OPC and spots that won't come off with ONR

[levander]

Over the last couple of weeks, I've cleaned two filthy cars. Haven't been cleaned in years.



So, when I'm running a sponge over them with ONR of course, some of the gunk won't come off with ONR. So, I grab a spray bottle of 3:1 OPC and hit it with that.



I get it clean, but it just seems to slow me down so much and makes me end up going back over stuff I've already down because the OPC requires rinsing even though the ONR doesn't.



Anyway, you've got to do it like that? You've got some gunk that won't come off with ONR so you spray it with OPC and have to rinse before drying? Or, maybe after the OPC, if you just run over it with a sponge filled with ONR (at the car wash dilution) that's good enough? You don't really have to pull out the hose and rinse the OPC off?

 

[Scottwax]

Any vehicle that hasn't been cleaned in years is going to require extra effort no matter how you wash it.



Why not fill a spray bottle with ONR to go over the areas you used OPC on? That way you don't end up washing the car with a bucket with ONR and OPC mixed.

 

[levander]

Yeah, no matter what car wash I used, it'd take longer. It is fascinating watching gunk come right off with OPC that ONR doesn't touch..



So, mixing the ONR and OPC for the whole wash is a bad idea? I guess that was the root of my question. The OPC messes with the ONR polymers or something somehow?



I guess with the trick with just using a spray bottle to spray down OPC'd areas is to have a second sponge for them? E.g., one sponge to agitate the OPC, another to agitate the ONR when you are washing regularly? Guess I need two buckets also... Or, I could just let the OPC sponge sit on the car somewhere when I'm not using it... Couldn't just throw it on the ground. Have to have somewhere to put it.

 

[Scottwax]

I guess you could try mixing in some OPC, never tried that though and don't really know where to begin with regards to the ratio between ONR and OPC.

 

[levander]

Let's skip mixing the two. I haven't seen anyone suggest that and I'm way too newb to be doing my own chemistry like that.



What I was asking about is about using a spray bottle (with water and maybe some ONR) to spray down areas you've put OPC while you're running around cleaning your car's paint with ONR.



Even when you do this, it seems like you have to use a 2nd sponge? You've got to agitate the OPC you put on the car somehow. So, one sponge for the regular ONR wash, and a 2nd for the OPC? Then, you've got to make sure not to throw the OPC sponge in the ONR bucket?



This whole thing is just to accommodate for how you have to rinse OPC but not ONR. Surely when you're washing a car with ONR, occasionally you come across a spot that won't come off and spray some OPC on it. How do you handle that situation? How do you agitate and rinse off the OPC? When you do this, you make sure not to get the OPC mixed with the ONR in your bucket?



I was kind of thinking just wiping down where you've sprayed OPC on the car with a sponge filled with the ONR water from your regular bucket would be fine. The only reason I'd use the ONR water is because it's right there, I'm washing my car with it anyway. But, maybe that's not such a good idea? People out there are making sure not to mix ONR and OPC in the same bucket? Even when it's just a side effect of your washing procedure?



But, I guess I could get a 2nd bucket filled with water and a 2nd sponge for spots where I have to use OPC...



I've seen where people have suggested "pre-misting" a car with APC (I'm using OPC as my APC) before you wash it. Maybe that would address some of what I'm trying to accomplish. But, from me using the tools, all I've noticed is if you don't agitate the OPC before it dries then it really doesn't do it's job when you go to agitate it later. I don't see how pre-misting really would help much.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I'm risking my sanity by posting in one of your threads, but when you're washing a car that hasn't been washed in years, why don't you just do a bucket and hose wash, using OPC as the car wash? Take an ounce or two and mix it in a gallon of water. Any tough spots spray undiluted OPC and agitate. Put the sponge in the bucket. Rinse before it dries like you'd do with any car wash. It's not like you're trying to be gentle on your LSP since there isn't any. If you went to a tunnel wash the stuff they use would curl your hair (and various other parts of your body) and make a bucket of diluted OPC look like moisturizer.



I guess what I'm saying is--just wash the freaking car already! This isn't nuclear weapons production--nothing is going to happen if you mix a little ONR and OPC together in your bucket--the worst is you will get a little residue on the car that you will have to rinse off. Even my friend who is actually OCD and some other things (not just kidding around Autopia OCD) was able to do a once-every-seven-years wash on his car, with a bucket of car wash and a hose. He just sprayed some 409 on the mildew spots that wouldn't come off with the car wash (his idea), and then rinsed that off with the hose. Food for thought.



Then once the car is clean, you can just use ONR in the future without hurting your brain, because the way you are doing it is hurting mine.

 

[dervdave]

Over the last couple of weeks, I've cleaned two filthy cars. Haven't been cleaned in years.



So, when I'm running a sponge over them with ONR of course, some of the gunk won't come off with ONR.

Just wash the car with a good car soap/shampoo and without rinsing wash again with ONR.

 

[David Fermani]

Over the last couple of weeks, I've cleaned two filthy cars. Haven't been cleaned in years.



So, when I'm running a sponge over them with ONR of course, some of the gunk won't come off with ONR. So, I grab a spray bottle of 3:1 OPC and hit it with that.



