My Optimum No Rinse Review

blue-sun

New member
No Rinse Wash and Shine



I've heard of this stuff for a while now and I've been planning on getting some to try it out for some time now. Finally got around to ordering it a few weeks ago and had some time to use it this past weekend on my car and the wife's car.



Wife's car hadn't been washed in about 2 months and it was waxed at that time. It was pretty gnarly and I had my reservations about ONR tackling it.



I've used a no rinse type cleaner in the past and wasn't wowed by it, but the reviews that I've read for ONR all raved about it. I measured out 2 gallons of water (using a spent nursery water gallon container) into my wash bucket and then measured out the 1 oz as per the instructions (which on my 32oz bottle cap came out to be 2 full capfulls and a tiny bit more (measured out using a spent baby food measuring cup)



Also per the instructions for their clay lube (I thought it was the QD measurments, but my bottle only have wash and clay measurments), I measured out 2 oz of the solution and poured it into a freshly purchased gallon of distilled water (our tap water is very hard, so at $.99 for a gallon of distilled, it wasn't too expensive for QD use) and shook the gallon up, then poured it into a spare spray bottle.



My wash process for both cars was as follows:

dunk wash mitt in the ONR/water solution

starting on the top body panel that I was washing, going side to side and work my way down to the bottom of the panel, flip the sponge and repeat from the top of the panel again, using little to no pressure on the sponge.



toss the sponge into the solution (a 2nd bucket would have been ideal)



then I grabbed my waffle weave MF drying towel and began initial wipe down/dry using the same side to side, top to bottom. I tried to make sure there was still some moisture on the paint



then I sprayed the ONR QD on the panel and wiped it dry with a regular MF towel, again side to side, top to bottom.



For the wheels, I initially tried just dunking my brush in the ONR bucket and scrubbing at the wheel/tires, but that didn't work too great. Eventually, I used the ONR QD solution, sprayed the wheels and tires, and using a wheel dedicated MF towel, I cleaned them by hand. I think my standard wheel cleaner/brush/rinse works better, but in a pinch, it seemed to do the trick.



ONR is easy to use, pretty fast and leaves no marring in the paint, that I could see. It smells good too.



Overall, I'm very impressed with it and I will definitely add it to my rotation of products.

I will say this, I think my wife's Edge was a bit too dirty to use the ONR on a regular basis as the sole wash. Ideally, I'll either wash the car normally next time or run it through a touchless wash prior to using ONR, at least that's my plan for winter cleanings of the cars.



Here's some pics of both cars before, during and after ONR



Edge's rear hatch before

40729_451981511108_503461108_5808134_501047_n.jpg




Pass side done, drivers side not

149584_451981616108_503461108_5808136_7949755_n.jpg




Hatch all done

76088_451981791108_503461108_5808140_741414_n.jpg




All done

72207_451981926108_503461108_5808144_4580224_n.jpg




My MS3 before

148633_451982456108_503461108_5808169_6203536_n.jpg




All done (except the wheels, I did them this AM, ONR was done last night)

75779_451982621108_503461108_5808173_2323690_n.jpg




Rear hatch of MS3 all done

148315_451982706108_503461108_5808175_2027547_n.jpg




After using the ONR on both cars, I inspected the paint immedietly after in the sun and again this AM, no signs of additional marring or swirls in either car, this of course is not only the ONR, but using quality wash mitts and MF towels and proper technique. Bad technique and/or materials won't eliminate swirls <-- that's my disclaimer for you n00bs.
 
Good review. I doubt I will ever use ONR for a wash product. I only use it as a QD for cervices and clay lube...



Also, I can't believe you think it smells good. It stinks. LoL.
 
stiffdogg06 said:
Good review. I doubt I will ever use ONR for a wash product. I only use it as a QD for cervices and clay lube...



Also, I can't believe you think it smells good. It stinks. LoL.
....didn't they improve the smell with the latest formulation? I still have a gallon of the old stuff and I agree, it does have a weird odor.
 
Here's some more pics:





Edge Pass door, right side done, left side not

ONR1.JPG




upclose

ONR2.JPG




Hatch before

ONR3.JPG




More of the hatch before

ONR4.JPG




Pass of hatch done, drives side not

ONR6.JPG




Another of pass of hatch done, drives side not

ONR7.JPG




All done



ONR9.JPG




Hood after

ONR10.JPG




My MS3 after the wheels were cleaned

ONR11.JPG




Reflection in white

ONR12.JPG
 
AeroCleanse said:
I use ONR for 98% of washes, can't imagine using anything else.



Same here. On the rare, once a year occasion I need to conventionally wash a vehicle, I hate every second of it.
 
Scottwax said:
Same here. On the rare, once a year occasion I need to conventionally wash a vehicle, I hate every second of it.



I can definately see the benefits to it and if after using it all winter long, who knows, I may switch to using it all the time.



Oh, and thanks for all your youtube videos, I watched about 3-4 of them a few times each to make sure my technique was right. ;)
 
Glad my videos were helpful to you. So much easier than trying to explain how to use something unconventional like a rinse-less wash. :)
 
stiffdogg06 said:
Good review. I doubt I will ever use ONR for a wash product. I only use it as a QD for cervices and clay lube...



You really should give it a shot sometime, it really is safe when used correctly.
 
Bence said:
blue-sun, that was definitely not too dirty for the ONR. It can handle more safely.



My Mazdaspeed3 wasn't, since it had been run through a coin op touchless wash the week prior. My wife's Edge however, hadn't been washed in 2 months and it was starting to get nasty. Silver is one of those colors that never really looks filthy, that is until you clean it up.
 
You guys who use ONR exclusively ... What about between steps of correction? Or final wash before LSP? ONR or traditional wash?
 
Bence said:
Hey Dubbin, leave him, he is stiff... :D



blue-sun, that was definitely not too dirty for the ONR. It can handle more safely.





Hey now, hey now... Maybe the next wash, I will give it a try. I currently still use the old formula of ONR.
 
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