needed if your car is pretty gunked up. I do this routine after track days:

http://www.norcalevo.net/forum/index.php/topic,19335.0.html

[lqdchkn]

So when you do it; do you use a separate rinse bucket for the sponge like the one guy in that vid. or just the ONR bucket all the way through like the others?


I use one bucket. The two bucket method is a carry over from traditional washing. If you want to be super extra careful, you can use it. Otherwise, just make sure the area you are cleaning is really clean before you dry and dip often to make sure your mitt is dripping wet. This is where you get marring from if you mess up.

And I forgot to mention, only use microfiber towels and mitts... a sheepskin (wool) mitt will work as well but I prefer microfiber for this kind of washing. The stuff is engineered to work with microfiber - if you don't use it, the bonding and release characteristics is different.

A traditional wash is needed if your car is pretty gunked up. I do this routine after track days:

http://www.norcalevo.net/forum/index.php/topic,19335.0.html


You think it would hurt to rinse the whole car with water first, to loosen the crap and help minimize possible scratching? Not sure if that would jack up the chemical to water bucket ratio?

I'm seriously thinking this is my new car wash. The old way wastes hella water an take hella time. $16 bux for 16 washes doesn't seem to excessive. Not like Zaino anyway. :O Can you buy it locally or do you get it from their website?

[DetailAddict]

then you might just well do a proper car wash! ;)



You think it would hurt to rinse the whole car with water first, to loosen the crap and help minimize possible scratching? Not sure if that would jack up the chemical to water bucket ratio?

I'm seriously thinking this is my new car wash. The old way wastes hella water an take hella time. $16 bux for 16 washes doesn't seem to excessive. Not like Zaino anyway. :O Can you buy it locally or do you get it from their website?

[DetailAddict]

the only time I see waterless car wash is great for is when you are on the road. Let say you just finish a nice detail at home and you have to travel far for a car show. Once you get to the location you can prep the car with it. But even that, a good detail spray might be good enough if you put down a good layer of sealant and wax. :)

[ZK]

You think it would hurt to rinse the whole car with water first, to loosen the crap and help minimize possible scratching? Not sure if that would jack up the chemical to water bucket ratio?

I'm seriously thinking this is my new car wash. The old way wastes hella water an take hella time. $16 bux for 16 washes doesn't seem to excessive. Not like Zaino anyway. :O Can you buy it locally or do you get it from their website?


You can do that if you want... Some guys use a garden sprayer with a ONR mix to water down the car before going in with the ONR wiping. Or you can use water if you want. I wouldn't worry about the water ratio much. I usually use more than the recommended ratio anyway. It kinda defeats the purpose of using it if you're going to hose it with water anyway. I guess you'd still gain the benefit of having a slick surface when you're done and no water spotting.

I don't know anywhere to get it locally... A lot of detailing web sites carry ONR. I originally bought a 16 oz. bottle, then it was more economical to buy it by the gallon. I've converted quite a few friends and we split up the shipping costs now. :)

1 oz to 2 gallons of water is the normal ratio, for more protection and dirtier cars, you can do 1 oz per gallon like in the first video on the F430. It also makes a great quick detailer - cleans and adds gloss and slickness.

[lqdchkn]

then you might just well do a proper car wash! ;)



You think it would hurt to rinse the whole car with water first, to loosen the crap and help minimize possible scratching? Not sure if that would jack up the chemical to water bucket ratio?

I'm seriously thinking this is my new car wash. The old way wastes hella water an take hella time. $16 bux for 16 washes doesn't seem to excessive. Not like Zaino anyway. :O Can you buy it locally or do you get it from their website?



Not really cause I wouldn't have to rinse the soap from every panel as it's done. That wastes most of the water in washing. Just one rinse at the begining for the added "crud softening", then ONR and dry each panel until the whole car is done. ;)

[DetailAddict]

well, it depends on the condition of the car... i would argue the rinse in the beginning would waste most of the water... If you have some 'heavy spots', you'll spend more time on it, like bird dropping. but when it comes time to rinse off the soap, it's just one pass. I know I spend very little time and water on the final rinse... ;)






then you might just well do a proper car wash! ;)



You think it would hurt to rinse the whole car with water first, to loosen the crap and help minimize possible scratching? Not sure if that would jack up the chemical to water bucket ratio?

I'm seriously thinking this is my new car wash. The old way wastes hella water an take hella time. $16 bux for 16 washes doesn't seem to excessive. Not like Zaino anyway. :O Can you buy it locally or do you get it from their website?



Not really cause I wouldn't have to rinse the soap from every panel as it's done. That wastes most of the water in washing. Just one rinse at the begining for the added "crud softening", then ONR and dry each panel until the whole car is done. ;)

[DetailAddict]

I'll say this... at the end of the day... personal preference comes into play for a lot of stuff including waterless car wash. Some people swear by it, some don't believe in it. But a lot has to do with condition of the car and the person that is working on it. ;)