Detailing 101 - Technique tips for using a rinseless wash to wash your car

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Detailing 101 - Technique tips for using a rinseless wash to wash your car

The secret to safely washing your car using a leeriness wash instead of the traditional method of using a bucket and a garden hose with running water comes down to two simple techniques.

1. Use lots of microfiber towels.

2. Get two wipes out of a single side of a microfiber towel folded four ways


Sometimes the best option and sometimes the only option for getting your car clean is to use a rinseless wash. Maybe you live where there are water restrictions, areas of drought or it's the middle of winter and the water will be frozen at the spigot or in the garden hose. Perhaps you're traveling and don't have access to a water hose. Or you own a car that's garage kept and only lightly dirty. If you're a mobile detailer, a rinseless wash helps you to avoid carrying water onboard your detailing van or trailer plus you don't have to worry about reclaiming your run-off water. These are all great reasons to use a rinseless wash.


How does a rinseless wash work?

A rinseless wash is a concentrate of ingredients that help to both clean and lubricate at the same time. The cleaning agents help to remove road grime and dirt. The lubricants help to prevent marring. Some rinseless washes also impart gloss and a slick feel to the paint.

How does a rinseless wash work without scratching the paint?

This is where the 2 secrets come into play. First, you want a lot of towels. Second, it's how you use your towels that prevents scratching. In the pictures below I'll show you how to prevent rubbing dirt on the car into the paint when using a rinseless wash.



First you want a high quality rinseless wash like the Wolfgang Uber Rinseless Wash. Wolfgang Uber Rinseless Wash is a concentrate. You add one ounce of concentrate to 3 gallons of water. The container itself has a built in measuring cup to make sure you get just the right amount of product each time you wash your car.

Remove the cap on the measuring cup side and then simply squeeze the bottle to fill the chamber with one ounce of product.

Then pour the rinseless wash into a bucket filled with 3 gallons of clean water.

Mix the concentrate thoroughly. I keep a stir stick with me wherever I go that works perfect for this...

Technique - Use lots of microfiber towels

Next, dunk about a dozen clean, plush microfiber towels into the rinseless wash solution. This is key to preventing swirls and scratches to the paint when using a rinseless wash. With lots of towels you can switch to a clean towel OFTEN. The idea being that after you use one side of a folded microfiber towel to make one wipe or pass over a panel, you never use that side of the towel again. If you were to use the side of a towel that was just used to remove loose dirt, the next wipe would be rubbing he removed dirt over the paint and this could cause swirls and scratches. So the real secret to safely washing a car without a water hose and bucket is using a lot of towels. I recommend purchasing at least a dozen plush microfiber towels like the Supreme 530 microfiber towels and then DEDICATING these towels specifically as your rinseless wash towels.

Dunk the towels into the rinseless wash so they are saturated with the rinseless wash solution and ready to go as you need them.

Technique - Get two passes out of each side of a folded microfiber towel

Lift a microfiber towel out of the rinseless wash bucket. Wring out most of the excess water but leave enough water in the towel so you have plenty of cleaning agents and lubricants for good cleaning and lubrication. Fold the towel 4 ways to create a thick pile of microfiber.

Start at one end of a panel, in the picture below I'm starting at the front of the windshield and wiping towards the front of the car.

Now here's the technique. Wipe with the leading edge of the folded towel in contact with the paint.

The second wipe technique

For the second wipe using the same side of the folded towel you just used lift the leading edge of the towel so only the middle of the towel is coming into contact with the paint.

Flip, fold and fresh

After making two wipes or two passes over a panel with one side of a folded microfiber towel, stop using this side. Flip the towel over to the unused side or fold the towel to a clean side. After using all the sides of one towel, place that towel into a secondary bucket for used towels and then start again with a fresh towel.

Immediately after washing the car place your still wet microfiber towels into the washing machine by themselves, that is don't wash your rinseless microfiber towels with other laundry items like jeans and t-shirts. Use a dedicated microfiber laundry detergent to clean your towels while preserving their plushness and and performance.


Now your car is clean and ready to go!

On Autogeek.com


Wolfgang Uber Rinseless Wash

Supreme 530 Microfiber Towel 12 Pack

 

[cleanfreak3]

How about the drying part?

 

[BM1024]

3 gallons for one car?

Using the same method (except not wringing them out before wiping), I'm still able to do my entire car with less than a gallon. True I'm only using 420 GSM towels...

Is the 3 gallon recommendation just because it 1 oz wash to 3 gallons water? Also, do you suggest using distilled water to help prevent water spots?

 

[Klasse Act]

I only add this because its what I've been doing on my own car and I'm very careful and that is this, when folding the MF towel into 4's, I roll the towel after each pass. I do this because I wanna get as much out of each square and doing it this way usually nets me about 4 passes per square, I always look at the square and have 4 dark lines of dirt to prove it. That said, sometimes, on a very dirty car, I can only get 2 like Mike said but it varies on the car. My own car has a great base of product laid down on it that even when dirty, the majority of the dirt doesn't stick too much.

