Experiences with Water-less Washes.

[Joseph Torbati]

Hope this helps! A link to my after care web page with a you tube video showing how we've been washing cars using rinse less only. This gets its done even if the car is really dirty and I find it to me way more forgiving on causing wash swirls than traditional washing.

 

[wildtigg3r]

It would not have occurred to me to use ONR 8:1 as an interim detailer (between washes every 2 weeks). Great idea - thanks - especially since I just bought a gallon of the stuff.

The following may help some of youse in water-restricted areas: For $4, which includes 6 minutes of rinsing at a manual car wash and a gallon of distilled water, all you need for the exterior is less than an hour, good microfiber towels, Prima Hydrowash, ONR blue (unless you don't have Opti-Coat Pro or similar, in which case ONR green), and a commercial foamer in the 2-gallon size similar to these: Commercial Sprayers - Professional Sprayers.

A half-ounce of Prima Hydrowash into the gallon of distilled in the foamer gets you started and there will be enough to cover the car completely in foam. Wait 3 minutes, then rinse with either a 2-bucket approach or use a manual car wash wand (obliquely) to fill a canvas bucket (waterproofed with 303 Fabric Guard) with 2.5-3 gallons of water and then rinse the car from end to end.

After moving the car out of the car wash bay and to a detailing/drying area, use the 1-bucket approach (canvas bucket) with a grit guard and an ounce of ONR, with microfiber towels folded as above (straight lines only - wipe and dry with separate cloths one panel at a time) and all will be well.

Every other week or as needed I'll treat the wood with lemon oil, the glass with GlassWow diluted 16:1, the black plastic/rubber with 303 Aerospace, and the leather with Bick 4. Bick 1 should not be necessary.

And there you have it - all of this fits into one canvas bucket, including the other canvas bucket, and the foamer next to it - doesn't even fill up a new shrunk frunk. Best 2 hours/month plus the interim wood/leather/glass/black surfaces time that I spend. This coming from a guy who hadn't washed a car in 30 years but who fortunately got some good tutelage from a master detailer.

Naturally can't find the link for the sprayer that I actually have. 2-gallon commercial foamer from Sanitary Supply or some such. The difference being in the nozzle and general construction. A pesticide sprayer this ain't.

I guess not all car wash bays have the same rule. The ones I've checked out in San Diego has a note stating customers are not allowed to use bucket washing method, blah blah blah. You have to use their soap, brush, etc. Basically can't do what you are suggesting. I was thinking of doing that until I read the sign posted in those car wash bays.

 

[TaoJones]

I guess not all car wash bays have the same rule. The ones I've checked out in San Diego has a note stating customers are not allowed to use bucket washing method, blah blah blah. You have to use their soap, brush, etc. Basically can't do what you are suggesting. I was thinking of doing that until I read the sign posted in those car wash bays.

The manual car wash I have used for 8 years has the same sign. I pays my $3, use their water, rarely go at peak times, and I wave at the cameras. The fact that I'm in the bay an extra 5 minutes beyond the 6 minutes I've paid for has never been a problem since I started foaming my car. But again, I rarely go at peak times, which probably has something to do with why I've never had a problem. If anyone ever does say something, that's fine - there are a dozen other manual car and truck washes in a 10-mile radius.

And technically speaking, I'm not bucket washing . I'm bucket post-rinsing after exiting the bay.

 

[Vrrooom]

Hope this helps! A link to my after care web page with a you tube video showing how we've been washing cars using rinse less only. This gets its done even if the car is really dirty and I find it to me way more forgiving on causing wash swirls than traditional washing.

Thanks for posting that video. I was under the impression to do one panel then dry and move on. Looks like you get the whole car wet, wash with the solution and microfiber mitt and then dry with a waffle weave drying cloth, is this right? Any tips on doing the wheels?

 

[CQuartz Finest]

Thanks for posting that video. I was under the impression to do one panel then dry and move on. Looks like you get the whole car wet, wash with the solution and microfiber mitt and then dry with a waffle weave drying cloth, is this right? Any tips on doing the wheels?

