Minumum Water Method, Rinseless

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EXPDetailing

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THIS POST IS ONLY MEANT FOR RINSLESS WASHES WITH MULTIPLE TOWELS.
In case you guys have not noticed; many of you who are using towels in your rinseless washes are using entirely way too much water in your rinseless washes than what is actually required. Here are the steps to minimize the water and rinseless product used:
1. Determine the comfortable minimum towels needed to safely wash your car.
2. Fold said towels into fours
3. Place folded towels into a 5 gal bucket.
4. Fill bucket untill waterline is level and equal to the highest point of the towels.
5. Add your favorite rinseless/waterless product.
6. Use the folded towels to clean your car, and NEVER return a dirty towel to this bucket.
7. Believe it or not, a folded towel can clean a large area. Just be sure to fold to a new section of towel once it starts getting dirty.
8. If you wanted to be really anal like me, you would stop filling the bucket when the towels become thoroughly soaked INSTEAD of filling the bucket untill the waterline is level with the highest point of the towels. This reduces water usage by almost 100%.

Now, I hop I didn't ruffle any feathers, but I've noticed a lot of you guys could use some technique tweeking. If the shoe fits, wear it. I'm figuring, the more water your saving, the more rinseless product your saving. That's the whole idea, right?
Hey, maybe I should patent this idea and sell it to....???I gotta give it a name first...??How bout the common sense approach rinsless wash?
 
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When I do a rinseless, using the absolute minimum of water is not one of my goals. I want to clean it they way I like to clean it.
 
Most rinseless washes are on the inexpensive side of things and I would really tend to believe that most of us here like to be as cautious as possible when cleaning our cars!
 
My point here guys is any water beyond saturating your towels is causing wast of product; nothing more, nothing less. If you feel the need to use more water than necessary, that's your perogative/your right, it's automatically understood. There's no need to point out what's already considered "standard data."
 
EVOlved said:
Most rinseless washes are on the inexpensive side of things and I would really tend to believe that most of us here like to be as cautious as possible when cleaning our cars!
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I don't understand your point. If we're talking rinseless washes with multiple, single-use MF towels, then more water than whatsa required to fully saturate the towels is not safer. The towel can only hold as much liquid as it will hold. Filling a bucket beyond the height of the towels is just a waste, and makes it harder on your back (us older guys care).
 
I do agree with what your saying. But I do it slightly differently.


  • Premix 1-2gal of rinseless was solution into a bucket.
  • Add as many single use towels as needed.
  • Wash accordingly.
  • Either seal bucket for next use or dump excess into a milk jug for later use. (I can use it as my pre-soak on the next wash)
  • I usully just seal the bucket and add more towels the next time I need it. (Once a week or so)


I find that I can usually get away with 1gal or less of actual Rinse-less wash. And using my method lets me use a small 2-3 gal bucket that is lighter and easier to handle and move.


 
Nearly every rinseless wash I own is 1oz to 2 gallons of water. (Except for IUDJ and maybe a few others)

How much money could I possibly be saving (RW and water)?

Why not just get a sealed bucket and use it until it's gone and not even worry about waste?
 
I get it. When I first started RW I found I was dumping 1/2 gallon every time (without a tire/wheel cleaning). So now I use 1.5 gallons if I'm just doing the paint. If I am going to do tires/wheels, I'll use 2 gallons. Many caps on RW's are 1/4 oz., so I'll use 3 caps for the 1.5 gal RW and 4 caps for the 2 gal RW. These are RW's that dilute 1oz./2 gallons obviously. :) this mainly applied to the GD method as well. And the 1.5 gals works for sedans and small SUV's. So you do have to take into account the size of the vehicle as well.

I think what the OP is saying is that if you find yourself dumping a half gallon of solution after each RW, then you have room to use less water like I mention above. I did try storing remaining in a milk jug for a while, but I felt like after sitting a week, that solution soured a little bit (I could be totally wrong here in terms of the actual chemistry, but that's how I felt about re-using the leftover solution). So instead, I just started using the actual amount of water I needed based on my experience.
 
I am not sure why people are dumping rinseless wash solution. If the solution has not been used to resubmit dirty wash media I frequently put whatever is left in gallons jugs for the next time.
 
Pats300zx said:
I am not sure why people are dumping rinseless wash solution. If the solution has not been used to resubmit dirty wash media I frequently put whatever is left in gallons jugs for the next time.
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That's what I was wondering. I keep a covered bucket of IUDJ mixed up and work from that for ages (i.e., months, never actually dumped it to start over from scratch yet) as it stays perfectly clean. No wasted water/solution, it's still sitting there ready to go the next time, and no wasted time mixing it up each wash.

