Dust Test: Optimum vs. Ultima

[CEE DOG]

Dust Test: Optimum vs. Ultima

Introduction:
Some people have mentioned in the past about their feelings that there is a difference in dust attraction between the Optimum Opti-Clean (Waterless wash) and the Ultima Waterless wash. I was asked to do a write-up on this, which would also involve the sealant from each line.

Application (Sealants):
Approximately 1 month ago I stripped this panel and marked off 2 sections of it for this test. I ran a tape line down the middle to create these 2 sections and I applied Optimum Opti-Seal and Ultima Paint Guard Plus. OOS was applied to the left and UPGP was applied to the right. I left the test panel in my Florida room (screen room with no glass), which is out of the line of rain but does encounter a good bit of dust. I watched over the next month as the dust built up on both sealants.

Current Observations:
I don’t see a difference between the dust buildup on these two sealants.

Application (Waterless Washes):
Today I used Optimum Opti-Clean (OOC) on a section of the Optimum side and Ultima Waterless Wash Plus (UWWP) on a section of the Ultima Side. I have no clue what the outcome will be with the waterless washes as it pertains to dust retention but I will update as soon as there is something to show.

Media:
Here are a few pictures that show the areas up close and personal. The close-ups were taken from just a couple inches away. To make the dust even more obvious I also inverted the images so here you will see a copy of the original with colors inverted. Note: these pictures were taken at the location between where I had just cleaned half of each section as described and the sections that were left untouched.

[qaz393]

any conclusion?? seems like ultima is the winner, but it could be a accidental drag that wiped off the dust...

[CEE DOG]

Something important I don't think I mentioned is that the panel has been vertical for the entirety of this test.

The conclusions to the first test were as I noted. There was no difference between dust retention of Ultima and optimum sealants.
The waterless wash conclusions of a difference between dust retention of any polymers etc is ongoing and will be updated with pics in a couple weeks.

[Old Tiger]

You are THE Mad Scientist of this forum hands down! I mean this in the best way!

[Mike Phillips]

Just to chime in...

First... nice test Corey, you always do such a stellar job for these kinds of things...


When I've done this type of testing in the past, the way I do it is first only use a horizontal surface. You want something you can look down on when testing products visually for performance but also for testing dust accumulation.

Next, uniformly strip the finish and then only apply the test product to specific taped off sections, usually square areas about 8" to 12"

Then when monitoring the results, inspect the test sections and the non-test sections that were equally stripped.

Every time I've done this test what I've witnessed is the sections that were treated with some type of paint protection product accumulated more dust than the stripped, bare paint with nothing on it.

Clear coats have a negative charge to start with, my theory is that the act of wiping or rubbing the paint protection off the paint acts to increase the negative charge and thus increase dust attraction. The coating itself can also be a factor.

Think there's something about all this here,

Static Electricity and Dust Attraction to your Car's Paint



Rubbing the balloon against your hair removes electrons from the atoms of your hair, where they migrate to the atoms of the balloon. This leaves the balloon negative and your hair positive, which leads to the attraction of the hair to the balloon.



Nice test Corey, you always do such a stellar job for these kinds of things...