Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_001.JPG
If you like keeping your car clean all the time and thus you're a fan of waterless washes, (I am), then you're going to love this product. Not only does it clean well but it feels super slippery during application and wipe-off and most waterless washes are not like this.
VERY IMPORTANT - See the two stacks of towels in the above picture? I didn't place all those towels in the picture to simply SELL you towels. I'm using the picture to reinforce this message. What message?
YOU NEED A LOT OF TOWELS
I've been teaching people how to use waterless washes and using them myself ever since this category of product was introduced. There a LOTS of reviews and how-to articles/videos on how to use a waterless wash I know because I've written plenty and have numerous videos on this type of product and technique and in all my articles and videos I stress the key to using a waterless wash and NOT scratch your car's paint is to,
A: Use a quality product.
B: Use the right volume of product in context to how much road film and dirt accumulation there is on the car.
C: USE A LOT OF TOWELS
Not only is using a lot of clean, inspected towels the key to safely cleaning your car without a hose and bucket but it's super important with they type of waterless wash, an SiO2 type waterless wash because you need a clean dry towel for the final wipe of a section to avoid any streaks or smears. The product cleans well and makes the paint feel super slick and slippery, but I noticed when I used it on Yancy's car, which was fairly dirty with road film, that in order to get a perfect finish I really needed to use a dry towel for the final wipe. I think the reason for this is due to the SiO2 solids content in this products. The SiO2 is the KEY ingredient that separates this waterless wash from other waterless washes and it is the characteristics of SiO2 that makes people like these types of product, that is,
- SiO2 creates a Hydrophobic surface
- SiO2 creates a self-cleaning effect
- SiO2 makes normal washing and drying faster
- SiO2 creates a glassy appearance to paint
- SiO2 lasts longer than traditional waxes and synthetic sealants
The above reasons are what people tend to like about SiO2 products and what delivers these characteristics is the solid SiO2 components in any formula that uses SiO2 as a key ingredient. In this product however, the characteristic I discovered when using it for the first time was it's not as forgiving during wipe-off as the traditional waterless washes that tend to use either some form of wax or synthetic polymers. That's the trade-off for all the other features and benefits. It's not a deal-breaker in my opinion because you should ALREADY be using lots of microfiber towels when using ANY waterless wash.
I'm stressing this in this review to help you by reinforcing the best practice of using lots of towels. And "yes", of course we sell microfiber towels but this is not why I'm telling you to use lots of towels, I'm a detailer at heart and empathetic to others who love to detail their own car and/or anyone that details professionally.
Now onto my testing of this new product
I was given this product this afternoon, so this is the first time I've ever used this product specifically. I've used a LOT of waterless washes, so I'm no stranger to correct technique for using a waterless wash. My co-worker Tommy came out and took a few pictures just to document that "yes", I truly did use this product on a dirty car.
First the dirty car
This is Yancy's 2018 Dodge Challenger. This is a daily driver and thus exposed to not only the evil Sun that tortures all cars in South Florida, but also frequent rain.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_002.JPG
It rains a lot here in South Florida, we're lucky that it's often short lived during spring and summer and at least it's WARM rain. :)
But with rain comes road film. If you have never read my article on road film or you're not sure what it is and where it comes from, then take a moment to read my article and look at the pictures and then it will all make sense.
Road Film - If you drive your car in the rain your car has road film
This is accumulated air-borne dirt, kitty paw prints and oily road film. These pictures were taken with my Canon and sometimes it can be hard to get pictures of dirt on car with the Canon.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_003.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_004.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_005.JPG
The below pictures were taken with my phone, that's why the color looks different. The entire car looks like the pictures above and below and I mostly like to document that the car I'm using in a review is the real-deal and in this case this car is really dirty.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_023.JPG
More kitty paw prints on the roof.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_024.JPG
The hood doesn't look dirty in the picture but it's just as dirty as the road film you see on the upper left hand corner of the windshiled where the wipers don't reach. (think about it)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_025.JPG
And yes, this is real bird droppings....
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_026.JPG
See the road film on the upper corner of the windshield?
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_027.JPG
This same film is on the hood and the sides of the car....
