Review & How-To: Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax

Marc08EX

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Product Review and How-To: Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax, no rinse car wash, rinse free car wash, optimum no rinse

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Description: (Taken from AG's website)

Wash and wax your vehicle – with one product!

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax is yet another revolutionary product from Optimum Polymer Technologies. Dr. David Ghodoussi - the brains behind Optimum car care products - managed to fuse his award-winning No Rinse Wash & Shine with the patented UV inhibitors found in Optimum Car Wax to create an all-new product – Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax. The latest innovation from Optimum Polymer Technologies promises to deliver the convenience of a rinseless car wash with the cutting-edge protection of advanced UV inhibitors and high-grade carnauba wax.

When Optimum Polymer Technologies introduced No Rinse Wash & Shine, it changed the way people washed their cars. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine made it possible to wash your car without a free-flowing source of water. Instead of dragging out the hose and using an excessive amount of water, Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine enabled you to safely wash your car using only a couple gallons of water. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine quickly gained recognition as one of the most ground-breaking car care products introduced in the 21st century and the latest offering from Optimum, No Rinse Wash & Wax, continues this trend.

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax combines the attributes that made No Rinse Wash & Shine such a widely accepted product among car care enthusiasts and professional detailers and supercharges it by adding real carnauba wax and advanced UV inhibitors. After you wash your vehicle with Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax, you’ll immediately notice the crisp, clear reflections that the real carnauba wax imparts on the paint. What’s more, your vehicle will stay cleaner as the carnauba wax will create an immense amount of surface tension, causing water to bead up and roll off.

There is one thing you should know about your vehicle’s paint: the UV inhibitors in your clear coat have a half life of about five years. That means if you don’t keep your vehicle clean and protected on a regular basis, your clear coat will slowly begin to wear away, leaving the color coat exposed to the elements. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax is a dual-purpose product; you wash your car the environmentally-friendly way while imparting a glossy, protective layer of carnauba wax and advanced UV inhibitors. Vehicles regularly cleaned with Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax will be protected from anything nature can throw at them.

What’s the big deal about rinseless car washes? As more countries enforce stringent water restrictions, it’s becoming more difficult to properly wash your vehicle. In some countries, it’s even illegal to wash your vehicle the traditional way. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax eliminates the hose and run-off that occurs from rinsing a soapy car. Plus, if you live in an area with cold temperatures or where snow fall occurs, Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax enables you to wash your vehicle inside your garage. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax is also perfect if you live in an apartment complex and don’t have access to a hose.

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax is water-soluble, biodegradable, and meets all water usage laws established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Price:

$7.99 for 8oz
$19.99 for 32oz
$49.99 for 128oz

Introduction:

I have always been scared of using rinseless wash ever since it first came out. I didn't think it was as safe as using your traditional car soap and free flowing water. I just never believed that it has the same amount of lubricity. However, current living conditions forced me to try and use this product. Now, it's part of my washing routine.

How-To Do A Rinseless Car Wash:

I'm not going to type the product's directions but instead show you:

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It says to use 2 gallons of water but I think Optimum just simplified the ratio of product to water. I never found 2 gallons to be enough especially when using a grit guard. I'm going to be showcasing this product on a small econobox vehicle so I chose to fill my water bucket with 3 gallons of water.

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I think I got this tip from Mike Phillips. Mark your bucket with gallon marks (i.e. 2, 3 and 4 in my picture) to make filling your bucket easy.

So how much ONRWW do I need for 3 gallons of water you ask? A quick calculation says that we need 1.5oz of product. Use any type of measuring device. I'm using the Attach-It Measuring Cups here (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/60597-review-attach-3oz-measuring-cups.html) and filled it to the 1.5oz mark:

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Pour the solution to your bucket of water:

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Here you can see the product suspended in the water. It's cool because it kind of looks like the clouds.

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Now it's time to drop your Grit Guard in the bucket.

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You already know that the purpose of the grit guard is to keep dirt at the bottom of the bucket and not let it swirl up your solution. For this case, it has a second purpose. I use it to mix my solution. This method of mixing not only works for rinseless but also for your traditional wash solution!

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Now put your wash media in the bucket and let it soak for a little while before using it.

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Now that you finished preparing your rinseless solution. It's time to wash the car!!!

As Mike Phillips said before, the power of the after pictures is in the before pictures. I really wanted to demonstrate the power and effectiveness of this rinseless wash so I had to use a dirty vehicle. Both my car and my wife's car are extremely clean so I didn't want to use that. So I asked a co-worker if he's willing to donate his car for my review. In exchange, his car will be washed. :) Thankfully I found a volunteer.

