My 1st ONR use

Greetings all,

I've been reading all the threads on just about every forum singing the praises of Optimum No-Rinse. I figure I probably oughta have anything that's getting such universal raves in my arsenal. Then again, I've got an integral, heated, 3-bay garage with hot n cold water and floor drains ::::scratching head:::: Why would I use ONR?!?

I have found some times when the vehicles aren't quite dirty enough to drag out the hose or heat up the garage. For those times I've been using Poorboy's Spray & Wash and been ecstatic with the results. However, considering some pro detailers report using ONR on their details instead of a wet wash I figgered I needed to see what the hub-bub is all about.

FedEx dropped off a box of goodies today with a qt of ONR inside. I've got a couple of days off and my GMC truck is gonna get the full treatment while I try out the new Flex that arrived last week. The truck's gettin' a wet wash and blow dry so I conscripted my S.O.'s black Hyundai Tucson for a little test.

The Hyundai received a polish and detail about a month ago. I figgered it'd be a good candidate for revealing any marring that might occur using ONR. Winter arrived hard and early in NE Ohio so some marks may be the result of salt, crud and numerous washings. Still, I wanted to test this stuff out.

She pulled in the garage with the Tucson covered in typical winter grime and salt spray. Fortunately, winter gave us a bit of a respite and there wasn't ice and snow all over it and the wheel wells weren't packed. I initially decided to do a spot-test and just do the hood because we're expecting a few days of rain, snow & ice.... no sense in going through the effort to have a pristine vehicle for all of 10 minutes next time it leaves the garage. Intending to just do the hood I read the mixing instructions and added an ounce of ONR to a couple of gallons of water. I washed the hood and dried.... and for some strange reason I thought I could actually stop there. D'OH! No chance....

I don't have a full complement of 'before' pics because I wasn't planning on doing the whole car or writing a review. After a couple more panels and seeing the results I thought it might be a good idea to take some pictures. Not much room to maneuver with two vehicles in the garage so there aren't any full-views and not many specifically targeted before and afters.

I did the left front fender after the hood...... the contrast between it, the rest of the side and the cruddy front wheel is plainly visible.



The rest of the left side.... the pictures don't actually show how grimey and gritty everything is. When I got down to the rockers and started hearing the grit grinding I wondered if this might be a little more than ONR was designed to handle.



left side after:



Right front wheel and fender before:



Right side after, front wheel still uncleaned:



Right front wheel clean:



Random after shots, some with flash, some not:













I used a blue chenille MF wash mitt which others have recommended for use with ONR. It picked up the grit but didn't appear to want to get rid of the dirt when going back in the bucket. Still, I detected no scratching and the mitt loaded with ONR & water glided over the cruddy surfaces. When I got to the wheels and wells I couldn't bear to use one of my favortie mitts so I dug out one of my old cheapie, underhood mitts. Here's the aftermath:



When emptying the bucket there was not only grit in the bottom, there was mud I had to dig out with my hand. I guess ONR gets things clean, huh?

I'm still undecided on this product for my uses. If my vehicle needs washed or I'm going to do someone else's I prefer a wet wash. It gets the crevices clean as well as water in the door jambs and around the hood and trunk which enables a quick wipe to leave 'em sparkling. With ONR you'd have to clean 'em specifically.

It took me a little over an hour to do the whole vehicle and I didn't get the nooks and crannies nor did I clean the jambs or wipe around under the hood the way I usually do with a wet wash. It takes me a little over an hour to wash, blow-dry and blot with waffle-weave as well as all the jambs and a light wipe under the hood using my traditional 2-bucket method so I didn't save any time. And the results are no better. IMO, than using PB's Spray & Wipe on the car if it weren't so cruddy and grimey. Truth is, this car needed *washed*. But it was a good test for ONR, which does what it's supposed to do and does it well.

I gotta wonder about the pros that report using ONR when they detail a customer's car instead of dragging out the hose. I s'pose if the vehicle is 'Southern California dirty' vs 'NE Ohio winter dirty' it'd be a time and water saver. For those that don't have access to a hose or garage this stuff would be the ticket as well.

I'd be interested in hearing how others use this product, especially those that choose it over a wet wash if they have the means.

TL

 

Well, in SoCal we have nice enough weather to soak it down with a pre-spray of ONR if we wanted to. I usually do that then go through the wash process and dry it. I have not had a bucket as dirty as yours though even though mine is parked outside 24/7.

What also works best for me is in the morning when there is dew on the car. It glides a lot better that way haha

 

I would recommend using the two bucket method with ONR washing. I find that the bucket of plain water holds most of the grime/dirt and the bucket of ONR stays pretty clean.

 

I typically prefer a traditional wash since I get to use the foam gun (eventually the foam cannon). My ONR washes are usually for when I feel like using ONR or where a water source is an issue.

 

ONR is great for the winter, which is obviously here for some of us.

What year is the Tucson? Mine's an '05 GLS. Black with tan cloth interior. Just got it last month.

 

I use to rinse it at the car wash with water only. Then pull in the garage and use ONR with the 2 bucket method :thumb:

 

I have been using ONR since the summer. We had really tight water restrictions. I find I can wash my cars faster with ONR, 2 buckets and a grout sponge.