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_028.JPG
Washing Yancy's car with the Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Usually we try to capture that live action spray shot with the product coming out in a glorious spray pattern, but this was my first time working with Tommy and we need to practice our timing to get these shots.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_006.JPG
This one is better, you can see the spray coming out of the nozzle. I look a tick crazy so we have to practice getting "people" shots too. :)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_007.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_008.JPG
So I'm spraying down the passenger side of the roof with an ample amount of product. The dirtier the car the more product you use as you want LOTS of lubrication to avoid scratching the paint. Towels are key but wetness is also key.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_009.JPG
Next I'm wiping the Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash off this side of the roof using Gold Plush Jr 16" by 16" towels.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_010.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_011.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_012.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_013.JPG
If you look closely you can see the the side I washed is clean and shiny and the driver's side still has road film and dirt on it.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_014.JPG
Yancy and shot a video showing the product in use and then together we finished washing his car with the new Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash. Afterwards I took these pictures to show the car is now clean and the paint looks glassy.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_015.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_016.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_017.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_018.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_019.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_020.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_021.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_022.JPG
Review
Nice product. In fact, I think this is now my favorite waterless wash. I love how it makes the paint feel slick and slippery not just after wipe-off but while I'm spreading it around. The dirt level on Yancy car is at my upper limits for how dirty of a car I like to use a waterless wash on. Any dirtier and I would have preferred to wash it with a foam gun or a bucket wash.
Spreading
This product spreads easy and seems to really soak into the dirt film. You can also easily feel the slippery feel to the paint when moving this product over the surface. I can't remember ever feeling this with any other waterless wash.
Cleaning
Oily road film is not the easiest substance to break-down and emulsify with a spray-on product but I think this SiO2 waterless wash handled very well.
Wiping off
Wipe off was easy and just like spreading the product out, it made the paint and glass fill slick and slippery. Most people I know and meet like their car's paint to feel slick and slippery. I don't remember ever meeting anyone that likes their paint to feel rubbery or grabby.
This is a fairly complex simple product. It's complex because it's an SiO2 product, I'm not a chemist but there is truly something to SiO2 for use in car care products and I"m sure there's some science that goes behind it. It's simple because it's a waterless wash. It's not that complicated to figure out. The key to using a waterless wash include the three things I listed at the beginning of this review.
A: Use a quality product.
B: Use the right volume of product in context to how much road film and dirt accumulation there is on the car.
C: USE A LOT OF TOWELS
If you do the above you can get great results with ANY waterless wash. If you're like me and thousands of other car detailing enthusiasts and you like SiO2 products then this will be you new favorite waterless wash.
On Autogeek.com
Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash - 16 ounce bottle
Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash - 1 gallon jug
:)
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Thanks Mike. How would you compare this to the Ultima WW?
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
If I had a buck for every minute I have spent reading Mike's posts..........
Can an Si02 be used over any LSP, Mike?
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bob m
Thanks Mike. How would you compare this to the Ultima WW?
I would have to revisit that product.
From memory- I don’t remember any product feeling this slippery.
:)
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Any plans for a concentrated version of this product, similar to CarPro EcH2O? I’m not sure how much this costs, but I can’t fathom buying pre-mixed waterless wash with how often I use it.
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
That looks way better than a Challenger because it’s a Charger :)
And I was thinking it was like a rule that everyone working at Autogeek would have to wash their cars daily and keep it spotless. It came out great after this waterless wash.
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Here's video of this product in action....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsp0s9eBufs
Yancy is the videographer and I'm the hand model.
Also - here's why I invest the time to DOCUMENT the before condition of any car I work on - it's for all the YouTube Trained Experts in the world. These 2 YouTube Experts claim the car was clean. Sure they're Trolls, but I have another term for Trolls.
https://www.autogeekonline.net/galle...arNotDirty.jpg
Of course, they could never find this forum and the pictures I posted JUST for guys like these...
It rains a lot here in South Florida, we're lucky that it's often short lived during spring and summer and at least it's WARM rain. :)
But with rain comes road film. If you have never read my article on road film or you're not sure what it is and where it comes from, then take a moment to read my article and look at the pictures and then it will all make sense.