This car is a 2007 Chevy Aveo. It's dirty as you'll see in the pictures. We recently had rain here so it has dust, dirt, water spots and grime throughout the paint.

The beauty of rinseless washing is that you can do it under the sun. It's still preferred to work in the shade but if conditions don't permit you, it's still ok because you'll work at one panel at a time.

Let's start off with the hood. Here's the before picture showing how dirty it is:

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Start washing the panel. I only washed half of this hood for demonstration purposes only. I would have washed the entire hood in 1 go. Make sure to use light pressure when doing your initial pass. You don't want to apply pressure while dragging the dirt around. Once you've completed your first pass, flip your wash media and clean the area again to make sure all the dirt has been cleaned off.

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Now use your favorite drying towel whether it be a waffle weave microfiber drying towel or a standard microfiber towel. Either one will work just fine.

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As you can see, the surface is now clean and shiny.

An important idea to keep in mind when doing rinseless washing is to keep your wash media as clean as possible. It means to agitate your wash mitt against the grit guard after each panel. A second bucket with just plain water will work here like your 2 bucket wash but I find that this consumes so much solution when using the wash media that I'm using. If you're only using microfiber towels then the 2 bucket method is fine.

Here's the wash media after washing half of the hood:

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Pretty dirty huh? I'm sure you wouldn't try to rub that against the paint of your vehicle. What you do next is to try and rinse out the dirt as much as possible by agitating it against your grit guard.

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Here's the wash media after agitation.

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Here's the entire hood washed:

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Now repeat that process throughout the entire vehicle working one panel at a time.

Rear quarter panel before:
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Rear quarter panel being washed:
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Rear quarter panel after:
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Here's a picture of the rear quarter panel after washing it and me comparing it to the dirty rear bumper. Big difference huh?

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Trunk before:
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Trunk being washed:
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Trunk after:
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Rear door before:
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Rear door being washed:
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Rear door after:
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Here's a picture of the rear door after washing it and me comparing it to the dirty front door.

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Another comparison shot showing the difference between the clean front fender and the dirty front door:

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After washing the entire vehicle, here is how much solution I had remaining:

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Here is my wash media after the entire wash:

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Yes it looks dirty but it's not as bad as the blur ONR. For this reason, I'll be using ONRWW now.

Here are some after shows and gloss/reflection pictures:

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Opinions and Observations:

I found ONR to be very safe and effective in cleaning. It removed the dirt with ease and the solution made it feel slick. I'm sure this makes it safe with their emulsification process. The owner also said that he didn't see any additional swirling or scratches from the wash.

One thing I didn't like about the original blue ONR was that it stained the wash media. What I mean is that it stays dirty even when you try to clean it by agitating it against the grit guard. Optimum said that the dirt particles are released when you agitate your wash media but the color of the wash media remains that way. It doesn't mean that it's dirty, just stained. I didn't like that at all because I perceived the wash media as having dirt and grits and I was so afraid to use it and scratch my car. That's one reason I never really liked ONR. But I'm happy to say that ONRWW doesn't stain the wash media as quick. After washing the entire vehicle, it did stain the wash media mildly. That improvement alone is enough for me to use ONRWW from now on. I'm happy about that enhancement.

Since this wasn't my vehicle, I really don't know what it normally looks like. So I asked the owner what did he think of the gloss and slickness after washing his vehicle. He definitely thought that it felt more slick than normal. Also, he said that the gloss improved a little. I'm guessing this is the result of the wax additive of the product and I'm happy to report that it seems to work.

Like with any other detailing product, this has an awesome smell! It smells fruity. I think it resembles the smell of melon but I'm not exactly sure. Just make sure you don't drink it yourself. :)

Conclusion:

Rinseless wash technology has changed the world of car washing. This enables people with water restrictions and no hose access to safely and effectively clean their car. Optimum has done it again with their No Rinse Wash & Wax. It cleans your car, produces a very nice shine and at the same time protecting it from the elements.

Whether you have used other rinseless products or haven't tried doing rinseless washing at all, it is time for you to try it with Optimum No Rinse Wash and Wax. It is a great product and definitely worth the money. It can clean you car without scratching provided that you use the proper technique and common sense. If you're afraid to try it, don't be. Just take the plunge like I did. You won't regret it.
 
Very impressive write-up and review. It's in my cart :)

Thank you so much for the compliments, Mark! I appreciate that. I'm also glad this review help you put the ONRWW in your cart. Let us know how you like it! :xyxthumbs:
 
Another home run for Dr. G and Optimum. Nice demo. I will say however that I'm no longer a die hard fan of Grit Guards. As you can see from the pictures, the wash media is filthy even after wiping it against the grit guard. Is it better than nothing..?..yes, obviously.

