What's the latest 'trend' in ONR washing?

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newb001

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It's been a while since I've done an ONR wash (lately have been doing traditional washes), and wanted to get a quick refresher on the latest/greatest methods of using ONR.

I've read through about a dozen threads this week and just wanted to post what I plan to do and then get your thoughts/suggestions/recommendations on a good thread to read in case I missed it. For the record I have a black audi that has been opti-coated. Here's my plan:

  1. Powerwash at coin-op & drive home
  2. Pre-spray lower panels with QD strength ONR mix
  3. Using 2-buckets with grit guards, go panel by panel, pre-spraying each panel with the QD ONR mix just before using folded plush MF to clean the panel (flipping to clean part of MF as needed).
  4. Once panel is clean, toss used MF in rinse bucket/agitate on grit guard (if it has any unfolded portions left to use), otherwise will use new MF on next panel (here's what I get a bit confused as to whether or not I should be re-using the MF). To be safe I will probably just end up using use a new MF on each panel.
  5. Using a clean MF, will spray a little QD ONR or Optimum Car Wax (or some other spray wax) to use as a drying aid while I dry the panel.
  6. Repeat...

I'm definitely a bit confused as to what to do with the 'used' MF and the rinse bucket. Let's say I use 4 of the 8 folded sides of an MF on a panel. Do I just use the 4 clean sides on the next panel? Do I first agitate the MF in the rinse bucket to remove what I can from the dirty sides so I don't redeposit anything when I dip back in the clean bucket? If I do agitate it, I'm just agitating to remove loose dirt so it doesn't redeposit in clean bucket, not actually trying to fully clean the MF so I can reuse a used portion of it, correct?

Of course if I'm using something other than MF towels, I would have to agitate to clean it. But if I'm using MF towels do I just use 8 or 10 towels in total for the 8 or 10 sections I'll be cleaning?

As I mentioned above I'm inclined to just use a completely new MF for each panel, but wanted to see exactly what everyone does regarding this.

Thanks for your thoughts!
 
ONR loosens dirt and releases very well. Dirt drops to bottom quickly. I may be odd man out but I only use one bucket for ONR and never had isssues. I use one MF to ash whole car but use 2 clean MF per panel to wipe dy. The new ONR is worth giving away earlier versions IMO!
 
Old Tiger said:
ONR loosens dirt and releases very well. Dirt drops to bottom quickly. I may be odd man out but I only use one bucket for ONR and never had isssues. I use one MF to ash whole car but use 2 clean MF per panel to wipe dy. The new ONR is worth giving away earlier versions IMO!
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I keep it even simpler. Chenille wash mitt, one bucket, and a couple BIG towels to blot dry my truck. Never had an issue in the 7500 miles since new, and countless ONR washes. Some of them were even a little worse than I probably should have done, but it was for "research" purposes :props:
 
1 bucket w/grit guard for me. 2 gal water, 1 oz. of ONR + 1/2 oz.of Opti-Wax added and mixed thoroughly.

Super Plush micro fiber for washing. Wash panel, rinse towel and ring out excess ONR solution.
.
Wipe excess ONR from panel with wrung out plush mf. Mist panel with FK 425 and dry with a WW drying towel followed by another final wipe with dry plush MF towel as necessary.
 
If you're power-washing beforehand, AND doing a pre-soak, I'd use just one bucket with a grit guard. I don't waste time cleaning towels while washing - I'll just pick up a new one once the old one is dirty (though I will use all eight sides of a double-plush towel). Doesn't really make much difference whether you wash one towel or ten, and I feel using multiple towels lessens the chances of marring.
 
Also, do you guys find that 2 gallons of water is enough, or do you end up making up another batch? If the MF is going to be dripping wet going from bucket to car, I feel like I'm going to use/lose a lot of solution and will quickly run out (I'm doing a small SUV).
 
I agree with some of the others, I think you are doubling or tripling up your steps. If you are powerwashing, you don't need to pre-soak. If you are pre-soaking, you don't need to do it again when you are washing the panel. If you are using a rinse bucket with a grit guard and cleaning your wash media, you don't need to change your wash media (you'll have to change your drying media as it becomes saturated).

