Do you ever find yourself “kicking the can down the road” when it comes to washing your car? “I’ll do it tommorrow, first thing.” “Could rain tommorrow…I’ll do it the following day.” “Too tired. I’ll wait ’till the weekend.” The can goes down the road, and your car serves as a mobile billboard of your procrastination.
There’s been a major development in the do-it-yourself car washing industry that hasn’t yet reached mainstream awareness: the rise of the waterless car wash. It’s significant because it eliminates about half the time and hassle from a traditional car wash. Why? Because the waterless systems on the market don’t use hoses, don’t use soap, and don’t use drying chamois.
How exactly does it work?
Step 1: Dry dust the car. Gently wipe over your paint and glass with a paint-safe microfiber mop attached to a small plastic handle. This captures the majority of surface dirt.
Step 2: Mist “waterless” car wash solution on the entire car. The term “waterless” is misleading because the primary ingredient in the “waterless” wash solution is indeed water: it is a liquid, after all. But the liquid contains unique cleansers and lubricants that bring remaining surface dirt to the top of the paint surface, unlike water which tends to just bead and run off the car.
Step 3: Wipe clean with a microfiber towel. First use a towel that will absorb the initial dirt left on your car’s glass, wheels, and paint. Finish with a clean, second, microfiber towel that completes the final “polishing” and buffing.
I’ve tried this myself and it does indeed work as advertised: very quick car washes with no surface scratching in the paint, no smears or runs on the windows, and clean wheels as well.
What are the drawbacks?
First, this won’t work for about 6 months out of the year in the Northwest. There’s just too much rain and too much dirt in the streets. It would be faster to simply use a hose and sponge because of the pure caked on dirt we accumulate on our cars. Second, prepare to wash your microfiber towels often: about once every 3 washes to avoid accumulating dirt in your “towel #1” (the towel used for initial wiping).
Conclusion:
During summer and fall, you can wash your car in about 5 minutes with perfect results and no hose, bucket, or sponge. Recommended!