However I think its naive to think that wiping filthy, dirt and grime-laden wash media across a piece of plastic is going to remove a sufficient amount of dirt. It may remove some of the larger particles, but the smaller dirt particles are still there.

The Gary Dean method in my opinion is one of the easiest methods to completely prevent introducing dirty wash media back onto the paint during a wash. I use that method not only for rinse-less washing, but also conventional.
 
Great wright up:) Are you using one bucket or two? I always use two buckets so I have less chance of marring the paint.
Todd
 
Another outstanding review and writeup Marc!!

I'm glad you pointed out how dirt tends to cling to the wash-mitt and the importance of really rinsing it thoroughly. The first time I tried a rinseless wash I noticed the same thing which really elevated the importance of the 2sn rinse bucket... :dblthumb2:

Nice review along with the photos and documentation...:props:
 
I really enjoyed this review! This was my first ONR product & also my favorite. I bought the blue one, and was more impressed with how the green one performed. Could be just me. I too was skeptical about rinseless washes, but like anything new you have to get out of your confort zone and try new things.

I use the two bucket method as well, except I only use a grit guard on the rinse bucket & inspect my wash media (in my case a 600gsm MF towel) before dipping into my ONRWW solution. Inspected my panels with an LED after drying, no marring/swirling.
 
Great wright up:) Are you using one bucket or two? I always use two buckets so I have less chance of marring the paint.
Todd

Thank you so much, Pureshine!

It depends on the wash media I'm using. If I'm using the bone type like what I'm showing here in the review then I only use 1 bucket because it goes through the solution very quick. If I'm using a microfiber towel then I'll use 2 buckets. It's just hard for me to carry 2 buckets living in an apartment. 2 buckets with water will get very heavy.

Great writup :). Im glad you did it on this product because it's one I have had my eye on for awhile.

Thanks once again, Caleb! You should try this product! I like it a lot better than the blue ONR.

I enjoyed reading, thanks. :xyxthumbs:

Thank you, g26er!

great write up marc !

Thanks man!

Another outstanding review and writeup Marc!!

I'm glad you pointed out how dirt tends to cling to the wash-mitt and the importance of really rinsing it thoroughly. The first time I tried a rinseless wash I noticed the same thing which really elevated the importance of the 2sn rinse bucket... :dblthumb2:

Nice review along with the photos and documentation...:props:

WOW!!! I know you're probably sick of hearing this but thanks so much for the compliments, Bobby!!!

I really enjoyed this review! This was my first ONR product & also my favorite. I bought the blue one, and was more impressed with how the green one performed. Could be just me. I too was skeptical about rinseless washes, but like anything new you have to get out of your confort zone and try new things.

I use the two bucket method as well, except I only use a grit guard on the rinse bucket & inspect my wash media (in my case a 600gsm MF towel) before dipping into my ONRWW solution. Inspected my panels with an LED after drying, no marring/swirling.

Thanks a lot for the kind words, Aaron! I totally agree with your statement about getting out of your comfort zone and try new things. The technology behind detailing products has advanced and we should definitely be open minded about it.

awesome as always marc

Thank you so much, Psynx!

Great review.Thanks for sharing.

Thanks you, Johny!

Excellent review.

Thanks, Paul! I appreciate it.
 
I use ONRWW with two bucket method and several 600 jr towels. I rinse a towel and then put it back in wash bucket to soak, and grab a new one from wash bucket. I believe this allows ONRWW to saturate wash media better. Great product and review.
 
Between you and Son1c, how long until every product has a review? :D

Great job once again!
 
I use ONRWW with two bucket method and several 600 jr towels. I rinse a towel and then put it back in wash bucket to soak, and grab a new one from wash bucket. I believe this allows ONRWW to saturate wash media better. Great product and review.

Thanks for the kind words, wanabe!

Between you and Son1c, how long until every product has a review? :D

Great job once again!

Thanks a lot, Roshan! I wouldn't say that LOL! He's still a good reviewer. :)
 
Can anyone tell me if Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax is suitable as a quick detailer? I use the regular ONR as a quick detailer (8 oz in one gallon of water), and am willing to switch over to this new product if I can do the same.

thanks,

george
 
Can anyone tell me if Optimum No Rinse Wash & Wax is suitable as a quick detailer? I use the regular ONR as a quick detailer (8 oz in one gallon of water), and am willing to switch over to this new product if I can do the same.

thanks,

george

bumping this to answer your question...

yes, it can. the dilution ratios for a clay lube and quick detailer are the same as No Rinse.

i used this stuff again today and love it. LOVE it.
 
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