JHZR2
Staff member
Not sure I’m a big fan of anything acidic, even very mildly so, on an all metal vehicle. I get it if you’re treating rust. But point taken, and thanks for the recommendations!
Bilt Hamber Touchless
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I really like using Carpro Descale now and then for an acidic wash. Cleans really well and rinses clean. I heard great things about Labocosmetica Purifica.
I've seen enough testing of BH AF and Touchless to know it works very well, with the majority of the time outperforming other pre-washes. There are other good ones though too.
The key is to get the panels about 80-90% clean for when you move to the contact wash. I think many think "Touch-Less" means you don't have to touch the paint again with a contact wash when in reality it means you're touching the surface "less" as it removes a good majority of the contaminants before moving to a contact wash. Auto Foam works better on some dirty types for whatever chemical reason.
I've seen enough testing of BH AF and Touchless to know it works very well, with the majority of the time outperforming other pre-washes. There are other good ones though too.
The key is to get the panels about 80-90% clean for when you move to the contact wash. I think many think "Touch-Less" means you don't have to touch the paint again with a contact wash when in reality it means you're touching the surface "less" as it removes a good majority of the contaminants before moving to a contact wash. Auto Foam works better on some dirty types for whatever chemical reason.
Those acidic soaps are very safe, actually less corrosive than the strong alkaline soaps and APCs. The acids are the only thing that will bring a flat sealant or coating back when they get mineral buildup.
I haven't used Bilt Hamber Touch-Less but I do have some Auto-Foam. Pricey stuff here in the USA and because of that, I prefer to use 3D Super Pre-Soak followed by a neutral-pH detergent such as Optimum Car Wash. Both items applied with a spray gun attached to the end of my pressure washer.
I don't use this method more than two, maybe three times per year. Mainly for post-winter gunk removal/spring prep, and fall prep.
The no-contact washes certainly do have their place IMO.
I don't use this method more than two, maybe three times per year. Mainly for post-winter gunk removal/spring prep, and fall prep.
The no-contact washes certainly do have their place IMO.
I've heard decent things about 3D Super Pre-Soak (3D was recently bought out btw and things are changing there).
Obsessed Garage will now be the US distributor for BH and BH will be eventually opening a webstore for US customers.
With the truck being a fairly large vehicle and seeing off-road use, I'm working pre-washings into my routine much more often. The more dirt I can remove initially, the less work and scratches with the contact wash.
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
WoW. Just looked into Bilt Hamber as I knew nothing about them. They have a quite large number of products. I thought the American company Griot's Garage had a lot to offer. They not only have a lot. They also require a lot if you want any of their products! Bilt Hamber products appear to be priced very similar. I do get it that Bilt Hamber looks to be a more eco-conscience company that offers a very high tech product line.
I keep seeing people calling it pricey, but you use less of this than many other brands. SO apples to apples would be to see hgow muc you use per wash.
Here's another test on Touchless and some others. It's more applicable to people in the US that live in snow zones where mag chloride is used. Pan the Organizer is a channel out of Canada. He tests this on a heavily grimed car that has mag chloride on it. My issue is this stuff is out of stock almost everywhere right now. Even on the Bilt Hamber website.
Here's another test on Touchless and some others. It's more applicable to people in the US that live in snow zones where mag chloride is used. Pan the Organizer is a channel out of Canada. He tests this on a heavily grimed car that has mag chloride on it. My issue is this stuff is out of stock almost everywhere right now. Even on the Bilt Hamber website.
SammyChevelleTypeS3
$50 site donor 2023
Totally makes sense to me. I have said similar of Griot's Garage products. "We all get what we pay for." A cliched but TRUE statement. Most would agree (LoL... ?!maybe not!? with the amount of mud slinging that goes on between BITOG folks about boutique vs walmart oils!
) that the detailing products one can buy for near discount prices at walmart will not last the same or be the same quality of detailing products one can buy from professional detailing suppliers. Not to say walmart does not sell certain quality products.No nonsense products that work well. I've only used Touche-Less. Auto-Foam works better on some dirt types. Surfex HD is one of the best APC's on the market. Autowash has corrosion inhibitors built in. They lack a good spray sealant but apparently are working on one. Their Double Speed Wax is a nice wax.
Any higher pH APC will also work as a pre-wash. The Touch-Less works as well or better without the harsher chemicals. UK guys swear by it and in their climate, it likely sees a lot of use. So, I take their opinions of it seriously.
They will be opening a US store to purchase from this year. Obsessed Garage is now carrying their products.
I've become a big fan of pre-washes. I always use Touch-Less in a Marolex Sprayer prior to washing. The more you can remove at the pre-wash stage, the easier the contact wash will be. Less scratching too. With large vehicles I think it's a great product to have.
Any higher pH APC will also work as a pre-wash. The Touch-Less works as well or better without the harsher chemicals. UK guys swear by it and in their climate, it likely sees a lot of use. So, I take their opinions of it seriously.
They will be opening a US store to purchase from this year. Obsessed Garage is now carrying their products.
I've become a big fan of pre-washes. I always use Touch-Less in a Marolex Sprayer prior to washing. The more you can remove at the pre-wash stage, the easier the contact wash will be. Less scratching too. With large vehicles I think it's a great product to have.
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My gripe about the new version is it's not available until the summer and you have to preorder it. But, all good things come with time, so I'll just have to use, as my wife calls it, "the p word".The just released a new version that has 2x the cleaning power. I have the older version.
you can get really good results with an APC pre-wash too. I feel it's a bit safer long term to use Touch-Less which is sugar-based and has anticorrosion inhibitors. It's pricey thought in the US. Many say Auto-Foam works better on certain dirt types, but both clean very well.
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