The method you choose (whole car vs. a panel at a time) will really be dependent on both personal preference, and the conditions under which you're washing your car. Inside the garage, or in total shade, you can get away with spraying down the whole car at once and completing the wash as Joe shows in the video. If you have to wash where your car is exposed to the sun, or the panels are particularly warm, your best bet is going to be working a panel or two at a time. This is just to prevent any of the solution you've sprayed from drying onto the car before you get there with the wash mitt and drying towel.

Wheels are done not much different than the paint, your biggest challenge is going to be reaching into the barrels. For that, consider something like the Microfiber Madness Incredibrush, which has a microfiber head (Incredicover) on a handle, which is removable for machine washing after you're done with the wheels.

Microfiber Madness Incredibrush

 

[Stirthepot]

i posted this in another thread on the same topic

Ok. I'm a a little crazy when it comes to detailing and swirls. I HIGHLY recommend this product Adam's Rinseless Wash Combo | Wash Without A Hose I've used it for over a year, you won't swirl your paint if you use it correctly. I suppose that is the case with any of the rinseless products out there. I just use this one from Adams

If the car is filthy, spend two bucks at the local pressure washer to get the major stuff off if you don't have a pressure washer at home. I have an electric Kranzle so I do the following.

1. Hit the car quickly with the pressure washer if its filthy, if not you can skip this step
2. Have two buckets, fill one with the rinseless wash, the other stays empty and is used for the dirty microfiber towels.
3. Put about 8 quality microfiber towels in the rinseless buck and get them soaked
4. Take a towel out, fold it into quarters, and then over again. See the video
5. Make only one straight line pass per panel per side of the towel.
6. Flip to the other side of the towel, repeat. When folded correctly you get 16 passes per towel using both sides and you are never putting a dirty side of the towel on the car after its initial pass.
7. Dirty towel in the other bucket. RESIST the urge to use the any side of the towel for more than one pass, don't rinse or reuse a dirty towel either. This is the key to no swirls
8. I dry when I have completed two panels. Then return to washing. Avoid the edge of the clean panel that borders a dirty panel with your clean drying rags.

Do this for the entire car one panel at a time, wheels last. The key here is never introducing dirt to your clean rinseless solution nor are you ever using a dirty towel on your car, every pass is done with a clean folded sided of the towel. Any leftover rinseless can be saved if you have a bucket that seals for the next wash. This saves time the next time you want to wash too. Pay attention to your clean drying rags, I use white ones, if you see dirt on them you are missing spots. That shouldn't be the case, if they get dirty replace them so they don't introduce swirls. I am able to dry the whole car with 2-4 drying rags, only changing them if they become too damp.

I know it sounds complicated but after you do it a few times you will have your whole car done in 20-30 minutes. I did my car last night in my garage in 20 minutes with my son drying behind me. I love this product, I love my cars clean and with rinseless I get that because its so fast and easy that I wash my car more often. I do still do the typical two bucket wash routine as well, just depends on time, weather, how dirty the car is etc.

If you don't like it Adams offers a money back guarantee. No risk in trying. And no, I do not have any affiliation with Adams, just a big fan / user of his products.

 

[tomas]

Isn't this thread about waterless washes? Why are we talking about 2 bucket and power washers?

 

[skarletknite]

A polymer-based waterless wash is exactly what I use, which I get from the guy who did my nanocoating. I have CQuartz Finest on the car, and then once a week or so I use the polymer waterless wash (it actually uses a pint of water per wash). It's the same idea as described above - spray it on, use a towel to lightly wipe it off which takes most of the dirt with it onto the towel, then repeat with a clean towel and a harder wipe. Whole car takes me about 30 minutes. Car looks super shiny when done, I can do it in my garage as there is no dripping so I'm out of the sun, and it uses virtually no water. It's a nice system.

i know this is from a long time ago, but what waterless wash did your detailer who put on the CQuartz Finest recommend? is it dual polymer waterless wash? how has that worked for you? thanks