another ONR question

well i used it today for the first time and loved it, i used the two bucket method and i just got a couple of questions, my micro fiber mit got dirty even with it being rinsed with a separate pail(i even rubbed it against the grit gaurd) wont this induce scratching if the mit is dirty and can i keep the ONR and reuse it?

 

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.

If you use the two bucket method (one fitted with a grit guard) which highly recommended with this type of product, the wash solution will stay clean enough to be reusable as a pre-soak solution or for cleaning wheel surfaces. ONR is formulated to ensure that dirt particles won’t mix with the solution but fall to the bottom of the bucket.

 

so even if my mitt is dirty after going in the rinse bucket that wont hurt the paint

 

That's the theory.

I confess I was a bit nervous when I gave my car her first ONR bath. I decided to use a grout sponge. I was pleasantly surprised by the sponge's easy release of dirty into the rinse bucket. As far as I can tell, my car survived her bath quite well. We'll probably try it again next week.

Cheers,
Al

 

Speaking of the grout sponge. I went to Lowe's, and the brand they had was Tile Solutions. Will that work well?

 

I got my grout sponge at Lowes, too; but I think mine was Proline or something like that. I intend to stop by Home Depot and pick up theirs too, just so I can compare.

 

With regards to getting the sponge/mitt dirty I've nogticed that too. The mitt/sponge seems to get stained in colour but I haven't had any kind of micro marring from my sea sponge :shrug: I'm a tad paranoid about marring my paint so I always use the two bucket method and for the most part the rinse bucket gets really dirty and both the rinse bucket and the ONR bucket for me have quite a bit of dirt on the bottom of the grit guard...like I said so far no micro marring even though my sponge looks dirty. Just my :2cents:

 

I put together a thread on another forum about ONR. Here's the FAQ section.

FAQs (Thanks BENCE & ANTHONY O.):
1. Why does it feel slimy and not foam?: ONR should feel somewhat slimy, as this provides lubrication/encapsulation which carries away the unwanted dirt particles from the surface. This is a good slime.
2. Why is my wash media so much dirtier than when I do a traditional wash?: ONR binds the dirt to the wash media intentionally. You should change mitts as needed. They can then be soaked in regular detergent to release the dirt before rinsing or washed in the machine.
3. What are the environmental advantages?: Much less water is used by eliminating the rinsing step, not to mention on average only 2 gallons are used to wash vs. 6-10 gallons with the two bucket method (not including rinsing). Also, with a regular wash the mitt will release the dirt into the (usually 5 gallon X 2) rinse bucket, it would likely end in the storm drains when you dumped the buckets. With the ONR wash you can wash your mitts in your machine and dump the remainder of the 2 gallons of solution into the sink or toilet where the dirt goes to the right place where water can be treated/purified. Optimum Products also come packaged in HDPE bottles (which are one of the few widely recyclable plastics)
4. Should I still use the two-bucket method to prevent marring?: ONR softens water, so the bigger particles just sink to the bottom of the bucket. It’s like having a built-in grit guard in the wash solution. Smaller particles end up in the wash media.
5. Is there any advantage to using DI/distilled water to make the solution?: Softer water cooperates well with ONR. ONR's actives bond to the minerals of hard waters, therefore you may add more ONR to harder waters. DI/distilled water have no such minerals and the cleaning/protecting power of ONR can be exploited without weakening. These kind of waters will feel slimier than tap water.
6. My ONR Clay lube lost its color, will it still do the job or is it ruined?: ONR may lose its color when the sun hits it directly, but this won't affect its performance.
7. My car is really dirty, should I use more of the concentrate?: Using significantly more than the recommended dosage won't multiply ONR's performance; it will work effectively with the recommended amounts. You can still fine-tune the dosage to your exact needs (soiling of the vehicle, water hardness, wash media type, etc.).
8. Can ONR be used to clean windows and interiors? Yes, ONR can be used for an interior and exterior glass cleaner. It can be used at the regular QD mix.....a bit stronger if you're doing nasty windows and a bit less if doing more regular upkeep type cars. If you notice streaks and smears then you need to cut it back with water.

 

Should we infer from this FAQ that a two-bucket method is unnecessary or nonbeneficial when using ONR?

 

last week did white mercedes very dirty, used 2 gallons with onr and rinse bucket, in spray bottle used onr and pretreted one side of car then grout sponge and 2 gallons of water in 5 gallon bucket w/grit guard and really cleaned up well, had to be clayed so sprayed one panel w/onr and clayed then wiped down came out awesome all done with rims and tires in 1 hour used dg501polish to further clean and seal. Love the stuff...:applause2:

 

The 2BM is really just for insurance and/or reassurance. :thumb:

 

wow great info guys thanks....is a microfiber mit or a sponge better to wash with?:applause:

 

I found that using the two-bucket method that two gallons in the ONR bucket was insufficient: by the time I was two-thirds of the way around the car, the volume of the ONR bucket had decreased drastically. By the time I had finished all the panels, I didn't have enough solution for the wheels. Anyone else have this experience? Anyway, next time I'm going to use 3 gallons for the ONR bucket.

 

Yes, pretty much. I use my 5 gallon pails and at least 4 gal of water. Also use the 2 bucket method even though it might not be necesary. Its a comfort level thing for me and why risk it with only 2 gallons in the ONR pail. Rather err on the side of safety.

 

Another big fan of the ONR here. I've started using it again with winter coming on here in STL. I use at a minimum 3 gal. water in my solution bucket as I've experienced the diminishing of solution in the bucket as well and started to run short to finish the car. In the rinse bucket (2BM), I fill it just enough to get a couple inches above the grit guard. I also use nice, warm water from the kitchen sink. Like many others, I was very hesitant at first, but have never noticed any ill effects on several cars washed this way.

My only real question is with wheels and ONR. I still prefer breaking out the hose to do my wheels. Not really sure the best way to get in between spokes with using the wash mitt.

 

DJ, you might find these two videos of interest:

ONR and wheels (part 1)

ONR and wheels (part 2)

 

I know that's hard to get your head around, but yeah. I mean use a little common sense and don't keep washing with two inches of solution in the bucket, and if you're not using a GG don't drag it across the bottom.

 

ok picked up a grout sponge today, just curious as to how many peeps use this as apposed to a wash mit?

 

I use a grout sponge.

 

I don't use the grout sponge but I do use the sea sponge, what the difference is beats me but I love the sea sponge :thumb: