The Ultimate Guide to Rinseless Car Washing

In today’s video, Levi gives us the ULTIMATE Guide to Rinseless Washing! This video was made for people new to Rinseless washing with products like Optimum No-Rinse (ONR) and Absolute Rinslesss Wash. Levi covers how he prefers bug removal, wheel cleaning, and drying when it comes to rinseless. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!
It should be obvious that we’re big advocates of Rinseless washing here at TRC. The Freedom to wash anytime/anywhere with only a bucket and a few sprayers is quite liberating! Many people will question rinseless washing, mainly for the concern of the marring or scratching. With the right technique (As Levi Demonstrates) we’ve NEVER induced any damage during the rinsless wash process. A Pre-Spray technique makes a MASSIVE difference, as well as just knowing how much dirt is too much and when a hose rinse may be necessary.
As Levi says, Rinseless washing is a skill/technique and once you UNLOCK it and LEARN it, it becomes second nature in taking care of your vehicle.
Did you learn anything new in this guide? When and where do you like to rinseless wash? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:00 Intro
00:14 What Is A rinseless wash?
00:52 Everything You Need
01:20 How To Make A Rinseless Wash
02:39 Bug Removal
03:31 Wheel Cleaning With Only ONR
04:39 Wheel Cleaning with ONR + A Chemical
07:14 Single Panel Wash Method
09:22 How To Dry ONR + Protection
12:11 Rinseless Washing The Whole Vehicle
13:24 Recap
14:05 Outro

[@njackson18]

Best video on rrimseless without using a hose.

[@chemicalphie]

Just moved to a complex with no access to a water source outside. This video had all the info I needed. Thank you!

[@ajcap]

I switched from foaming and two bucket to rinseless back in 2015 and have never looked back, I’m simple too I just use ONR. I know the product is old but it works amazing still to this day. All I drive is black cars too, no isssue ever

[@J1Z06]

Great video, Levi! I've been using rinseless wash techniques for a few years now. I really enjoy the process. Thanks for shading this.

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

Rinseless for life. It's all I use and it has never let me down and I have never had a customer complain about the results.

[@henrylynch9437]

Hey, im 17 wanting to start my mobile car cleaning company, just wondering for getting started which materials etc I need, just to provide a good, consistent exterior and interior wash for each customer.

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

@@henrylynch9437Here is what I use for a wash. DIY Rinseless (ONR is easier to get through Amazon and is great.) The Rag Company Ultra Black Sponge A sprayer full of rinseless (A spray bottle works if you want to save money at first.) A bucket Grit guard The Rag Company Gauntlet Drying towel A tire brush a wheel brush A few microfiber towels APC for the tires and wheels. Bing bango. You have a clean car done in under 20 minutes with out a ton of water everywhere. Rinseless 4 Life.

[@BruceSWeinberg]

Very helpful. I have been using rinseless, but it’s nice to have Levi’s advice and recommendations

[@tomchinigo5014]

Great video Levi, thank you !! Enjoy your trip !

[@NipkowDisk]

A great refresher course on rinseless washing!

[@finaltouchautodetailingllc]

Great video Levi, I always learn something from your videos.

[@wesoakes]

Yvan and Levi got me to try it back in 2012. Changed the game!

[@illiyakuryakin3092]

Pro Tip - Wash the wheels (Dirtiest part of the car) LAST. That way you are not dragging the dirty wheel water (Even though you have a bucket grit guard) over the most delicate surface, the paint.

[@paulattanasio3061]

Great information as this will be my first year doing a rinse-less wash since I live NY and winter is here and I already turned off my outside water so I will be trying this rinseless wash technique! I feel confident that it will be fine as long as it is above freezing 🥶

[@jeffc6832]

Oh yeah! Back to the roots of TRC...just in time for hot rinseless (in the cold) season.

[@bystolics]

Great video. TRC has converted me to a rinseless wash lover! For an added layer of insanity/caution, I do a foaming pre-wash (Bilt Hamber Touchless or AutoFoam) before going in to do a rinseless contact wash. Keep up the great work, team TRC!

[@theragcompany]

Glad we could put you on to some new ways to wash thank you for your support!

[@RuneJuulJensen]

Rinseless all the way🤩 Great video 👍

[@cndgcaidkin]

Great video!!!!

[@OscarM.94]

Perfect video about rinseless wash. I was a bit confused about it🤦🏻‍♂️ lol very helpful Levi!👍🏽

[@theragcompany]

Glad it was helpful and good luck on your rinseless journey!

[@HannahsGarage]

Love the soundtrack guys 👌

[@EMT0329]

I needed this

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

Nothing like Rinseless. I have been doing Rinseless over 10 years too.

[@AndrewTa530]

safest and most efficient!

[@duanepassey5931]

Yesterday I just added the Jersey Scrubber to my rinseless wash bucket process. Glad to see that idea validated!

