ONR wash method: panel-by-panel or all-at-once?

[MisterShark]

Just wrote Optimum's support staff:

Dear Sir or Miss,

Regarding ONR: the product page instructions state "wash one car panel. Soak the towel in the wash bucket again and do another panel till the entire vehicle is washed. Use a fresh Xtraplush Microfiber Towel to dry the car".

The video however demonstrates the washing and drying panel by panel rather than wash all then dry all.

Which is the best way?

So I ask the same question of the AG community:

• wash a section, dry that section, move to next section & repeat

-or-

• wash entire car, a section at a time, and then dry entire car

[Lasthope05]

You could actually do it either way. I do it one panel at a time to reduce/eliminate the chances of water marks. If your in a shaded area you could wash the entire car and dry at the end like a traditional wash. If your in the sun panel by panel would be the best way. Its all user preference anyways.

Dont know if you've seen it but here. This will give you a bunch of insight to ONR process and techniques.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ve-thread.html

[belcherm58]

My choice would be by panel.

[MisterShark]

You could actually do it either way. I do it one panel at a time to reduce/eliminate the chances of water marks. If your in a shaded area you could wash the entire car and dry at the end like a traditional wash. If your in the sun panel by panel would be the best way. Its all user preference anyways.

Dont know if you've seen it but here. This will give you a bunch of insight to ONR process and techniques.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...ve-thread.html

Yeah, I figured sun exposure would play an important part.
What I wasn't sure about was whether or not the ONR would influence the ONR/water mix to the degree that drying time (and the probability of water spotting) would be slowed to the point that one could be more leisurely about how soon to dry (ie: could wait till the entire car is washed and could be dried all at once without fear that the first washed panel would already be spotting).

My choice would be by panel.

I'll probably do panel by panel also as I also intend to use Optimum's Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer throughout the drying process.

[Jossy92]

As a newb and based on limited experience:

On a very "dirty" car I go panel by panel soaking and unloading any crud in the mitt while I am drying that panel.

If the car is just dusty, cool and not in the sun, I play it by ear, doing the top of the car at one pass and if needed the lower parts panel by panel. Usually just wash and dry the whole thing.

A beginners way, hope this helps a little.

[Emile]

Here is my awesome technique which works on even a fairly dirty car. I'm willing to share it with you guys because I am so awesome.

-Use around 1oz of ONR per gallon of water. The stronger solution will provide better/faster cleaning and will increase the drying time.

-Use two towels for drying. Towel A for wiping down most of the water/ONR, Towel B to get completely dry. This 2-towel process should be used for all ONR washes to ensure a streak-free finish.

1.) Divide the vehicle into sections. For example, the windshield, roof, and rear window would be one section.

2.) Wash the entire section using your desired wash media. Note: I strongly suggest a Lake Country Grout Sponge as you are asking the sponge to collect an entire section's worth of dirt in one pass. And/or you can re-rinse your wash media during a section to ensure you do not instill any new scratches on the vehicle. Sometimes I re-rinse, sometimes I don't....it depends on how dirty the vehicle is and the size of the section I'm working on.
3.) Use Towel A for getting mostly dry.
4.) Use Towel B for getting 100% dry.

-While the stronger solution softens the water and increases the drying time, it also makes it much harder to actually dry the section of the vehicle when you want to get it dry.

-If you're wondering why Towel A doesn't get the panel completely dry, that's easy. When Towel A is brand new, it will get a section dry. But as Towel A collects the bulk of the water, your towel will have a harder time getting remaining sections . I usually replace Towel A with a brand new one, after completing the 2nd or 3rd section. Your towel size and ability to absorb water will determine how far you can go on one towel.

[Mike Phillips]

Work panel by panel, you don't want residue drying on an already washed panel while you're on the other side of the vehicle washing a different panel.

The more towels you have the better, as the towels remove water/ONR residua, there's going to be dirt particles in the residue, trying to get too much mileage out of two few towels increase the risk that you might instill swirls and scratches.

[AeroCleanse]

I do panel by panel, but you could do more area depending on temperature, etc.

[MisterShark]

Work panel by panel, you don't want residue drying on an already washed panel while you're on the other side of the vehicle washing a different panel.

Winna winna: chic'n dinna!
That's what I was wondering about: factors such as residue being left behind if not thoroughly toweled off before the surface dries on it's own.

Panel-by-panel is the method I'm going to use, along with strictly distilled water.

The more towels you have the better, as the towels remove water/ONR residua, there's going to be dirt particles in the residue, trying to get too much mileage out of two few towels increase the risk that you might instill swirls and scratches.

Another decision I've made is to utilize my Cobra Supreme 530 MF for my first drying pass (as it's plush longer fibers should catch any leftover dirt without scratching), followed by either my Guzzler HD or an Indigo for the final drying pass.


Here's one more little detail which probably won't matter over-much: I intend to use Optimum's Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer with the drying step.
Spray it on before the first towel pass or after the first towel pass?

Probably won't matter much, if at all, but if anyone's experimented with the before vs. after timing of the QD when ONRing I'd love to hear about it.

[Going Mobile]

... Another decision I've made is to utilize my Cobra Supreme 530 MF for my first drying pass (as it's plush longer fibers should catch any leftover dirt without scratching), followed by either my Guzzler HD or an Indigo for the final drying pass ... I intend to use Optimum's Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer with the drying step.
Spray it on before the first towel pass or after the first towel pass?

I do panels instead of whole vehicle. Don't forget, humidity also plays a role in how fast things dry.

I use a Big Blue WW or a Cobra Shamrock (depending how dirty the vehicle) for the first pass, spray the QID or QCW on the C530 MF (just a little on the short nap side), then spray the panel and wipe. Turn over the C530 and lightly buff ... and you're done.