 

There's a learning curve to ONR. I can usually do a ONR wash and OCW wax in 30-45 min. It took me over an hour the first few times before I nailed it. You were probably being really carefull and sounds like you made a bunch of trips around the car. I wash a panel, one drying pass, spray on OCW, then dry with a ShagRag, then repeat on the next section. I also do the jambs with the section I'm doing. Only making one trip around the car cut my time in half. Give it another go and let me know if it goes any better.

Chris

 

You need to run out and find some salted sanded roads covered with ice and snow, it builds charactor :giggle:

That occured to me after-the-fact.

The foam gun is a natural for winter washes, IMO. I'm thinking a small bottle of ONR might be a good thing to carry on motorcycle trips for a quick spruce-up.. especially after traveling in the rain.

No kiddin'. I'm guessing you're not equipped for indoor, all-weather washes. My thought is the grit and grime of winter is perfect for a foam wash.

Her's is an '06 Limited with gray leather and loaded with all the bells and whistles. Any idea how one might remove the cross rails on the roof rack? It was a dealer vehicle for about a year and a lot of the docs on the options were misplaced. The dealer detailers (almost an oxymoron in this case) used QDs all the time, no protection, and I had to fight to get water spots off the horizontal surfaces. Kinda tough to work a PC or Flex around those cross rails so I have yet to do the roof.

There ya go! That's what I'm recommending to friends with no hose access. Leave all the serious crud at the car wash and fine tune it at home with ONR.

I don't know if you'd have that result with a top-to-bottom, bumper-to-bumper, winter-grime coated vehicle.

Roger on the learning curve. I experimented a bit and found wiping with ONR then a spritz with Spray & Wash before the final wipedown on each panel produced the best results. I actually started in one place and worked my way around the vehicle. The pics were out of sequence as it wasn't a particularly well-planned presentation.

I appreciate all the responses. There's undoubtedly a place for ONR in my detailing routine somewhere, I've just got to find the best way to make good use of it. Like i sez before, it seems a natural for those without home all-weather wash facilities or those under water restriction. Probably find more uses for it in the summer, especially with the bikes.

Thanks... TL

 

I forgot to tell you to do the roof and glass first, then break the rest up into panels.

 

I found the perfect occasion to give ONR a second try. The black Hyundai is grungy again, the other vehicle is perfectly clean, it's snowing and 17 degrees F. I didn't want to move the clean vehicle out in the snow, move the Hyundai to the middle of the garage, heat up the garage and drag out the hose. So I decided to do an ONR wash and use the advice and techniques that were suggested in response to my initial post.

I filled the rinse bucket with clean water, ONR mix in the other, Grit Guards in both. Dug out the Chenille MF mitt as well as the grungy mitt and a Waffle Weave and some clean MFs. As before, I started at the top of the vehicle and did the roof and windows first, rinsing the MF mitt after each panel, used the WW to dry and the MFs to buff up any residue. When I got to the dirtiest lower panels I decided to save 'em for last and worked my way around the car.

After one lap the top half of the car was clean and shiny, the ONR mix was still clean and the rinse water was only moderately dirty. I emptied and refilled the rinse bucket and started on lap 2 on the really cruddy lower panels. I found everything worked better if I cleaned smaller panel sizes and rinsed the mitt more frequently. As I worked my way around the car this time I did the door jambs and around the hatch and hood shuts. Feeling a little drag in the WW I added a mist of PB's Spray & Wash after the ONR but before drying. This produced a slicker wipe-off and better result. At the end of lap 2 the ONR mix was still pretty clean, the rinse was black.

I refilled the rinse bucket once again and hit the wheels, tires, mud flaps and wheel wells, in that order. I rinsed out the gritty mitt after each wheel well and moved on to the next wheel. When the 4th wheel was finished so was I. Only thing left was to give the glass a final wipe and clean up.

Although it *seemed* like a bigger chore than a traditional wet wash, it actually took a bit less time overall. I didn't have to move cars around, heat up the garage, (which generally stays about 40+ degrees when the doors stay closed), get out the hose, chase suds and grit towards the drain after the wash, move cars around again, squeegee off the floor and then put cars away. Plus wiping off anything that got on the cars that were outside and wiping off the condensation on all the windows from all the moisture.

The only downside is the wheel wells didn't get the water blasting to get the grit off from under the lips and on the chassis. Then again, they weren't that grungy. One of the upsides is the damp but not totally soaked WW that I used to dry was perfect for giving a wipedown under the hood as a last step. It left things sparkling.

As expected, my best use for ONR appears to be when the cars don't need a total water-blast to remove serious winter crud or when both cars are in the garage and I don't feel like going through the total drill. The Hyundai looks great, still no discernable marring and I had less to drag out and put away. Think I'll pick up a gallon when it's time to reorder :cig:

Thanks to all who offered advise and suggestions,

TL

 

I too have discovered ONR and that's all I use now to wash my vehicles...but sounds like you got quite the garage :druling: :druling:

 

It seems to me that ONR, not matter what season, might be a good choice when one needs to wash the car between polishing/waxing stages. Does anyone use it for this purpose?

