Waterless Auto Detailing

Whether you want to call this waterless auto detailing, or waterless car washing doesn't matter, it is all based around the concept of washing or detailing without water.

Waterless car washing is simply replacing traditional car washing methods that requires wetting your entire car using water and soap, to using a product that can be sprayed onto your car to remove the dirt and grime. Waterless auto detailing is simply incorporating this technique into the complete detailing process.

The product to the left is one of the many examples of waterless car washing products available on the market today. Just like any other product, they are not all created equal and each person must ultimately decide which product works best for them. Most professional detailers use the current selection of quick or instant detailers as waterless washing products.

First Things First

Let me start by giving you my own personal example I use to explain waterless auto detailing and/or car washing.

Compare your car to that of a fine piece of wooden furniture you have in your house. Waterless car washing products would be the equivalent of using a furniture dusting polish like Pledge.

• You spray product onto dusty and dirty furniture.
• You wipe with soft cloth.
• You are left with clean surface.

This is exactly the same principle at work with these waterless washing products. My Question and Answer session below will help clear things up. Remember my example of the furniture, as I will refer back to this.

Q. How does this product work?

A. Manufacturers claim to have ingredients within these products that dissolve, loosen, soften, etc. the dirt and dust particles. Whereby you can simply wipe off with use of waterless product.

Q. How does the process work without scratching?

A. The exact operation of this process is done by encapsulating, or emulsifying the dirt and dust particles with these spray-on liquid products. Of course you could apply this same process through the use of simply spraying the dirty surface with water itself. Any form of liquid you spray onto a dirty surface would be creating an emulsion; which is simply suspending one liquid within another. Since we are talking dry dirt and dust particles, using the term emulsion would be specifically incorrect, but it is commonly used in this topic and I think you get the point. We are suspending the dirt and dust through the use of these waterless auto detailing and/or washing products.

Q. Why would you want to use one of these products?

A. Mostly these products have been produced to not only save time, but to produce better end results than that of just using water. It is also a way of water conservation and environmental conservation. By not using water with traditional car washing and auto detailing methods, you are not only saving water, but there is no water run-off to contaminate the environment.

Q. Do I use this method professionally or on my personal vehicles?

A. Yes, and yes. Because I let my customers have a choice and teach them how to maximize their dollar with me, I inform them that by having their cars washed prior to our detail appointment time, they can save money by paying me to detail only, instead of paying me to wash first. The reality is that the dirt on your cars paint, must come off before the real detailing can begin. This is a simple and basic chore that most anyone can do; like your local car wash that charges $10-15 to do. It is not necessary to pay detailing prices for car washing chores. Since most my customers elect to do this, I don't traditionally have to worry about washing the car first. If my customer has chosen to have me wash and detail at the same time, then I have to make a judgment call just like you would. Common sense should apply here; if there is too much dirt on the paint, then the waterless auto detailing, or car washing method would be inappropriate.
I do use this method on my own cars exclusively as I can accomplish better results in a shorter time by using the waterless auto detailing method. I have specific tricks and steps I use to ensure the most optimum results, but I rarely get my personal cars wet using the traditional car washing methods.
The waterless method fits directly into my business model of "Minimal efforts...Maximum results."