I get it clean, but it just seems to slow me down so much and makes me end up going back over stuff I've already down because the OPC requires rinsing even though the ONR doesn't.



Anyway, you've got to do it like that? You've got some gunk that won't come off with ONR so you spray it with OPC and have to rinse before drying? Or, maybe after the OPC, if you just run over it with a sponge filled with ONR (at the car wash dilution) that's good enough? You don't really have to pull out the hose and rinse the OPC off?

If you're doing a car that hasn't been washed in years why wouldn't you want to wash/flush the heck out of it water? Especially when you're using a degreaser. You can ONR all day, but there's still going to be dirt left behind. :nixweiss

 

[levander]

I'm risking my sanity by posting in one of your threads,

What good is life if you can't risk your sanity once in a while? But, it is good to see you back. When I'm trying to wrap my head around something the 1st time, I can get pretty intense. And, it's truly astonishing how complex doing a good job cleaning your stupid car can be...

but when you're washing a car that hasn't been washed in years, why don't you just do a bucket and hose wash, using OPC as the car wash?

Hmmm, I could try that...



First reaction is that it'd be expensive. I'd be surprised if an ounce or two per gallon would do much. They recommend 3:1 with OPC for everything but wheels. An ounce or two per gallon would be 128:1 or 64:1. But, if that level of dilution would work?

Just wash the car with a good car soap/shampoo and without rinsing wash again with ONR.

With the couple of filthy cars I've done, a 2nd pass hasn't been necessary. Just wanted to grab some OPC.



Based on what was suggested by Scottwax, I'm thinking there are 2 solutions that are in-line for what I'm looking for:



1.) 2 Buckets and 2 sponges. 1 bucket with the ONR car wash, a 2nd with just water, maybe some ONR. Each bucket gets a sponge. One bucket and sponge is for the ONR, the other is for the OPC. This way, no mixing of the ONR and OPC.



2.) 1 bucket and sponge, just for the ONR. When there's a spot I need to hit with OPC, just instead of pulling out the garden hose, just run the sponge filled with the ONR'd water over the spot and call that rinsing. But, is it okay to mix the ONR and OPC like this?



3.) What Setec said.



The 2nd solution opens a question about chemistry. How desirable is it to have some OPC mixed in with the ONR water? Now that I've got my thoughts all straight, I'll be able to write a succinct email to Optimum this weekend sometime. Last time I emailed I was surprised at how thorough an answer I got.



But, what Setec's said has got me thinking. I'm betting the 2nd solution is fine. When you dilute OPC so much, does it even matter that there's a touch in there? If it does matter, then maybe just using really diluted OPC, like Setec said, would be a good solution.



I'll email Optimum and see what they say.

 

[Pats300zx]

I'm risking my sanity by posting in one of your threads, but when you're washing a car that hasn't been washed in years, why don't you just do a bucket and hose wash, using OPC as the car wash? Take an ounce or two and mix it in a gallon of water. Any tough spots spray undiluted OPC and agitate. Put the sponge in the bucket. Rinse before it dries like you'd do with any car wash. It's not like you're trying to be gentle on your LSP since there isn't any. If you went to a tunnel wash the stuff they use would curl your hair (and various other parts of your body) and make a bucket of diluted OPC look like moisturizer.



I guess what I'm saying is--just wash the freaking car already! This isn't nuclear weapons production--nothing is going to happen if you mix a little ONR and OPC together in your bucket--the worst is you will get a little residue on the car that you will have to rinse off. Even my friend who is actually OCD and some other things (not just kidding around Autopia OCD) was able to do a once-every-seven-years wash on his car, with a bucket of car wash and a hose. He just sprayed some 409 on the mildew spots that wouldn't come off with the car wash (his idea), and then rinsed that off with the hose. Food for thought.



Then once the car is clean, you can just use ONR in the future without hurting your brain, because the way you are doing it is hurting mine.

LOL :LOLOL:LOLOL:LOLOL Rock on SA !!!!

 

[NSXTASY]

Then once the car is clean, you can just use ONR in the future without hurting your brain, because the way you are doing it is hurting mine.

Just wash the car with a good car soap/shampoo and without rinsing wash again with ONR.

If you're doing a car that hasn't been washed in years why wouldn't you want to wash/flush the heck out of it water? Especially when you're using a degreaser. You can ONR all day, but there's still going to be dirt left behind. :nixweiss

When I'm trying to wrap my head around something the 1st time, I can get pretty intense. And, it's truly astonishing how complex doing a good job cleaning your stupid car can be...

Wow....If this isn't a troll...

LOL :LOLOL:LOLOL:LOLOL Rock on SA !!!!

LEVANDER: The advice is clearly spelled out. If you can't "wrap your head around car washing" I can understand why your having such problems and I don't think "intense" begins to describe what is happening here. This guy has to be a troll.

 

[craigdt]

I'm risking my sanity by posting in one of your threads

:har: My sentiments exactly.





Leavander: Just wash the car. Dude, find a method that works for you. It doesnt matter if Scottwax, Accumulator, Setec or anybody else likes or dislikes your wash routine.



Just do it how it works for you. Then move on with life. Its not that big of a deal. You are making it waaay too complicated.