 

You might as well just mix up ONR at regular QD strength in a spray bottle and do a wipe down like using a detailer rather than preparing a full bucket full, etc.

I use ONR in this manner when doing jambs after ONR or regular soap wash -- similar to PB's Spray and Wipe.

 

I don't but have seen some say that they do. Most like to do a conventional wash to get all of the polish dust out of the cracks and crevices, preferably with a pw.

 

ONR is what I use every single wash, both for my car and my customers. I rarely use the hose anymore. Great review and process BTW!

 

That's what had me scratching my head after the 1st use, those in winter climates that use ONR exclusively. Now, I'm pretty sure you get a snowflake or two in Alberta. And they probably put some crud on the roads occasionaly to alleviate some of the slippin' and slidin'. When I use the hose I stick the nozzle up under the fender wells and bumpers and blast the ledges, nooks and crannies where grit, gravel, sand and salt accumulate. There's just no way you're gonna be able to get that crap outta there with ONR.

Latest twist on the Ohio roads, for a few years I've seen 'em spraying some kind of calcium based liquid on the road. It etches stripes down the lane and the marks remain year 'round. Keeps things from turning into a skating rink but if it's too fresh when you encounter it it really gunks up your car and takes some serious scrubbing to get off.

Friend at the Highway Dept tells me it's a liquid cane byproduct remaining when making rum and other stuff. Basically, it's unrefined molasses they mix in with the calcified water! I s'pose next they'lll put ground glass on the roads to improve traction... Frankly, I prefer a nice, clean packed snow to drive on rather than the slush n slop they create with all the salt-based junk.

I suffered for years trying to keep cars sharp parking outside. My first house had a garage, no drain. Worked around it and stuck an insufficient radiant heater in, tried kerosene heat. It all sucked. When I built my secret Lair in the Woods I didn't care how many bedrooms or baths or whether it even had a kitchen..... I wanted a garage I could actually *do* something in year 'round. While looking over the plans on the 24x24 two car garage with the builder I told him I needed to make some changes in case I ever wanted to add-on. He got downright righteous on me and told me if I wanted something larger I better do it NOW cuz it'd never be easier or cheaper. So we added a 16x22 3rd bay. Finished and insulated, 75,000 BTU thermostatically controlled gas-fired Reznor hanging from the ceiling and drains in each bay with multiple hose bibs strategically placed. Hot n cold in the wash basin.

Meets the needs but I screwed up. I now have a 2000 sq ft house and 900 sq ft garage. If I woulda had the wisdom to send the wife-from-Hell packing *before* I built the shack I woulda had a 2000 sq ft garage and a 900 sq ft house :applause2: Plus I would've only had to pay for it once. :doh: Just gotta put things in perspective and consider it all an investment instead of an expense. Kindof like a happiness tax... :thumb:

Your mileage may vary..

TL

 

Geeez, I can't see how you could use ONR all the time with all the harsh winter weather you get in Puerto Rico! :thud: Probably have to wash the car a couple of times a month instead of 3 or 4 times a week...

I've got no idea how you can survive without subfreezing temperatures and slop all over the place for half the year! :giggle:

TL (here I come with the moving van, neighbor!)

 

I agree wheel wells are hard to do a good job with ONR..but that's when the steamer comes in handy :thumb:

As for what they put on the roads, yes I agree. I can't remember the exact name of the product they use here in town but it's a new product that is a real pain to remove because it sticks to the surface of the vehicle...wish I could remember the name but it's like a gel type...I agree with you, I rather drive over a snow packed road then a slushy road. Temperature dropped again to the -20C here so I gave the vehicle an ONR last night, wife had to make some runs today and guess what? The vehicle is still clean. I like it when everything is frozen, well kinda..better then being slushy.

As for the house congrats :applause:...I'd love to see pictures of your garages. See wife and I purchased some land and we are hoping to build our dream home...when I say dream home I mean "My Dream Garages". Our current home is nice, don't get me wrong but there is not enough space in the garage...I mean two car garage is nice but....not enough! So what we have done is that we wont build our new home till we..I mean I'm ready. There are so many things I want to have in my garages that I don't want to rush it. A member here and his dad built a really nice garage, if I remember correctly it was Brianja. He was kind enough to send me a PDF of the architect drawings and that has helped me out on the designs of my garages...but to be honest I wont be building the home for at least 5 years....wife and I will be using the time to make sure we cover everything...I just hope we don't miss anything..you know how it is, just when you think everything is covered you realize you forgot something..well we will do our best to avoid that...oh and I agree with you, I'm after a garage where I can fit at least 5 vehicles...so 2000 sq ft garage is very realistic...with hot and cold water...drains...bathroom...space for a desk...oooh I get goosbunks just thinking about it :cheerl:

 

Oh, man, you have no idea how awful it is! You know that I have to do everything in shorts and no shirt because it's +80*F?!?!?! :gross: : I wash my car like once a week, and if it doesn't rain, every 2 weeks.

Notice I'm being sarcastic LOL And :welcome: anytime to PR, man! :headbang: