[NickC]

Perhaps a crazy question but... Does any product exist that will let you wash your car without water? i.e. the way you can wash windows with Windex? Obviously the product should clean well and not scratch the paint.

I've always loved washing cars by hand - even before I could drive! But I'm going through a divorce - sold the house with the nice driveway and water hose and am now in an apartment. I'm not crazy about automatics and I don't like playing beat-the-clock with those DIY washes.

 

[whitneyjd]

I recently tried one of those spray on quick detailers and it worked pretty well, spray on, wipe around, wipe off. Probably wouldn't do much if it was really dirty though.

 

[HighSpeed6]

Yeah, I hand detail when there is dust and very very light dirt, but I doubt it would be beneficail to do it when it was really dirty.

 

[iboo]

if the car is real dirty the wuick detailer will scratch the paint. i have heard of car washers that only take like a bucket of water that is made for winter guarage applications i am sure it would work for your situation. umm i would check autopia because that is where i think i sall it.

 

[Sigma]

Quick detailer is great stuff. It won't "wash" too much, but if you do it every couple days before much builds up your car will retain that 'just-waxed' look for many times longer.

 

[CopperHead]

http://www.waterlesscarwash.com.au/pages/products.cfm

Check out the above website. I had a paintless dent removal guy give me a demo when I was detailing some vehicles.

It worked pretty well, but my detailing business never wanted to carry this product as it posses to much risk of trapping dirt and dust and causing scratches on vehicles.

 

[TNM6i]

There is a new product from Optimun Polymer Technologies that has the detailing world singing praises. It's called Optimum No-Rinse Wash & shine. If you can get 2 gallons of water to your car, you can wash under nearly any circumstance, even cold winter wather. All you need is a good sheepskin mitt or plush microfiber towel for washing and another few towels/ waffle weaves to dry. Here's the LINK I just used it for the first time a few days ago and it worked great. Don't use a spray detailer to wash your car. You'll create swirls in a heartbeat. QD's are only good for removing light dust and smudges/smears. Either use the pay and spray (NO BRUSHES) or use something like Optimum No-Rinse. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

 

[iboo]

There is a new product from Optimun Polymer Technologies that has the detailing world singing praises. It's called Optimum No-Rinse Wash & shine. If you can get 2 gallons of water to your car, you can wash under nearly any circumstance, even cold winter wather. All you need is a good sheepskin mitt or plush microfiber towel for washing and another few towels/ waffle weaves to dry. Here's the LINK I just used it for the first time a few days ago and it worked great. Don't use a spray detailer to wash your car. You'll create swirls in a heartbeat. QD's are only good for removing light dust and smudges/smears. Either use the pay and spray (NO BRUSHES) or use something like Optimum No-Rinse. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.
[/b]

ya this is the stuff i was talking about. it got a pretty good review on autopia.

 

[NickC]

Awesome - that Optimum was just the kind of product I was thinking about! Yeah, I was talking about when the car needs washing. Not sure if it's where I live & drive or because I park in a carport, but my gets pretty dirty within a week - enough that I'm afraid to use a spray detailer in place of a regular wash.

 

[Zed6]

Quik Detailer is really designed to be used as a supplement to a full wash...not as a replacement for one. That Optimum does look interesting - pretty economical too.

 

[Scott P]

There are waterless washes and low water washes. Optimum No Rinse and Protect all Quick and Easy Wash are low water washes. They use a gallon or two of water in a bucket to wash the car. You dip the mitt in the water, wring it out slightly and then wipe down the panel. Dry that panel with a soft towel and move on.

A waterless wash is a spray on and wipe off type of product. The only one I’ve used successfully was Poorboy’s Spray & Wipe. Some other manufacturers have come out with similar products. I haven’t used them, so I can’t comment on how well they work. I use Spray & Wipe on a lightly dirty car. I usually then follow up with a dedicated quick detailer.

I see Dri-Wash mentioned in a previous post. I have used the stuff and only found it effective on glass. It is a Multi-Level Marketing product (think Amway) and priced quite high. It is sold as a wash and wax all in one product. My old boss was high up in that network for a while. It just doesn’t work all that well. The shine or gloss it does offer comes from Kerosene. I just don’t like the stuff.

If you don’t have access to a bucket and the car is dirty, go with one of the low water washes. If it’s lightly dirty, then a waterless wash would be fine. Just be sure to use plenty of plush microfiber towels to wipe away the dirt. In either case, follow up with your favorite quick detail spray. That will removes and possible streaking and put some shine back in the finish.

 

[NickC]

Yes, the Spray & Wipe - if it works - is more convenient than a low water wash. So do you recommend it then? Not talking about a filthy mud-caked car, but just general dirt from driving on the roads.