 

[kevincwelch]

Mike,

This is exactly how I do it, and it's a great reminder for myself to see it here in print written by you that this is a safe and effective way to do a rinseless wash!

 

[ViperGuy21]

Uber and 530's is how I do it and love the combo! Works so well!

 

[TTQ B4U]

3 gallons for one car?

Using the same method (except not wringing them out before wiping), I'm still able to do my entire car with less than a gallon. True I'm only using 420 GSM towels...

Is the 3 gallon recommendation just because it 1 oz wash to 3 gallons water? Also, do you suggest using distilled water to help prevent water spots?

I use 1.5-2 gals per wash for the van or car below in my sig.

1 Gal in the sprayer for soaking and about 1/2 to 1 gal. in a small bucket. Depending on how bad he vehicle is dirt wise, I may use 3-8 480GSM Eagle Edgeless towels folded for up to 16 surface wipes per towel. I wipe and roll as rolling the leading edge helps to prevent rubbing dirt/grime against the paint and every wipe gets a clean surface/fold.

I feel it's important to soak the car with a sprayer ahead of the wash to not only help loosen up the dirt so that it releases with less pressure but also so that there's plenty of solution beading up on the surface to flush away the dirt as the towel moves across the surface.

Works great.

 

[BM1024]

I use 1.5-2 gals per wash for the van or car below in my sig.

1 Gal in the sprayer for soaking and about 1/2 to 1 gal. in a small bucket. Depending on how bad he vehicle is dirt wise, I may use 3-8 480GSM Eagle Edgeless towels folded for up to 16 surface wipes per towel. I wipe and roll as rolling the leading edge helps to prevent rubbing dirt/grime against the paint and every wipe gets a clean surface/fold.

I feel it's important to soak the car with a sprayer ahead of the wash to not only help loosen up the dirt so that it releases with less pressure but also so that there's plenty of solution beading up on the surface to flush away the dirt as the towel moves across the surface.

Works great.

Very similar to my way (including the sprayer), except I use 10-12 Creature 420 GSM -roll the edge but only use the plush sides.

That's why I was surprised to see 3 gallons mentioned....asking myself "Mike says it is this way! Am I doing it wrong?"

 

[cleanfreak3]

I use 1.5-2 gals per wash for the van or car below in my sig.

1 Gal in the sprayer for soaking and about 1/2 to 1 gal. in a small bucket. Depending on how bad he vehicle is dirt wise, I may use 3-8 480GSM Eagle Edgeless towels folded for up to 16 surface wipes per towel. I wipe and roll as rolling the leading edge helps to prevent rubbing dirt/grime against the paint and every wipe gets a clean surface/fold.

I feel it's important to soak the car with a sprayer ahead of the wash to not only help loosen up the dirt so that it releases with less pressure but also so that there's plenty of solution beading up on the surface to flush away the dirt as the towel moves across the surface.

Works great.

What brand of an electric sprayer do you have, and how many gallon?

 

[TTQ B4U]

What brand of an electric sprayer do you have, and how many gallon?

It's rechargable. One charge will go 45 minutes or so too. Works great. Fan spray gun and hose were bought seperately. I like them better than the stock one that's more or less a garden sprayer. Has a little less pressure than a garden hose but it's enough to knock off dirt, especially in winter and really makes wheels easy in the winter time. Makes soaking a car a snap overall. Coiled hose means I just put in on the side of the car and I can then reach from front to back easily. Stores nicely too. Holds 3 gas.

 

[cleanfreak3]

It's rechargable. One charge will go 45 minutes or so too. Works great. Fan spray gun and hose were bought seperately. I like them better than the stock one that's more or less a garden sprayer. Has a little less pressure than a garden hose but it's enough to knock off dirt, especially in winter and really makes wheels easy in the winter time. Makes soaking a car a snap overall. Coiled hose means I just put in on the side of the car and I can then reach from front to back easily. Stores nicely too. Holds 3 gas.

What is the brand? I see that there are a few of them. How do you clean your wheel wells in winter?

 

[cleanfreak3]

Never mind about the brand

 

[TTQ B4U]

What is the brand? I see that there are a few of them. How do you clean your wheel wells in winter?

Wheels in the winter.....all depends on my mood and if I want to spend an extra 15 minutes or so with them.

If the car is caked with dirt and snow I will go to a touchless wash that's very close to my home. Before I pull in I hop out and spray my wheels with some wheel cleaner. I'm silly and will mix in some 70% alcohol with it to help extend the time before it freezes. Seems to really help the wash get them clean. Clean enough so that I when I'm at home doing a rinseless I may either skip them completely.