[@theragcompany]

haha great minds think alike 😎

[@spacewatches]

Amazing and helpful video. Thnaks a lot Levi. Just a question what add more the revision #5 to ONR?

[@azimpetra]

You can also do the windows. Works great. Also in your mop bucket. Very versatile.

[@TheMstwntdLMSV123]

I've started using my cordless leaf blower to blow off any loose, abrasive particles before going in with a pre-soak, especially with all the leaves flying around this time of year

[@theragcompany]

not a bad idea!

[@user-rw5fu9bo9i]

Very Helpful

[@theragcompany]

Glad to hear that!

[@jamesp57867]

Good video. Use warm water. You can do this in the garage or driveway without dragging out the pressure washer and hoses in cold weather.

[@EduardoHenrique-nw3hv]

Awesome work! I'm doing rinseless car washing on the weekends and I have a limitation about washing cars in the sunny area. What products you use in this case?

[@MNpicker]

Rinseless FTW!!🤘🏻

[@Sherukka]

10 years is a very safe claim for Levi 😊It’s probably more like 15 years

[@forevertool]

Thanks for the video and Great explanation about how to do the job,one question hope you can help me,that bmw had a paint enhancement right a few days back? and that why it shines so much with the ONR rinse less wash

[@user-yb2tp4qf1r]

I use Raineless wash when I am lazy, but it dose not have a real cleaning power like a proper wash. But I do use it a lot as a drying aid when I am not applying a sealant.

[@ericwright1075]

Levi is the first person to explain what a 256 to 1 means,so that an amateur detail geek can understand Is the IK Pro 2 a good choice for me? Thanks 🇨🇦👍👍.

[@theragcompany]

The IK Multi Pro 2 is a great option, we just released the new 360 version on the site!

[@ryanl8653]

The rinceless OG himself (Yvan) would be proud, great vid. Even though you didn't use any of his current products.

[@ABG2412]

Hahaha... That's because Yvan is all over the board with products (whomever is paying the bills). All these products are great and the time/money/anxiety spent figuring out which one is best is beyond goofy. My personal loves are ONR and N-914 (sometimes even do a blend). If I could only have one, it would be the ONR, but the DIY Rinseless Yvan plugs now (and I believe is invested in) is also looking great. They're almost all just great products.

[@ceakoth]

David Cross is getting into the car detailing game? I’m in!

[@ericocampo7028]

Great video. Is a rinseless wash good enough to prep the paint for correction and or polishing?

[@chevron32]

Been doing Rinseless Wash for years. I say I broke the code lol. I can wash cars on the fly everywhere and for a fraction of a time. More driving and less time on cleaning.

[@jeffreyg5718]

Are you a professional detailer or detail for money by chance?

[@Tigerbergslim]

Love the website ...it's my go to page for all my cleaning products...will you guys start selling other brands any time soon ? .

[@theragcompany]

Thanks for your support! You never know :)

[@MyGuyKirby]

So nice to see a good demo again with a dirty 'bimmer'.

[@fidiak]

Nice

[@rvazquez818]

Cool retro intro.

[@lukashudik4870]

Amazing stuff , thank you TRC, you were one of the main reasons me getting into rinseless.. Other day I was wondering,spraying ONR from my sprayer to interior wipe, how long the rinseless solution can hold in the sprayer/bottle? Any idea if there are any limits? 🙏

[@theragcompany]

Thank you! We typically expect up to 3 months on the solution.

[@jaredsyoutubechannel]

How do you clean and store the ultra black sponge after use, a d when do you know it is time to get a new one?

[@dstmedia2054]

I like to see a comparison between this and Frothe from ammonyc

[@brianly3222]

Is there a rule of thumb to how you know what the limit of rinseless is? Thanks for the video! Very helpful.

[@theragcompany]

Thanks for watching! If the car is visually caked with filth usually a pre spray is in order before using a rinseless.

[@mikeh9949]

This was awesome, thanks. How does rinseless wash and waterless wash differ? Does one have more benefits than the other? Ie. Pros and cons

[@nemes1s_HL]

You don't use a bucket on waterless, just spray the solution (more concentrated) on surface and towels

[@robpeluso2852]

Amazing video!

[@theragcompany]

Thanks!

[@kbraap1]

Maybe i missed it but I like to use MWC/iron wheel cleaners since my car has performance brakes. Can I still use those wheel cleaners in this process?

[@haroldcottam8174]

Great video. Can you do a rinseless wash on a rag top?

[@theragcompany]

Yes u can!

[@phat_gunpla_etc]

do you carry any washes that come premix so you don't have to add water and ready to go on the car paint?

[@ref23]

ONR, DIY detail or absolute ? I've been using ONR for a while and I need a rebuy one bottle. Wich one I should biy ?

[@therealmatthewsmith]

What’s up with putting ONR in the steamer? The manufacturers say to use only distilled water. How would it evaporate at the same temperature and pressure as water?

