Is rinseless wash really safe?
- Thread starter iCurious
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They are fine for lightly soiled vehicles, but there is definitely a lot less tolerance for less-than-perfect wash techniques compared to a traditional wash. Feynlab v3 is a bit foamy, but offers the best lubricity and cleaning power that I have ever seen.
"Rinseless" is kind of a misnomer. It doesn't mean you NEVER rinse the car. It means you need to rinse LESS. As in only needing to rinse ONCE, instead of 3 - 4 times.
If you use the 'Foam, rinse, foam' method, it's perfectly safe even for really dirty cars. What you do is pre-soak the car with the rinseless solution and let it dwell for a minute or two. This allows the polymers and surfactants to dissolve and coat any grit on the paint. Then rinse the whole car with water (garden hose or pressure washer). This will remove 99% + of the GRIT, which is the biggest threat to your paint.
The only thing remaining on the paint will be non-abrasive, oily road film. Re-spray the car with rinseless and do a contact wash. After the contact wash, simply dry the car and you're done with the wash.
If you use the 'Foam, rinse, foam' method, it's perfectly safe even for really dirty cars. What you do is pre-soak the car with the rinseless solution and let it dwell for a minute or two. This allows the polymers and surfactants to dissolve and coat any grit on the paint. Then rinse the whole car with water (garden hose or pressure washer). This will remove 99% + of the GRIT, which is the biggest threat to your paint.
The only thing remaining on the paint will be non-abrasive, oily road film. Re-spray the car with rinseless and do a contact wash. After the contact wash, simply dry the car and you're done with the wash.
Rinseless means exactly what it sounds like. It's designed for environments where you don't have running water. While using it with running water may beneficial the name is certainly not a misnomer.
To the OP. Rinseless wash is like almost any other detailing system that touches your paint. The "safeness" is determined by your technique, the condition of the vehicle, the condition of your tools, and the quality of the product. Right product, right time will yield good results.
I find a lot of value in rinseless for garage touchups when it's too cold for a normal wash, or for doing a quick clean after rain. It's also a good replacement for quick detailer, inside and out. I use a microfiber, not their special sponge, and just rotate the MF to a new surface twice per panel, working top down.
I occasionally use it to pre-treat, before a foam canon clean with a pressure washer, but I think's mostly only extra work.
I use Optimum No Rinse.
I occasionally use it to pre-treat, before a foam canon clean with a pressure washer, but I think's mostly only extra work.
I use Optimum No Rinse.
Unfortunately, you're confusing "Rinseless" washing with "Waterless" washing. Two completely different methods.
Rinseless CAN be used without a hose for lightly dirty cars, as can waterless. But waterless can only be used on a lightly dirty car.
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Unfortunately you are confused. This is directly from from Optimum's website. Easily the largest rinseless wash manufacturer. I'll say it again, you can modify its usage but it's intended for use where water is not readily available.
I think RW is ok if the car is just a tad dirty. Technique is important. There is really nothing special about them. Some are polymer + surfactant biased depending on the brand. I've used them more as a QD or ID than actual RW.
Detail Project is a decent channel. He's known to delete comments though so keep that in mind. He also uses SDS to judge the overall formula which I don't think is correct. There is a chemical synergy in the final product. He likes to isolate chemicals and conclude they're not suited for a RW but I don't think it's that simple.
Detail Project is a decent channel. He's known to delete comments though so keep that in mind. He also uses SDS to judge the overall formula which I don't think is correct. There is a chemical synergy in the final product. He likes to isolate chemicals and conclude they're not suited for a RW but I don't think it's that simple.
Why are we arguing over terminology? I never said it wasn't designed for use when water wasn't available, but a waterless wash may be the better option if you have NO access to water - for a lightly dirty car. If water is available, then the 'pre-soak. rinse, soak, contact wash' is the safest way, since it flushes off all the grit and drastically reduces wash-induced marring.
I agree with the 'tad dirty' part - IF there is no water available. However on the DIY Detail YouTube channel, they have (safely) cleaned quite a few really nasty cars with their rinseless and one quick rinse.
Yes it works, yes it's safe.
I use Wolfgang Uber and a bunch of plush MF towels. Garden sprayer for pre-treat if the car is really dirty.
I use Wolfgang Uber and a bunch of plush MF towels. Garden sprayer for pre-treat if the car is really dirty.
We aren't arguing over terminology. I was correcting your statement that rinseless wash is inaccurately named, which it isn't. It's named quite literally which I appreciate.
If you spray the car down to pre-treat it you can watch the dirt and grime slide off.
I wouldn't use it for mud, but normal dirt is fine. It's certainly no more damaging than how "normal people" wash their cars.
Only if it is a light coating of dust. The pre-treat is really for wetting the surface.
I use Wolfgang Uber almost exclusively.
If the car isn't chunky muddy, it gets rinseless. I even used it after the last snow we got.
I've been using rinseless wash since ONR V1 era. But I think you guys are missing the point of the video he is trying to imply.
He is using new uncontaminated rinsewash and it is still marring on a fresh plexiglass mar-free. Plexiglass is used to illustrate (gauge) how much marring is induce on the paint's clearcoat just by using fresh rinsewash by itself.
He is using new uncontaminated rinsewash and it is still marring on a fresh plexiglass mar-free. Plexiglass is used to illustrate (gauge) how much marring is induce on the paint's clearcoat just by using fresh rinsewash by itself.
Direct from the Owner of DIY Detail himself:
I can appreciate your comment. I'm less than a year into using rinseless washes (DIY Detail - Rinseless wash, specifically) after 40+ years of only hearing rumors of RW myself, and Yvan Lacroix (Founder/Owner) of DIY Detail OFTEN states that the SAFEST way to 'rinseless wash' is to prespray w/rinseless, then rinse. respray and then contact wash.
Personally, if the car I'm washing is only lightly dirty, I too fill a bucket with rinseless dilution, prespray the car and go right into the contact wash. Then dry the car with a twisted loop microfiber drying towel.
This is the best and worst part of detailing in my opinion. It's the best because there are many variations on process and chemicals to get your desired result. Maybe one day you want to be extra careful because the car is dirtier or contaminated with sand or other abrasives. Then you can use slightly different methodology to accommodate.
It's also the worst because there are many people who think there is only 1 ultimate way to detail and don't care about the nuances or goals of each person. Some of people want perfection, others only want shine. Neither is wrong.
I also don't disagree that running water is going to be your safest bet to clean a vehicle in basically every instance. But apartment dwellers with no access need something. That's where a properly done rinseless wash comes in. Not perfect, but better than taking it through an automatic car wash.
