Waterless Car Wash

[OldPhart]

Hi - We get plenty of rain in this area so when a noticeable rain starts I take some Dawn dish soap and drizzle a little on the middle of the roof, across the back edge of the hood and trunk and maybe a couple of other areas. Wallah, a 10 cent car wash. Just don’t rat me out to the environmental police…Bruce

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[dmcg940]

I won't do any more than dust with Quick Detailer or waterless wash. That said, waterless wash is harder to use because it's less volatile and harder to remove. I have been happy with Griots' Speed Shine for many years. I just got a bottle of their Best of Show Detailer and it's much better. It cleans better and removes more easily. That stuff and a few really good microfiber cloths will take off a dust coating. If the car is muddy it needs to be washed with soap and water.

 

[DaveB]

I use griots waterless on some of the race cars I detail. It works great for cars that can’t have water blown in due to electronics or in a garage stall where water isn’t available.
You spray it on and let it sit for a minute and spray a rag lightly and wipe it like using a detail spray and it breaks up dirt and stuff and lifts it off. Then I use a bug and rubber spray and wipe it off then follow it all up with a good wax job. That helps protect and make it look good, as well as making the next time easier

 

[Les]

https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-rinseless-car-wash?variant=29072782852193

I use Adam’s Rineless Car Wash and mix my own Waterless Car Wash. I use it a lot and it costs a lot less mixing my own.

 

[jd_cobra]

First of all, there are two terminologies to unpack here.

Water-less Washing - This is where the only liquid used is the actual chosen product. You spray, then wipe, flipping or replacing the towel often. This is a method I rarely use and probably best only used at a pinch on dusty rather than dirty vehicles.

Rinse-less Washing - This method uses a solution made up in a bucket with multiple towels soaking in it. You also have a solution mixed in a sprayer to pre-treat. You then wipe with a towel, flipping to a clean side as much as possible. When each side of the towel has been used, put it aside and grab another from the bucket. Use a clean, dry towel to dry up the remaining water/solution. I prefer this method as there is more liquid involved to encapsulate the dirt. Again, I tend to only use Rinse-less on dusty or moderately dirty vehicles.

Expanding on the rinse-less method, this is what you need and the steps in which to do the job safely (Please note, some of these pics are from different days using different towels/products, I did this more so to better illustrate the method) -

-A water-less/rinse-less wash solution. Look towards Optimum No Rinse (ONR), Mckee's N-914 or Carpro ECH2o. I like all three but probably prefer ONR.

-You will need a number of quality towels for this job. I like square towels, they are folded and segmented easier. I use these 16x16 Platimum Pluffle's and have 10 of them dedicated for this role.

-Mix up your bucket solution following the recommended ratio. If you suck at dilutions like I do, try this website to work out the quantities of water and product -

Dilution Ratio Calculator (omnicalculator.com)

-Then add your towels to the bucket. For a Mustang, you will probably use about 6 - 8 towels.

-You also need to mix up a pre-treatment solution of your chosen product, this is then sprayed onto the panel prior to wiping with the towel -

-Once pretreated, remove a towel from the bucket, lightly ring it out and then fold it so that you end up with 8 sides to work with. Then start wiping with light pressure in the one direction. Flip the towel to a clean side as needed.

-Then return with a drying towel to mop up any residue left behind.

Because a dirty towel is never returned to the bucket, the washing solution remains clean. And the fact you keep flipping to a clean side or towel regularly, it can actually be a safer wash method. It also means you can re-use the solution for the next wash if desired. I tip it down the drain myself.

For someone new to this wash method, it can take a while to become comfortable and efficient with rinse-less washing. Given the choice, I always favor a full bucket wash with plenty of water, it's just how I prefer to clean, but there are certainly benefits to rinse-less washing. I think the important thing to consider is how dirty the car is, sometimes it's just easier and quicker to clean a dirty car with water.

I started using this method some call “1 bucket” with 4 towels utilizing all 8 sides of each towel. But, I do spray the car down first and use use a foaming soap before hand. Cuts down on contamination and product waste.

 

[outshine1]

Wondering who has had good success with waterless car was. A guy I met at CnC recommended 3D waterless car wash.

Anyone use it? Any other brands people have used?

Thanks a bunch M1 Owners

I Hi, I have been using Aero Cosmetics waterless wash and Wax for years and find it valuable for a light wash and wax (remove dust, spot clean and wax) including glass - no haze and find my wipers require less frequent replacement given they glide across the windshield. It’s available on Amazon. The manufacturer claims it is used on aircraft. No issues and continue to use. I would not use for a deep wash to remove tough grime and dirt.

 

[scd603]

Wondering who has had good success with waterless car was. A guy I met at CnC recommended 3D waterless car wash.

Anyone use it? Any other brands people have used?

Thanks a bunch M1 Owners

Any time you touch your car in the wash process and there is any dirt on it you are creating micro scratches. I know, my car is black.

I powerwash with just water. Then use soap spray with the powerwasher and powerwash it off. Then I do the 2 bucket hand wash. Anytime I've deviated, I've noticed (I've done my own "paint correction" 2x in 5 years to get micro scratches out)

Now, after washing, quick detail spray works well when you don't need a full wax/polish

 

[dirtwarrior]

I am thinking of using this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DOS0SOI/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1
or
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081KB4WX7/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A1ZO127C73TVSY&psc=1
what do you all think of them?

 

[MCS]

Love it. What wall mounts are you using for the storage? I've got a garage with no real room to put a big cabinet in behind the car so having something like this would be ideal.

 

[Magnetic Stang]

Love it. What wall mounts are you using for the storage? I've got a garage with no real room to put a big cabinet in behind the car so having something like this would be ideal.

Thank you. The bottles are hanging on 1/2" iron pipe with elbows and flanges mounting them to the wall. There's 2 baskets on a track. Mine are a Gladiator brand from Lowes. Works perfect for making my cleaning supplies look organized.

 

[Lorne34]

Check out ONR.. also check out Larry from AMMO NYC. He has several maintenance wash videos that provide really sound advice.

 

[Stage_3]

Just received my shipment from Adam's today. Buy one, get one.
Looks like a new formula as the wash is now purple, instead of baby blue. More emulsification and cleaning properties to help prevent marring/scratching even more so now.

 

[m3incorp]

It may be me, but I put my Optimum in a gallon of water to use, per the instructions. I don't think I would do a waterless wash.

I've been using Optimum No Rinse as my first foray into waterless washes. I've been pretty impressed. It's pretty time efficient, for sure.

 

[aham23]

It may be me, but I put my Optimum in a gallon of water to use, per the instructions. I don't think I would do a waterless wash.

yeah, rinse-less wash. ONR is amazing and delivers results when used correctly.

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