Optimum No Rinse (ONR) washing methods

How does ONR work?

[The polymers in No Rinse have reactive groups that bond and trap dirt particles making the dirt particles virtually non-abrasive. They also bond to oily particles and emulsify them into water.

The latter is equivalent to the cleaning action from soaps which also work by emulsifying oil particles into water. However, with soap there is no interaction with dirt. This is why adding No Rinse to a regular wash also helps protect the paint from dirt particles.

The No Rinse polymers also bond to all automotive surfaces and create a slick surface and act as a barrier to protect paint from marring. That is something that soap will not provide since surfactants in soaps have no affinity for painted or other automotive surfaces.

When you use 1 oz. of No Rinse in 1 or 2 gallons of water for your wash at the molecular level this provides hundreds of billions of polymer molecules to do what was said above. Additional product will not be necessary except if you are using tap water that contains high levels of minerals such as calcium hydroxide or silicates. In these cases some of the polymers will bond to these minerals and take them out of solution therefore more product might be necessary to compensate for this effect. This is another reason why adding No Rinse to regular car wash soap improves the results when using tap water. ] - David Ghodoussi - Optimum Polymer Technologies

To remove stains the surface tension that bonds them must be released, then the stain encapsulated and held in suspension to be removed. ONR is an almost waterless wash that doesn’t require rinsing, it’s formulated with surfactants to keep dirt in suspension, avoiding surface contact; it also provides surface lubrication, thereby avoiding surface marring. A surfactant or surface active agent is a substance that, when dissolved in water, gives a product the ability to remove dirt from surfaces. They emulsify the dirt; the polymer protects the paint surface by forming a molecular bond, which remains even after the wash, offering protection comparable to that of a spray wax

ONR is an  ionic wash that contains zwitterions (hybrid) 

[: a chemical compound that carries a total net charge of 0, thus electrically neutral but carries formal positive and negative charges on different atom]  

This allows the polymers to attach to the dirt and form a molecular bond to the surface at the same time. ONR binds the dirt to the wash media intentionally; so you should change washing media as needed

The polymers also bond to automotive paint surfaces and create a slick surface and act as a barrier to protect from marring. That is something that soap will not provide since surfactants in soaps have no affinity for painted surfaces (unlike a polymer).

The polymer protection left behind from ONR is very much dependent upon the water hardness. The polymers bond to the paint surface; this will also provide limited surface protection. That is something that other soaps will not provide since surfactants in soaps have no affinity for painted surfaces. This will have a limited effect on the durability of an applied LSP.

Optimum Opti™ - Clean

For really dirty surfaces

Based on the same surfactant type polymers used in Optimum (OPT) No Rinse™ Wash & Shine New Formula (ONR) it has increased cleaning ability but is safe for use on all automotive surfaces. ONR works fine for a car with light to medium road dirt while Optimum Opti™ - Clean can be used on a car with several days of built- up road salt, dirt and grime.  The reason is that Opti™ - Clean contains the same polymers as  ONR that encapsulate dirt but at a much higher concentration, as well as additional polymers not used in ONR.

Alternative: Use Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer by spraying it on the panels and allow to dwell, this will remove baked on dirt and etc.  Rinse with clean water and then dry, this will create a super slick, incredibly glossy finish.

 [While both of these products are pH neutral, Opti™ - Clean contains much higher levels of polymers than No Rinse as well as some new polymers that we developed for this type of application. The added polymers are necessary to compensate for using a fraction of the water as compared to a regular No Rinse wash] David Ghodoussi OPT.

A totally waterless wash that provides some surface protection and  its ideal for a quick clean up or for use when there is no water available (apartments, condominiums, concours d’élégance or car shows) Simply spray Optimum Opti-Clean on any surface and wipe off with a plush microfiber towel till the area is clean and dry.

Always work in a shaded area on a surface that is cool to the touch. Make sure surface is not gritty with dirt or sand to avoid scratching. Optimum Opti™ - Clean water-less wash is designed to wipe away dirt and grime from automotive paint and other surfaces safely and effectively in a spray and wipe application. The substantive polymers encapsulate the dirt and grime to protect the paint from marring while lubricating and bonding to the painted and other automotive surfaces to provide greater protection while leaving a slick glossy finish behind.

Application-

 Avoid cross-contamination by using different micro fibre towels for differing surfaces i.e. separate towels for glass, paintwork, wheels, and interior surfaces. Mix an aqueous solution Optimum (OPT) No Rinse™ Wash & Shine New Formula (ONR).diluted 1:3 with distilled water in a spray bottle and fold the towel in quarters.

Bodywork - Spray liberally on painted surfaces and wipe clean with an OPT Foam Wash Mitt or a plush microfiber towel. Fold and use a new section of the towel as needed. When there is heavy dirt build up, use Optimum Opti™ - Clean concentrate

Glass surfaces - using a separate micro fibre towel apply one or two sprays and wipe off with a clean plush microfiber towel.

Wheels and lower paint panels - using a separate micro fibre towel, spray liberally and let it soak for a few seconds and then wipe off.

Road salt - to remove salt and road grit or to clean really soiled surfaces I would suggest a pre-rinse to remove the larger dirt particles first before being washed. Then use the ONR concentrates or the traditional two-bucket wash method or if you have a pressure washer available to remove the larger dirt / salt particles.

The number of towels and how much product you'll use will vary depending on how dirty the vehicle is but an average is five (5) towels per vehicle.

Winter or Coated Paint Wash

This method makes an ideal wash for winter washing or coated paint surfaces  Mix an aqueous solution Optimum (OPT) No Rinse™ Wash & Shine New Formula (ONR) diluted 1:3 with distilled water in a spray bottle and a similar solution /in a bucket. Place 10 – 12 micro fibre towels in the bucket, wring one (drying) towel lightly,  mist spray a panel and then take a wet towel and wipe down a panel in one direction only, change to a clean surface of the towel as necessary. When you have cleaned the panel place the used towel in an empty buck for washing later. With the drying towel wipe down the panel, finally with a clean, dry waffle weave micro fibre buff the panel to a shine (Based on a method by Gary Dean)

Use Optimum Instant Detailer & Gloss Enhancer by spraying it on the panels as you dry the vehicle. This will create a super slick, incredibly glossy finish.

I would like to think that these articles become an asset to anyone who is new to detailing and to professionals alike, as well as industry experts who seek to advance their knowledge.

I hope the above article was informative. By having some understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’ along with a little science to help you understand how the chemicals we use react, you can achieve the results you desire.

I would appreciate it if you would share this article as it helps other detailers further their knowledge.

Questions and/ or constructive comments are always appreciated.

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