Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine Review

The product the revolutionized non-rinsing car wash. However, is it suitable for a dirty and polluted climate such as Malaysia? Only one way to find out, read on.

 

Hello folks, apologies for the lack of updates recently. Having ended the constant bombardment by the 501st Assignment Division recently, finally have the chance to post this long overdue post.

Product to be reviewed today is Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine, also known as ONR in auto detailing forums.

photo courtesy of Autogeek.net

VX55 was at my house during this review and he cleaned while I took photos.

Here’s a general ‘before’ shot of the car, about two weeks worth of grime.

ONR is mixed in the bucket at the wash solution ratio where as the spray bottle contains ONR at quick detailer(QD) ratio.

Wash solution ratio: 1oz. to 2 gallons of water
QD ratio: 6oz. to 1 gallon of water

The panel is first sprayed with ONR at QD strength to ‘soften’/’loosen’ and grime on the surface.

The picture below is a drop of ONR at QD strength on the ground and if you look closely, you could actually see the heavy grit that is being encapsulated floats upward.

Same photo cropped.

Using the Detailogy sheepskin wash mitt, VX55 gave each panel two passes.

Meguiar’s Water Magnet drying towel showing a clean surface after drying.

Same process on the rear door.

Before ONR,

After ONR,

The paint was not perfect to start with, but the before and after shows that no additonal scratches were inflicted during the wash.

The next wash tool used was VX55’s own Cobra Bone microfiber wash pad.

Before ONR,

After ONR,

Next tool is the Lake Country Foam Car Wash Sponge, also known as Big Blue. It is a big block of soft foam with a cubed design for grit and dirt to get trapped into.

Ever since learning about the two bucket system and proper washing techniques, I have been wary of sponges and have always used a wash mitt (Cotton chenille mitt, sheepskin/lambswool mitt, microfiber mitt). So I was quite skeptical and was prepared to polish out any marring afterward.

Big Blue was used without spraying any ONR on the panel.

It cleaned well, showing no dirt during the drying pass.

One half washed with Big Blue and ONR without any pre-spray.

Before ONR and Big Blue,

After ONR and Big Blue,

Wow! No additional scratches inflicted by it, I was surprised to say the least. I was even surprised when I washed the other half with my year old Mothers lambswool wash mitt.

Light scratches were inflicted when using my old mitt that has lost its plushness.

Conclusion

Pros:
Cleans well (on a waxed/protected surface?)
Safe (does not introduce new scratches when used correctly)
Makes a cheap cleaning QD and clay bar lubricant
Saves a lot of water

Cons:
May be expensive for washing when compared with basic car shampoos.
May not protect from car wash abrasions if the washing tool does not carry enough wash solution and the panel is dry.

Would I buy it?
Yes on the basis that it makes a cheap QD and clay lubricant plus I can use it when the car is too dirty to use a QD with but not dirty enough to necessitate a full bucket and hose car wash.

p.s
Thanks VX55 for the help with this review!
Thanks to AE Detailers (http://aedetailers.com/ae2/) for the sample of ONR!

This review wouldn’t be possible without you guys 🙂