Rinseless wash Questions

[hoyt66]

Hi guys/gals,

Soo I have been happily waxing away all summer and I'm starting to think I don't want to
run thru the "scratch makers" this winter. Now that I have this website I have

options..and questions. Basically this- What is your opinion on the best "no rinse" product
for a heavily salted car to be cleaned in my Michigan garage this winter. The second

question is can I totally wash my car using these products even if the car has heavy salt
build up?. I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row for winter. Thanks

[rider9195]

Never used it, but ONR. You will get many suggestions of this product for sure.

[S2K]

Well since I'm in SE GA I don't have experience with salt but I love rinseless washes. I think you will find ONR and DP RW&G will both get great reviews. I do know if your car is heavily soiled you need to at least spray off the majority of dirt (or salt) before attempting a rinseless wash. One idea I have read a lot on here is to go to a self-serve car wash with a bucket of rinseless already mixed up and spray your car with their hose then wash it with your rinseless then dry. Though I have never done this it really sounds like a great way to wash in the middle of winter.

[Jenn1270]

You can always go through the touchless to get things started. Unfortunately the soap used will sometimes remove your wax.

Jenn

[hoyt66]

Hey Jen, you said the soap will remove some wax...would that also remove a sealant? I

plan to use sealant this winter.

[Jenn1270]

Hey Jen, you said the soap will remove some wax...would that also remove a sealant? I

plan to use sealant this winter.

I don't know the answer to that. I know the ones I used it didn't take off my 845, but others report it removing LSP. Maybe someone else can weight in.

Jenn

[Wills.WindowsAndWheels]

Hey Jen, you said the soap will remove some wax...would that also remove a sealant? I

plan to use sealant this winter.

From what i understand...some of those 'soaps' are just really heavy degreasers....and i think we all know what degreasers do to wax lol. I really like ONR...but not for the reasons you listed as far as salt and cold..i love it cause i dont have to wait all day for some shade and hope the temp drops below 90 degrees out here in the Az desert lol.

Ive heard some people get the Gama seal bucket..mix up some wash and give their ride a quick wipe down a few times a week so that grime never gets a chance to really build up. Just put the lid on and then 1 bucket can last quite a while :)

[ScubaCougr]

You can always go through the touchless to get things started. Unfortunately the soap used will sometimes remove your wax.
Jenn

:iagree: If it's nasty, use plain water at the U-spray, then come home and wash with your favorite rinseless or waterless. If it's not quite that bad, just spray it well with r/w, let it dwell for a few minutes, then wipe changing your cloth often.

Used DP's rinseless all winter long and really liked how it worked. Next up is Ultima Waterless, assuming the BOGO shortage from last week has been resolved.

[hoyt66]

Ive heard some people get the Gama seal bucket..mix up some wash and give their ride a quick wipe down a few times a week so that grime never gets a chance to really build up. Just put the lid on and then 1 bucket can last quite a while :)
__________________


That sounds like a good idea. Would the bucket have to be a sealable bucket? I have

several clean buckets with regular lids I could use but they don't seal off as tight as the

"Gama-Seal". Would the product evaporate?

[BobbyG]

Living in in New England along with the nastiest weather on the planet inspires car owners to be somewhat creative during the winter months. I've been using a tried and trued method for years that works quite well but with the advent of the new rinseless wash I now have an alternative.

What I try to do is keep the elements from doing damage to the finish by removing them weekly. I'd love to say I keep my vehicles looking like they do during the summer months but this is about survival and noting more.

I do put them in the garage and warm it up to dry and spray wax the exterior.

I've also listed a few products I use to prepare the finish for a long tough winter which is paramount in keeping the salt, sand, and harsh weather at bay.

Method 1

Items



Clean 5 gallon bucket with lid
Car wash soap
Car washing brush or sponge
Spray wheel & tire cleaner
Wheel & tire brush
$1 bills
Waterproof gloves

Before heading to your local wash, mix up a solution of hot water and your favorite car wash soap. Place this and the other items securely in the back of your truck and you're ready to go.