Road Film - If you drive your car in the rain your car has road film
This is accumulated air-borne dirt, kitty paw prints and oily road film. These pictures were taken with my Canon and sometimes it can be hard to get pictures of dirt on car with the Canon.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_003.JPG
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_004.JPG
The below pictures were taken with my phone, that's why the color looks different. The entire car looks like the pictures above and below and I mostly like to document that the car I'm using in a review is the real-deal and in this case this car is really dirty.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_023.JPG
More kitty paw prints on the roof.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_024.JPG
See the road film on the upper corner of the windshield?
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_027.JPG
This same film is on the hood and the sides of the car....
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...rlessW_028.JPG
:laughing:
Re: Review: Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PaulMys
If I had a buck for every minute I have spent reading Mike's posts..........
If I had a buck for every post I made then according to my post count I would have,
$42,588.00
Add another dollar after I hit the [REPLY] button for this post. :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PaulMys
Can an Si02 be used over any LSP, Mike?
I don't know? I guess so. I don't think there's as much to "bonding" as the world makes it out to be. Plus most waxes and sealants are microns thin after application and after a few washes micro-abrasion takes place so if you were to use this product it would probably work fine over everything. Being that it's brand new and I was given a bottle yesterday around 2:00pm there's been no real-world time for any real-world experience except what you see in the pictures above.
I do like this product and think it would be a great choice for anyone that normally likes to use a waterless wash on a regularly maintained car. I don't regularly use a waterless wash on my own cars but use either a single bucket wash or a foam gun wash. I am going to switch over to this product for now...
Review: Wolfgang Uber SiO2 Coating Wash
I liked it when I used it on the BMW.
Most of the time when I use a waterless wash it's BEFORE I'm buffing out a cool car. Most cool cars I work on are also garage queens so I don't NEED nor WANT a waterless wash that has "something" in it for protection, water beading, gloss, shine etc. What I want is to get the paint, chrome and glass clean and lately I've been using BLACKFIRE Glass Cleaner but I'll use any glass cleaner that's close to my hand. Most glass cleaners are about 10% alcohol and the alcohol cuts through any road grime or other substances from spray detailers, etc. The water breaks down dirt and the end result is I get a clean car without leaving anything behind. If I'm going to compound or polish or even use a one-step AIO why the heck would I want to use a product that leaves something behind? I don't. I also use the BLACKFIRE Paint Prep to waterless wash a car for the same reasons shared in the last few sentences. But my washing and cleaning process fits my needs, most of you that are enthusiasts will like waterless washes that leave something behind on you well-cared for cars. Anyone that actually details cars professionally I expect understands what I'm talking about.
As to your question about whether or not it can be used over other LSPs? Here's the webcopy on the Autogeek.com store page. This wasn't available when I wrote this review or I would have stuck it in the first post.
From this page Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash - 16 ounce
Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash is an inventive new approach to a waterless wash. By combining the benefits of Silica (SiO2) with the lubricity and ease of use of a waterless wash, Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash will make your entire detailing process much easier than before! The SiO2 in Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash creates an extremely hydrophobic surface tension that will ensure water beads up and rolls off your paint. Whether you live an area with restricted water or if you just want to take a different approach to washing your car, Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash is an outstanding way to clean your car AND take advantage of SiO2 protection!
The process of diluting a concentrate for use can be a bit of a hassle. Especially when you are working with a product that requires ideal dilution ratios to work properly without streaking. So, unless you buy a specialized bottle or dilution system, it can be hard to get the ratio just right. Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash, on the other hand, comes in a ready-to-use bottle that will allow you to start cleaning your car off as soon as you get it instead of dealing with the hassle of getting the perfect dilution ratio first!
There are a lot of reasons to want to wash your car without the use of water. Maybe your HOA has restrictions on water usage. Maybe you live in California and there are drought regulation measures in place. Maybe you just don’t feel like dragging out the house and bucket every time you get some dust on your car! Whatever the reason, Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash is formulated with top-notch lubricants in it. These lubricants will surround the dirt and debris that is resting on your vehicle surface. Then, you will be able to safely wipe it away without scratching the surface. And all without have to turn on the hose!
