Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
SONAX Glass Cleaner as a Prep Wash
Anyone that has followed any of my detailing projects over the last year or so have probably seen me doing something completely different?
What you say?
Using a glass cleaner for both a rinseless wash and a waterless wash.
Why?
Because when I'm PREPPING a car to be buffed, i.e. when I'm going to wash a car to be buffed, i don't want to use products that do more than clean. For example, most spray detailers, waterless washes and rinseless washed all advertise they CLEAN and LEAVE the paint shiny and/or protected.
It's the ingredients in the products that make the paint shiny or protected that I simply don't want or need when getting a car ready to MACHINE BUFF. It doesn't even make sense. AND if the car is a modern car with PLASTIC trim, using any of these beautifying products leaves enough shine ingredients on the car that in most case - painter's tape won't stick to the plastic trim.
So a couple of years ago, I was thinking about how well the SONAX glass cleaner works to clean dirty glass without leaving any streaks.
Streaks would me some type of residue
So in my brain, I'm thinking, if the product cleans well and leaves a streak-free glass, it only makes sense it will clean paint really well and leave nothing behind on the paint.
So for at least a couple of years now I've been using SONAX Glass Cleaner as my prep wash like you would use a waterless wash. That is spray the car down with the glass cleaner and then wipe. And for really dirty cars, I use it for a Rinseless Wash.
So today I needed to clean a project car for tool, pad and product testing, so while I could have simply cleaned the car I figured, might as well take a few pictures and share this in an actual article because maybe it will help someone else always dealing with the same problems with spray detailers, waterless washes and rinseless washes.
How to use SONAX Glass Cleaner as a Rinseless Wash
So the difference between a waterless wash and a rinseless wash is with a waterless wash you're spraying product directly onto the car, spreading it around and then wiping off the residue. A rinseless wash is where you mix up 3-4 gallons of washing solution and dunk your towels into the solution. Then remove one towels, squish out most of the excess cleaning solution and wipe down a panel. Next dry that panel with a dry towel. Then repeat this around the car.
The primary difference is you're using more water or MORE LUBRICATION when a car has a higher level of dirt.
Make sense?
So here's how I washed the 1946 Dodge Panel Truck today and then I used the SONAX Glass Cleaner (in the spray bottle)
I put about 3-4 gallons of of water in a bucket and then poured in about 4-5 ounces of glass cleaner.
Then I take my stirring stick and mix the water and glass cleaner thoroughly.
Then dunk about a dozen clean, inspected towels into the solution.
Ready to go....
And here's the old 2-door Dodge after a SONAX Glass Cleaner Rinseless Wash and Clay Towel.
Works for me...
On Autogeek.com
SONAX Glass Cleaner
SONAX Glass Cleaner 10 Liter Container This is about 2.6 gallons
Anyone that has followed any of my detailing projects over the last year or so have probably seen me doing something completely different?
What you say?
Using a glass cleaner for both a rinseless wash and a waterless wash.
Why?
Because when I'm PREPPING a car to be buffed, i.e. when I'm going to wash a car to be buffed, i don't want to use products that do more than clean. For example, most spray detailers, waterless washes and rinseless washed all advertise they CLEAN and LEAVE the paint shiny and/or protected.
It's the ingredients in the products that make the paint shiny or protected that I simply don't want or need when getting a car ready to MACHINE BUFF. It doesn't even make sense. AND if the car is a modern car with PLASTIC trim, using any of these beautifying products leaves enough shine ingredients on the car that in most case - painter's tape won't stick to the plastic trim.
So a couple of years ago, I was thinking about how well the SONAX glass cleaner works to clean dirty glass without leaving any streaks.
Streaks would me some type of residue
So in my brain, I'm thinking, if the product cleans well and leaves a streak-free glass, it only makes sense it will clean paint really well and leave nothing behind on the paint.
So for at least a couple of years now I've been using SONAX Glass Cleaner as my prep wash like you would use a waterless wash. That is spray the car down with the glass cleaner and then wipe. And for really dirty cars, I use it for a Rinseless Wash.
So today I needed to clean a project car for tool, pad and product testing, so while I could have simply cleaned the car I figured, might as well take a few pictures and share this in an actual article because maybe it will help someone else always dealing with the same problems with spray detailers, waterless washes and rinseless washes.
How to use SONAX Glass Cleaner as a Rinseless Wash
So the difference between a waterless wash and a rinseless wash is with a waterless wash you're spraying product directly onto the car, spreading it around and then wiping off the residue. A rinseless wash is where you mix up 3-4 gallons of washing solution and dunk your towels into the solution. Then remove one towels, squish out most of the excess cleaning solution and wipe down a panel. Next dry that panel with a dry towel. Then repeat this around the car.
The primary difference is you're using more water or MORE LUBRICATION when a car has a higher level of dirt.
Make sense?
So here's how I washed the 1946 Dodge Panel Truck today and then I used the SONAX Glass Cleaner (in the spray bottle)
I put about 3-4 gallons of of water in a bucket and then poured in about 4-5 ounces of glass cleaner.
Then I take my stirring stick and mix the water and glass cleaner thoroughly.
Then dunk about a dozen clean, inspected towels into the solution.
Ready to go....
And here's the old 2-door Dodge after a SONAX Glass Cleaner Rinseless Wash and Clay Towel.
Works for me...
On Autogeek.com
SONAX Glass Cleaner
SONAX Glass Cleaner 10 Liter Container This is about 2.6 gallons
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