For the record I've had zero issues using rinseless wash with the above unit. When done I blow through some clean water through it. If you're garage isn't heated bring the base unit (gray area) inside so it doesn't freeze.

 

[kevincwelch]

I use to use a compressor and paint spray gun to apply my Presoak before a rinseless or waterless wash. Worked really well, but a pain to setup. I bet a smaller electric one would be easier.

But, now I just use this:

1.5 liters is more than enough and when mixing up D114 or ONR for presoaking, there's plenty to go around!

Sent via my mobile device...

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

How about the drying part?

Real simple, give each panel a soft wipe with a dry microfiber towel.

3 gallons for one car?

Using the same method (except not wringing them out before wiping), I'm still able to do my entire car with less than a gallon. True I'm only using 420 GSM towels...

Is the 3 gallon recommendation just because it 1 oz wash to 3 gallons water?

Yes. Water is not scarce here in South Florida, it rains a lot. PLUS if you're going to dunk a dozen towels into a bucket then you need a tick more than a gallon of water.

I can see taking the minimalist approach and using only one gallon but with a little extra water there's also enough rinseless solution to use a wheel brush and some tire microfiber towels to wash the wheels and tires after knocking out the body panels.


Good question, thank you for asking it. :cheers:

Also, do you suggest using distilled water to help prevent water spots?

I don't use distilled water and have never recommended it. I don't have any issues with anyone that does however. To me this is majoring on the minors and I like to major on the majors. If you dry the car with a few clean dry microfiber towels then there shouldn't be any contaminants left on the paint from using city water or well water.

Personal preference but nah... I never get that deep for something this simple.

 

[cleanfreak3]

Wheels in the winter.....all depends on my mood and if I want to spend an extra 15 minutes or so with them.

If the car is caked with dirt and snow I will go to a touchless wash that's very close to my home. Before I pull in I hop out and spray my wheels with some wheel cleaner. I'm silly and will mix in some 70% alcohol with it to help extend the time before it freezes. Seems to really help the wash get them clean. Clean enough so that I when I'm at home doing a rinseless I may either skip them completely.

For the record I've had zero issues using rinseless wash with the above unit. When done I blow through some clean water through it. If you're garage isn't heated bring the base unit (gray area) inside so it doesn't freeze.

So I shouldn't leave the rinseless solution in the sprayer from week to week?

 

[TTQ B4U]

So I shouldn't leave the rinseless solution in the sprayer from week to week?

I don't but I'm funny like that. I mix up the solution in 2.5gal batches as I used distilled water that I buy in that size from the local stores. If there's any left over I pour it back and save it in those containers. Not sure if leaving it in the machine over time would gum anything up.

 

[TTQ B4U]

I use to use a compressor and paint spray gun to apply my Presoak before a rinseless or waterless wash. Worked really well, but a pain to setup. I bet a smaller electric one would be easier.

But, now I just use this:

1.5 liters is more than enough and when mixing up D114 or ONR for presoaking, there's plenty to go around!

^^ I started with one like that in a 64oz size but now use either the power sprayer or a simple $20 1 Gal. garden sprayer. The 64oz one is now my week killer sprayer

 

[Crispy]

I must be using the wrong technique totally.

Not sure how I got so far off this method. I must have read it somewhere and just tweaked it to my taste.

I use the Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine so maybe it is different method.

Anyway I have been doing this through last 2 winters and it works for me.

Method:
Mix cap full of ONRW&S in 4 gallons of water in a bucket
Fill second bucket with clean water (grit guards in both).
Dip "Blue sponge" in solution and apply like a wash mitt to a couple of sections (half a roof, half a hood, full door etc.).
Rinse sponge in clean water bucket and put in solution bucket.
Using waffle weave towel folded to yeild 8 surfaces, dry the panels by wiping each section.
Expose fresh surface after each section.
Repeat to rest of car.
Takes 20 minutes or less not doing wheels.
Typically use 2-3 drying towels.
Not sure it's the best way but I have had 2 years trouble free so far.
In the winter (I live in Canada) I sometimes use two applications per panel and double the drying towels because of the salt.
Wash solution last couple months and clean water switched out after each wash.

 

[cleanfreak3]

It's rechargable. One charge will go 45 minutes or so too. Works great. Fan spray gun and hose were bought seperately. I like them better than the stock one that's more or less a garden sprayer. Has a little less pressure than a garden hose but it's enough to knock off dirt, especially in winter and really makes wheels easy in the winter time. Makes soaking a car a snap overall. Coiled hose means I just put in on the side of the car and I can then reach from front to back easily. Stores nicely too. Holds 3 gas.

Used this for the first time today and WOW, it works awesome. I also used the eagle edgeless towels but man it was tough to remember what sides I had already used haha. What's your reasoning for using distilled water? If I have a batch of rinseless left over (using regular water) how long will it be good for?