The difference between a Normal Car Wash, a Waterless Car Wash, a Rinseless Car Wash and a Spray Detailer

The difference between a Normal Car Wash, a Waterless Car Wash, a Rinseless Car Wash and a Spray Detailer

There are 4 popular approaches to washing and cleaning cars, below are descriptions of the four different approaches followed with the products that can be used for the different approaches.


Normal Car Wash
A normal car wash is simply the more traditional method of dragging out the water hose, filling a bucket with water, adding the soap then spraying the car down with water, then washing the car and then going back to the water hose to rinse the suds off and then repeating this over the rest of the car before the section you just washed has a chance to dry possibly causing water spots. This system works well but it also uses a lot of water and in some areas it may not be allowed.


Waterless Car Wash
A waterless car wash is where you use a high lubricity pre-mixed spray detailer to heavily saturate a panel and then carefully wipe any dirt or road grime off to a dry shine. The key to working safely with a waterless car wash is to use plenty of clean, microfiber polishing towels and after using all 8 sides of a microfiber towel, quit using the microfiber towel and switch to a new, clean microfiber polishing towel so you don't simply transfer dirt removed from one panel to another panel.


Rinseless Car Wash
A rinseless car wash is kind of a cross between a normal car wash and a waterless car wash. Like a normal car wash, you’re still going to use water, but only a couple of gallons. Like a waterless wash, instead of rinsing your wash solution off, you’ll work panel by panel and wipe each panel to a dry shine using microfiber drying towels like the Water Guzzler. With a Rinseless Wash, you’ll use dramatically less water but still be flushing the panel with plenty of high lubricity wash solution to leave behind a scratch-free finish.


Spray Detailer
Spray Detailers are for removing, Light Dust, Fingerprints, Smudges and most can also be used as a clay lubricant. Light dust is a light accumulation of airborne dust and contaminants that have landed primarily on horizontal surfaces and have not in any way bonded to the paint.



Autogeek's Selection of Car Washing and Cleaning Products


Normal Car Washes
Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo 16 ounce
DP Auto Bath Shampoo 32 ounce
DP Xtreme Foam Formula Auto Shampoo
Wolfgang Auto Bathe
Pinnacle XMT Gel Shampoo & Conditioner
3M Car Wash Shampoo
Dodo Juice Sour Power Gloss Enhancing Shampoo
Dodo Juice Supernatural Shampoo
Duragloss Car Wash Concentrate
1Z Einszett Perls Shampoo Premium Car Wash
Step 3 Finish Kare 118 Super Concentrated Shampoo
Griot's Garage Car Wash
Liquid Glass Wash Concentrate
Meguiars Ultimate Wash & Wax
Mirror Glaze M6201 Carwash Shampoo & Conditioner
Meguiars Gold Class Shampoo & Conditioner
Meguiars NXT Generation Car Wash
Meguiar’s Shampoo Plus
Meguiars Hyper-Wash
Mothers California Gold Car Wash
Optimum Car Wash
P21S Bodywork Conditioning Shampoo
Poorboy's World Super Slick & Suds Concentrated Car Wash
Ultima Paint Guard Wash


RTU = Ready To Use

Waterless Washes
Detailer’s Pride Waterless Auto Wash - RTU
Detailer’s Pride Rinseless Wash & Gloss - 6-8 ounces per gallon
Poorboy's World Spray & Wipe Waterless Wash - RTU
Griot's Garage Waterless Spray-On Car Wash - RTU
Last Touch Spray Detailer - RTU
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine 8 ounces per gallon

Note: There is no official recommendation from Meguiar's to use Last Touch as a Waterless Car Wash but this is a high lubricity spray detailer that can be diluted 1:1 for a clay lube. For the opposite reason you can dilute it for a clay lube, (that is when used straight it's too slippery for a clay lube), it can be used as a waterless car wash as this product is sold in Australia as a waterless wash.




Rinseless Washes
Detailer’s Pride Rinseless Wash & Gloss 1 ounce for 2 gallons of water
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine - 1 ounce for 2 gallons of water



