Dry Wash???

[OctaneGuy]

I was holding my MINI detailing clinic yesterday, polishing out a classic 1991 Mini, when this blue Porsche pulls up and asks if I knew of anyone that wanted to purchase his deionized water machine--said he would sell it cheap.

I asked why he was selling it and he said that his detailer does this "fantastic dry wash" that is so good he can dump his machine. I said, oh yeah? What's a dry wash? Is it using some chemical for the cleaner?

He's like "no, he takes a bucket full of water, squirts in some QD and sponges off the car."

I said, oh that's a dry wash? Hmmm, that may work fine for a car thats got light dust on it, but you're still going to have to wash it with a hose if its really dirty. He's like "yeah that's true."

"Can you believe my new detailer took 8 hours to detail my car?"
I said, yeah that sounds about right. I looked at the finish in the sunlight, and I didn't see any swirls, and I said, yep, looks like he's doing a good job. I asked what he charged, he said "$250".

He says, "It much better than those other detailers than work only for an hour".

I just smiled, and he drove off.

I'm thinking wow, this guy was sold on washing his car with a diluted QD??? Amazing.

Anyone else do this or encountered this?

[the other pc]

I guess there must be a new definition for the word dry?

It doesn’t really matter how he washes the car if he’s going to spend eight hours polishing it every time.


PC.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Richard...

A "dry wash" with a bucket of water??? LOL!! What's a "wet wash" then?

Over the years, I have seen all kinds of products and differing methods of doing this or that. But the truth is, I have never found anything that works as well as doing it the normal way: 2 buckets, carwash shampoo, and a hose.


Sadly, people are always looking for an easy solution. But the reality is, you do not get something for nothing. If you are not willing to put the work in to the finish, you will not have a flawless finish!

Tim

[Dragpakmach]

i just started my business and I get calls all the time for dry wash,Quick wash,and other products and I just dont see the need.If the car is dusty I use QD if its dirty, bucket and hose.Im open to new ideas just havent found a good one yet.

[Scottwax]

It might be that his detailer is using Protect All's Quick and Easy Wash or Optimum's No Rinse Wash. Both products do an excellent job cleaning cars, saving water and time.

I've been using Quick and Easy Wash for 13 years now in my detailing business but have recently switched to Optimum's No Rinse Wash since the polymers in it make the paint slicker than before washing.

More info on the products:

protectall.com/qelg.htm

autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse.htm

[Edited for Commercial links; 2hotford]

Optimum's No Rinse is not on their company website yet, so I had to link Autogeek's ad copy.

Either product also keeps you in compliance with groundwater laws too since you use only 1 gallon of water and it doesn't run into the storm drains.

There is an actual 'dry wash' product that doesn't use any water called Dri-Wash and Guard but it works like a glorified QD spray.


BTW, both products have suprising cleaning power as you can see here:

[79T/A]

Hmmm, interesting.

I have a question. I didn't see any claims that the products do not cause swirling or scratches. So my question is does this leave behind swirls? If not, how does that part work?

[Scottwax]

No scratches, swirls, or marring if you follow the directions.



Here is some techinical information about it:

The answers are from a Champion (the manufacturer of Quick and Easy Wash) representative:

Where does the dirt go?

The best answer I can give you is "into the towel or wash mitt and then into the bucket." The agents in Quick & Easy Wash are a blend of Surfactants, surface active agents in lay persons terms. These agents are already in use, and have been, in traditional car washing products used in both, hand wash and line wash systems. So the science is not new or unique, just the application. What sets our product apart from the crowd is mostly the lack of SUDS, amongst other and various and sundry other subtleties.

Suds are an unnecessary byproduct of soap. When Quick & Easy Wash is used in the washing process the suds are eliminated and the surfactants do the work. Part of the work they do is to envelope or suffocate the surface. Two things happen, the electrostatic or chemical bond between the dirt solids and or hydrocarbon solids (this covers most of the soils found on cars) is broken. Next, these soils are enveloped or wrapped and trapped into the surfactant and then into the washing media such as a towel or wash mitt. At rinse time, the towel is plunged into either a clean bucket of water ( using the two bucket method ) or back into the Quick & Easy Wash. In either case the same is true, the dirt solids succumb to the rinsing motion and use gravity to fall out of the washing media and fall to the bottom of the bucket. You can see this if you look into your bucket after doing a wash job.

Definately true-I've wondered why there was always dirt at the bottom of the bucket when I finished, now I know!


How come it doesn't scratch?

In order to address potential scratching, the product contains a element that crosses the lines between polymers, lubricants, and waxes. It is true that if you bear down on a wet cloth over a dirty surface you will get scratches. However, our products make up will help to minimize the occurrence. So don't press down hard, with any washing product. Let's face it, scratching can occur even on a totally clean surface with a poor selection of washing media. Chose and dedicate washing cloths or mitts to a specific task and use them for nothing else. My current best pick for washing media is material called Microfiber, it is easy to find and we are working presently with an importer/manufacturer to bring it to our line of products, but that's another topic for another time.

[Newport Viper]

I almost never wash my car.


I use PoorBoy's Spray and Wipe on mine.


Start with a good two coats of NXT.


California Car duster.


Spray and Wipe.


No Swirls.


Of course it don't snow here either.

[79T/A]

Hmmm, makes sense I guess.

Has anyone had any negative experience with this type of product? I like to hear both sides.

Is this the same idea behind Meguiars line of detailers (Speed, Quik, etc.)?

[Scottwax]

Originally posted by 79T/A
Hmmm, makes sense I guess.

Has anyone had any negative experience with this type of product? I like to hear both sides.

Is this the same idea behind Meguiars line of detailers (Speed, Quik, etc.)?

Absolutely nothing like detailers. Detail sprays are not even in the same league in cleaning power.

Go to http://autopia.org and do a search of Quick and Easy Wash and Optimum No Rinse and you will get dozens of hits.

[Larry A]

Ive used both QEW and Poorboys Spray n Wipe and both products are outstanding.If the car has a lot of dirt on it I will then go to a coin wash and rinse off the heavy dirt. You do have to use common sense. Somethimes I use a CCD or a Kozak dry wash cloth. But like I said (common sense)

[OctaneGuy]

I recently picked up some QEW from another MOL member. I'm gonna do a writeup on it to find out why everyone says it's so great. All I've done so far is look at the partially empty bottle--haven't tried it yet.