At the car wash you'll want to use the high pressure water and NO SOAP. The idea is to blast off as much of those winter deposits as possible before soaping it down with your own solution, not theirs

Don't forget to do the undercarriage including the wheel wells... Clean the wheels and tires next.

Now wash your car or truck from the top down with your brush and soapy solution carefully going over each section several times then rinse with water only. Do this until the vehicle is nice and clean.

If you can, dry the exterior with a Microfiber guzzler towel..

Prerequisite

Preparing the finish to do battle with mother nature is extremely important so choose a quality sealant and wax and apply them in the fall.

Sealants


Menzerna Power Lock
Klasse High Gloss Sealant
Detailers Pro Poli-Coat Sealant

Wax


Collinite 845
Collinite 476
Collinite 915

Coatings


Optimum Opti-Coat


Method 2

The new No Rinseless products are really amazing performers but don't wait until your car or truck becomes dirty enough so you can't tell its color.

Two products I use are Optimum No Rinse and Detailers Pro Series Rinseless Wash and Gloss. Of the two I personally find Detailers Pro Series Rinseless Wash and Gloss the better of the two.

I mix the solution using hot water. This helps warm the panel making the cleaning and drying process much easier.

Use the solution with a wool mitt and soft car wash brush along with plenty of solution. I do each panel twice, once with the car wash brush and then with the wool mitt. Allow the product to work for you and don't force it otherwise you'll chance scratching the paint.

Keep 4 or 5 drying towels handy and dry each panel once it's complete then move on to the next.

[hoyt66]

Ok. Some good advice as always. Keep it coming. I will keep reading and come up with a

game plan. Thanks BobbyG. Guys that live with snow and salt/sand please chime in with

your game plan.

[Ech0]

BobbyG. I read your post w/interest. When you say "brush" is Boars Hair Brush what you mean by that? Thanks.

[BobbyG]

BobbyG. I read your post w/interest. When you say "brush" is Boars Hair Brush what you mean by that? Thanks.

Yes it is.

A soft brush meant for washing paint is important. It does a great job loosening and removing dirt and debris without damaging the finish. It hold quite a bit of washing solution which aids in its ability to clean the surface floating the dirt and grime away.

Autogeek sells them and I've even seen synthetic brushes sold locally that do a decent job as well.

[Trevor]

Bobby, I bought the DP rinseless wash and gloss in the BOGO last round. I've used it twice now with the blue LC sponge that got good reviews. My question is, what should if feel like? I measured out 1 oz to 2 gallons exactly and it just didn't seem very lubricated, so I added another .5 oz into the mix. It seemed to do a fine job on the car, (very light dirt), but am I missing something here? I do have hard water...

Am I just expecting it to feel like my car soaps too much?

Thanks for the tips (I'm planning on using 845 for winter this year, maybe over WGS3.0 or maybe on its own)

[rockford33]

I live in Maryland and do as some others have suggested on here. The past couple of winters our snow has been measured in feet, not inches!

One problem I have around here is that all of the touchless washes have huge signs for no bucket washing (and I was actually reprimanded once). I usually rinse real well with just the plain water (let it run for a few seconds pointed away from the car to get any cleaner left in the line out before spraying on your car), then head home for a rinseless wash (been using ONR, waiting like everyone else for my BOGO Ultima...). Even if I don't have time for a rinseless wash, I try to get to a touchless to spray off the heavy crud about once a week (weather permitting) to keep things from getting too bad.

On another forum, one member would mix up some up rinseless in a 2 gallon garden sprayer and pre-treat the car before using the touchless wash in order to loosen up the grime, and then bucket wash. If you can't get to a touchless, you might be able to pre-treat with a garden sprayer, let it dwell for a couple of minutes to loosen the salt, and then wash with the mitt and bucket of rinseless wash. Just a thought.

-Neil