Spray Detailers
Pinnacle Crystal Mist Detail Spray - 16 ounces
Pinnacle Crystal Mist Detail Spray - 64 ounces
Pinnacle Crystal Mist Detail Spray - 1 gallon
Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz - 16 ounces
Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz - 64 ounces
Wolfgang Instant Detail Spritz - 1 gallon
Detailer's Pride Rinseless Wash & Gloss - 32 ounce
Detailer's Pride Rinseless Wash & Gloss - 1 gallon
Detailer’s Pride Final Gloss™ Quick Detailer - 32 ounces
Detailer’s Pride Final Gloss™ Quick Detailer - 1 gallon
Pinnacle XMT Final Finish Instant Detailer - 12 ounces
Pinnacle XMT Final Finish Detail Spray - 64 ounces
Pinnacle XMT Final Finish Detail Spray - 1 gallon
Dodo Juice Time To Dry Drying Detailer - 17 ounces
Dodo Juice Red Mist Tropical Protection Detailer - 17 ounces
Duragloss Fast Clean & Shine Detail Spray #921 - 22 ounces
Duragloss Marine & RV Detail Spray #521 - 22 ounces
Griot's Garage Speed Shine Detailer - 35 ounces
Griot's Garage Speed Shine Detailer - 1 gallon
Griot's Garage Waterless Spray-On Car Wash - 35 ounces
Griot's Garage Waterless Spray-On Car Wash - 1 gallon
Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine 31 ounces
Finish Kare 425 Extra Slick Final Body Shine - 1 gallon
Finish Kare Anti Static Poly Wipe Finish Restorer Spray Detailer - 31 ounces
Finish Kare Anti Static Poly Wipe Finish Restorer Spray Detailer - 1 gallon
Liquid Glass Detail Spray - 16 ounces
Mothers California Gold Showtime Instant Detailer - 16 ounces
Meguiars Ultimate Quik Detailer
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #34 Final Inspection - 16 ounces
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #34 Final Inspection - 1 gallon
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #135 Synthetic Spray Detailer - 16 ounces
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #135 Synthetic Spray Detailer - 1 gallon
Meguiars NXT Generation Speed Detailer - 24 ounces
Meguiars Flagship Ultimate Boat Detailer - 24 Ounces
Meguiars Mirror Glaze #52 Quik Clean Mist & Wipe - 16 ounces
Meguiar's D15501 Last Touch Spray Detailer - 1 gallon
Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer - 17 ounces
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine - 32 ounces
Poorboy’s World Spray & Gloss - 16 ounces
Poorboy’s World Spray & Gloss - 32 ounces
Poorboy’s World Spray & Gloss - 1 gallon
Poorboy's World Spray & Wipe Waterless Wash - 16 ounces
Poorboy's World Waterless Wash - 32 ounces
Poorboy's World Waterless Wash - 1 gallon
S100 Special Surfaces Cleaner - 10 ounces
Ultima Detail Spray Plus - 22 ounces
Pinnacle XMT Final Finish Instant Detailer


Note: While spray detailers are first and foremost positioned as products for removing light dust, if used wet or heavy and with good technique, that can substitute for a high lubricity waterless wash. Use your own judgment.


:)

Thanks for the explanations on the different types of washes Mike. Alot of people still get it wrong when explaining,or ask about technique. What is your take on products like Dri Wash n Guard,No Wet, Eco Wash etc. I still use a waterless product for touch up,when the car is just dusty.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Showroom Shine

Thanks for the explanations on the different types of washes Mike. Alot of people still get it wrong when explaining,or ask about technique. What is your take on products like Dri Wash n Guard,No Wet, Eco Wash etc. I still use a waterless product for touch up,when the car is just dusty.

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Anytime I haven't used a product I like to either abstain from a comment or tread lightly on my comments for various reasons... to that point I haven't used the product you mentioned but the Dri Wash n Guard has been around for a number of years and has a strong following as a quality product and I think as business opportunity for those so inclined. The cars I've seen that it's been used on all usually look very clean and shiny so as long as the user's happy that's what's most important.

With clean water becoming a more valuable commodity in certain geographical areas and also areas of high population concentrations the trend for the future will be a growth in new products that replace high water-use products in all segments of our lives including washing and cleaning our cars. As such, expect to see more new companies pop up on the Internet with water conserving products. Then like all products, they will be purchased, discussed and at some point a forum consensus will be formed and generally agreed upon as to their performance.


:)

Mr. Phillips, I've been looking for way to measure out a bucket and saw that you said to put a mark at 6" in a 5 gallon bucket for two gallons. If 6" = 2 gallons, would it be safe to assume that:

3" = 1 gallon
9" = 3 gallons
12" = 4 gallons
15" = 5 gallons

or is it a little more complicated than that?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StoneRaizer

Mr. Phillips, I've been looking for way to measure out a bucket and saw that you said to put a mark at 6" in a 5 gallon bucket for two gallons. If 6" = 2 gallons, would it be safe to assume that:

3" = 1 gallon
9" = 3 gallons
12" = 4 gallons
15" = 5 gallons

or is it a little more complicated than that?

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If 6" does in fact equal 2 gallons, then every 3" equals 1 gallon in one of those buckets and your table above is correct

Quote:

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Originally Posted by embolism

If 6" does in fact equal 2 gallons, then every 3" equals 1 gallon in one of those buckets and your table above is correct

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Thanks for chiming in Tim... :xyxthumbs:


One thing I like to practice is anytime I'm going to repeat a process over and over again is try to find a way to make if quick and easy while removing any thinking needed to do it correctly.

:D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by StoneRaizer

Mr. Phillips, I've been looking for way to measure out a bucket and saw that you said to put a mark at 6" in a 5 gallon bucket for two gallons. If 6" = 2 gallons, would it be safe to assume that:

3" = 1 gallon
9" = 3 gallons
12" = 4 gallons
15" = 5 gallons

or is it a little more complicated than that?

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I think that will apply to cylinders. My buckets are kinda cone'ish, where the area of the base is larger than that of the mouth. I think the volumes per sections (divided by equal height) vary.

Isn't ONR at 8oz to a gallon the QD ratio? I wasn't aware you could make a waterless wash out of it with that ratio (or any for that matter).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flyinion

Isn't ONR at 8oz to a gallon the QD ratio? I wasn't aware you could make a waterless wash out of it with that ratio (or any for that matter).

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You are correct. We do not list a dilution for use as a waterless. With that said, you could use it at this dilution safely approaching the vehicle armed with a little common sense like is needed using any waterless wash.

Oh nice! Good info to keep in the back of my head :)