And 2 gallons is plenty, you don't really want to be dripping it all over the ground.
 
newb001 said:
Also, do you guys find that 2 gallons of water is enough, or do you end up making up another batch? If the MF is going to be dripping wet going from bucket to car, I feel like I'm going to use/lose a lot of solution and will quickly run out (I'm doing a small SUV).
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I mix up 3 gallons since I am very generous with the product plus you have plenty to do the wheels and wells at the end. If you use a grit guard you lose access to 1 gallon (blocked by grit guard).

I also use two buckets - can only add a factor of safety with not much extra cost. I have skipped the grit guard in the wash bucket since I had a second bucket. But the the same argument could be made for 1 bucket is fine for not very soiled cars in a traditional soap car wash process as well.
 
Here's my rinseless wash regiment..

Rinseless Washes

I generally use this during the colder months here but you can lose the glove and use cold or warm water...you decide.

A couple of years ago I started using some of the new Rinseless Washes. There are several out there that work well but these two really perform well; Detailer’s Pro Series Rinseless Wash & Gloss and Optimum No Rinse. I mix these as well in hot water and use rubber gloves. I put some of the solution in a garden sprayer and soak down each panel allowing the solution to soften and begin dissolving the surface contaminates.

Mix up 3 to 4 gallons so that you can flood the panels with extra on hand just in case.

Next I dip a wool wash mitt in the solution then lightly wash each panel twice, once to remove the initial grime then a second time to remove any remaining and float them harmlessly to the floor. At first I was very apprehensive using these products because I was afraid of scratching the finish but it does a damn good job at protecting it.

Rinseless washes work great but you can't wait until the finish becomes caked with winter driving salts and sands like some do. If this does become the case then it's off to the car wash to blast away the heavy stuff with plain waster only.

Additionally,

Once the car's dry I like giving the finish some additional protection by give the entire finish a once over with a quality spray wax and Optimums Spray Car Wax is the best I've found to date. BlackFire Wet Diamond Polymer Spray is another great choice and both are easy to use.. Both are a spray and wipe products that perform superbly leaving a glossy shine and 4 to 5 months of added protection...

Here's the above step by step.

  • Liberally wet down the panel and let it set
  • Wash lightly using plenty of solution
  • Rinse mitt and wash again allowing remaining contaminates to flow off the panel
  • Dry with a Microfiber Guzzler towel while warm
  • Every second wash I go over each panel with Optimum Spray Wax or BlackFire Wet Diamond Polymer Spray
This is my story and I'm sticking with it! :props:
 
Thank you again everyone. My car tends to scratch/swirl easily so I want to take every precaution (hence the power wash, pre-spray, pre-spray again...). But maybe I'll start small and see how it goes. If I see so new swirls using 1 bucket and w/o the extra pre-spray I'll continue that method around the car.
 
For what it's worth, I started out using QEW, using one bucket with no grit guard and just 2 quarts of solution (like it says on the QEW bottle), and no pre-spray. Having gotten more cautious over time, and because ONR dilutes further than QEW, I now use two buckets, a 1 gallon wash bucket with no grit guard, and use 2 gallons at half strength in a rinse bucket with a grit guard, and pre-spray if it's really dirty.
 
Shawnw said:
I keep it even simpler. Chenille wash mitt, one bucket, and a couple BIG towels to blot dry my truck. Never had an issue in the 7500 miles since new, and countless ONR washes. Some of them were even a little worse than I probably should have done, but it was for "research" purposes :props:
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to know if you had a conclusive opinion on the onr's that were "a little worse than I probably should have done...". What was the outcome of your research. Thank you.Feed back please
 
faulksy said:
Have you noticed an increase in gloss when mixing the wax?
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Yes. My wife does not use a QD spray during the process like I do and she has noticed an increase in the gloss of her car.

I have been told not to let us run out of Optimum Car Wax. It mixes into the ONR solution very nicely.
 
BobbyG said:
Mix up 3 to 4 gallons so that you can flood the panels with extra on hand just in case.
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+1. Grid guards take up about 1 gallon themselves. I'm reaching the top of the grid guard when I use 3 gallons

pfix said:
Yes. My wife does not use a QD spray during the process like I do and she has noticed an increase in the gloss of her car.

I have been told not to let us run out of Optimum Car Wax. It mixes into the ONR solution very nicely.
Click to expand...

Just tried it then. Car came up trumps. This could become part of my regime on the weeks I don't have time to spray wax
 
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