A waterless wash is a great kind of product and certainly is useful to many detailers out there today, but the quality that sets Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash apart from all the others is the hydrophobicity. The SiO2 that is contained in Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash’s formula bonds very strongly with itself. This strong bond generates a large amount of surface tension and prevents pretty much anything from sticking to the surface. This means that instead of staying on your car’s surface, water will simply bead up and roll right off as soon as you start moving!
Directions for Use:
Work on a cool surface in the shade.
Starting from the top and working down, mist product on one panel at a time using an ample amount for heavily soiled vehicles.
With a clean, dry microfiber towel, spread product out using an overlapping motion.
Turn towel over to the dry side and gently wipe surface clean.
Continue to the next panel and repeat until entire vehicle is clean.
Switch to a new microfiber towel often.
I don't see anything in the above that says it can or cannot be used over any LSP.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
acuRAS82
Any plans for a concentrated version of this product, similar to CarPro EcH2O?
I’m not sure how much this costs, but I can’t fathom buying pre-mixed waterless wash with how often I use it.
I'm just shooting from the hip here but according to this ONE SENTENCE from the above store page information, to me it doesn't sound like it will be available as a concentrate as proper dilution is key to customer pleasing satisfaction and in this world in most cases, most products now days have to be Bubba-Proofed otherwise mistakes are made and that just leads to hassles. I'm confident the members of this forum could dilute it properly because anyone that takes the time to join a forum from my perspective also tends to be of a higher caliber of person than lets just say those that don't. But these products are made for and marketed for the masses, not just forum members.
As for prices, according to this page, Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash - 16 ounce - the prices is $24.95 for a 16 ounce bottle.
And according to this page, Wolfgang SiO2 Waterless Wash - 128 ounce, which is 1 gallon - the price is $69.99 for a one gallon jug.
Doing simple math, if you were to buy the gallon jug and pour it off into 16 ounce bottles each bottle would cost approximately $9.00 - I think, math is not my strong point. Someone else feel free to double check me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BSoares
That looks way better than a Challenger because it’s a Charger :)
Yeah - I always mix my Dodge models up when it comes to new cars. I'm pretty good with the real deal, like the late 1960s and early 1970s models.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BSoares
And I was thinking it was like a rule that everyone working at Autogeek would have to wash their cars daily and keep it spotless.
Ha ha.... I would say I easily wash more cars here at Autogeek than anyone else, at least "whole" cars. :laughing: Because it rains a lot here in South Florida, (sporadic and short lived during spring and summer), and with all the different variety of Palm Trees and just green vegetation everywhere, (looks like Gilligan's Island around here), with the oil droppings on the roads and the pollen and dirt in the air, cars get dirty fast and like most people - everyone's busy so I'd say most cars in the parking lot, including mine, are dirty most of the time.
Quick story...
I worked for Meguiar's twice. Once as a Trainer in the Northwest and a second time at the Corporate Office, first as the Corporate Writer and then as the guy that answers question on the MeguiarsOnline.com discussion forum and the Primary Instructor for all their detailing classes. In 2002 when I drove my 1966 Chevy Milk Truck from Albany, Oregon to Irvine, California, (about 1,200 miles one way with no air conditioning), as I drove down to Meguiar's I imagined everyone working their driving cool cars. To my surprise, 98% of the cars in the parking lot were normal daily drivers. Myself, one of the chemists, one of the customer care guys had what I would call a Car Guy's car. The chemist had a 1969 Mustang Mach I and the customer care guy had a restored 1966 Chevy Pickup. Everything else was just Point A to Point B type stuff. Nothing wrong with that but my perception of what Megs employees would drive compared to reality was completely wrong.
Here's what I drove from Oregon to California and then this was my daily driver in SoCal
http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/ga...2MilkTruck.jpg
Quote:
Originally Posted by
BSoares
It came out great after this waterless wash.
It looks as good in person as it does in those pictures. That's no "mock-up". As I wrote above, I was really impressed with the slickness of the product for both application and wipe-off. I have not seen the hydrophobic properties yet as I have not had time to see water fall on the paint from rain or rinsing for a regular wash.
Time will tell and of course, any of you that get this product, please feel encouraged to share you experience.
:)