But I guess if there's something precluding that sort of "save it for next time" approach then that'd be different...I just can't imagine what that something would be. Am I missing something?
 
I usually use 2 gal of distilled water for a rinseless. There's usually about half a gallon left over, and I will just leave that in the bucket for next time and for touch ups during the week. I tend to use towel dampened with rinseless solution to wipe dirty spots that show up in between washes, more so than using waterless or QD. Just preference. As for saving water, conservation is certainly a good idea, but the fractional gallon that you suggest to avoid with the method just doesn't seem to be a big deal to me. Distilled water that I use is 88 cents a gallon at wally world or the grocery store. Not trying to be a buzzkill, but I just don't see this as a big deal.
 
RMD said:
I usually use 2 gal of distilled water for a rinseless. There's usually about half a gallon left over, and I will just leave that in the bucket for next time and for touch ups during the week. I tend to use towel dampened with rinseless solution to wipe dirty spots that show up in between washes, more so than using waterless or QD. Just preference. As for saving water, conservation is certainly a good idea, but the fractional gallon that you suggest to avoid with the method just doesn't seem to be a big deal to me. Distilled water that I use is 88 cents a gallon at wally world or the grocery store. Not trying to be a buzzkill, but I just don't see this as a big deal.
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It's about saving rinseless product, not water.
 
I think this is going nowhere fast. Here's the deal guys:

1) Some of us are saving any leftover for the next wash
2) Some of us are using a little less water/RW based on our experience so there is nothing left when we are done.

Either way works, uses the same amount of water, and uses the same amount of product. Am I right?
 
wdmaccord said:
I think this is going nowhere fast. Here's the deal guys:

1) Some of us are saving any leftover for the next wash
2) Some of us are using a little less water/RW based on our experience so there is nothing left when we are done.

Either way works, uses the same amount of water, and uses the same amount of product. Am I right?
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Yes, you're right. The question is why make extra when it's not necessary? Some will save leftovers, some will dump it down the drain. This thread was meant for those who dump down the drain.
 
I always end up tossing any residual wash since I will use it to clean (or try to clean) wheels and wells. I may end up using 5 gallons since I use a lot...I prr-soak plus I use mitts not towels so I drizzle lots on the paint then wipe.
 
EXPDetailing said:
It's about saving rinseless product, not water.
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OK. I typically have about 1/2 gallon of solution left over after a rinseless wash. Lately I have been using D114 and it's a great product. The Recommended dilution ratio is 1 oz per 2 gallons of water. Mixing up one half gallon less of solution each time in order to avoid any waste would save .25 oz of rinseless product at that dilution ratio. D114 is currently $32 per gallon at AG, which works out to 25 cents per oz. The one quarter of an oz of rinseless product saved equals 6.25 cents per wash. Dont see a concern here, but admittedly that's my own perspective.

Agree with wdmaccord on the nowhere fast angle.
 
I see the OP's point.

I kind of do like Troy. What I do, is use distilled water (I buy the 1 gal bottles at grocery store). I pour a little out into the bucket I will use for the wash. I pour the RW solution into the WATER BOTTLE, and close it back up and do like Taylor Swift and "shake it off, shake it off." Next up, I place the number of towels I think I'll use (and for my regulars, I know this number) into the bucket. Follow it up with the mixed solution, and like OP said, just enough to get my towels saturated, and a tiny bit more. Seeing a half gallon saved is a common for me, and I put it aside for future use.

Question for people: Has anyone tried rinseless wash using Di water? It seems I can get it for far cheaper at a local car wash supplies shop.
 
JustJesus said:
Question for people: Has anyone tried rinseless wash using Di water? It seems I can get it for far cheaper at a local car wash supplies shop.
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I've done that, using my CRS. Works fine, just as well as distilled as best I can tell.

Bunky said:
I always end up tossing any residual wash since I will use it to clean (or try to clean) wheels and wells.
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That's what has me confused...why dump it? I use my rinselss for wells and undercarriages and and and too, but it never gets contaminated so why dump it? No, no, not being critical but rather confused!
 
Accumulator said:
I've done that, using my CRS. Works fine, just as well as distilled as best I can tell.



That's what has me confused...why dump it? I use my rinselss for wells and undercarriages and and and too, but it never gets contaminated so why dump it? No, no, not being critical but rather confused!
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I put the mitt back into the solution so mine is nasty. In essence, I use closer to a two bucket method with rinseless.
 
Bunky said:
I put the mitt back into the solution so mine is nasty. In essence, I use closer to a two bucket method with rinseless.
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Ah, OK, now I get it.

FWIW, I keep a plastic scoop in my rinselss bucket and use that to rewet the MFs that are being used for nasty-duty without contaminating the rest of it.
 
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