[@rotemshoshani424]

Every time I see Levi I kinda wish he was my buddy and I dunno why Just looks like a nice chill dude to hang out with

[@1967friend]

I’ve been using ONR for rinseless washing for a couple years now. And to be honest, I have yet to find a method that does not result in micro scratching. I’ve tried every method under the sun. And ultimately I can always begin to see the micro scratching after a while. I want to love it so much. But I just don’t believe it’s truly as safe as claimed.

[@iconindexsymbol]

What about tar? I got a can of Citrol, but it needs to be rinsed off. Is wiping it off with a sponge soaked with rinseless enough?

[@neilwalker5041]

Excellent video as I am a home detailer with neighbors which led me to rinseless wash. The only recommendation is to buy the big IK sprayer from the Rag Company because the wand makes rinsing wheel liners and wheels much more efficient. The waterless wash is a very effective cleaner and is a good substitute for an apc. This is why this was used on the lower portions. I also keep a microfiber towel soaking in the rinseless bucket and apply water spot remover to the microfiber towel and then wipe the panel for clogged coatings. Thank you Rag Company team as you guys rock!

[@amac8487]

I love doing rinsless washes if I am in a bind or the car isn’t too dirty. Problem is, then my garage floor gets stained with dirt and debris once all the run off evaporates. If in outside in the driveway, I’d rather just use the hose. Everything has its places!

[@meanf1502]

Levi what one is better onr or absolute

[@YANKS8723]

Great video, just in time. Any cheaper alternatives to a drying aid?

[@theragcompany]

Bead-maker or Paint Gloss are great budget options!

[@TheKeratosis]

i’ve always been told rinseless wash is its own drying aid so the cheapest alternative is to simply skip it since that functionality is built into a rinseless wash

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

@@TheKeratosisYep!

[@Mickycho1964]

How is this ONR works on a convertible top of a BMW 340i?

[@DRacer90]

Can you post all the products used in the video? Plan on doing the same on our cars this upcoming xmas break. Thanx

[@theragcompany]

Thanks for pointing this out. We just tagged them below the video! Please let us know if you have any questions.

[@pepitolopez4233]

I know they made videos for this already, but would've liked a refresher on what to do with drying towels used with protection products so that they won't be hydrophobic as well (without using dedicated microfiber detergents). Thanks for the vid!

[@whitegoodman7465]

White vinegar with tide free and gentle on cold in the washer is what i do and whats recommended if you dont want to buy rags to riches.

[@JWL-UK]

Rags to Riches is the only way to effectively reset your towels.

[@Jake-im2lv]

I have been rinseless washing for maybe 6 months now and don't think I'll ever go back to regular washing. I tried going back to a standard pressure wash and shampoo a few months ago and honestly I got a worse result than using a rinseless and I spent much longer setting up my pressure washer and rinsing. I keep trying to tell other people to give it a go but it seems very hard to get anyone interested in trying it. Their loss!

[@everettekupsche4038]

I use P&S absolute rinseless wash all the time on my daily driver every 2 weeks or 3

[@johnrayenriquez2623]

Good Job Can you use tap hot water or do you have to use ion or distilled or drinking water it is cold in the garage thanks

[@JoshuaWaterDragonDeale]

its best to use distilled water or ion water but its also no problem to use just normal tap water. doesnt need to be hot, it can be warm water. especially in the winter its sooooo nice.

[@kevkav5680]

Great video content, p and s Absolute is now the my favourite Rinseless wash product, out performs , Onr , mckees and diy detail , in cleaning ability and gloss!

[@derekbelton5932]

@kevkav I totally agree having used all of those but honestly nothing makes your paint absolutely glow like Mckees 914 rinseless wash and wax can’t explain it you just would have to try it

[@kevkav5680]

@@derekbelton5932 I will have to try the mckees wash and wax , but living in the uk 🇬🇧 hard to source, thanks for the recommendation!

[@PolishedMobileDetailing503]

I can’t stand absolute 😂 diy or onr for life over here

[@kevkav5680]

@@PolishedMobileDetailing503 what do you recommend!

[@henrylynch9437]

@@kevkav5680Hey! I’m based in England trying to start a mobile cleaning business, just wondering where I could source all chemicals and materials needed to get started? Thanks!!

[@MM-oc2pg]

Hey everyone, here's a cool car cleaning hack for rainy days! Ever thought about using the rain to wash your car? Here's how: Grab a spray bottle and fill it with a rinseless wash solution. When it starts raining, pull over and spray your car with the solution. Let the rain do the work as you drive-it'll rinse off the dirt along with the solution! Easy, eco-friendly, and saves water. Give it a try next time it rains!

[@theragcompany]

Interesting idea! Haha!

[@bryanvlogs1421]

Oh yea 🎉

[@MrMutak]

what are the next steps after such wash ? how to make even more better and shiny ?

[@bobbyrutledge8123]

Follow up with a clay bar, polish and ceramic coating

[@cirasarc4413]

For the pre-soak step where you used the medium ik sprayer (and later the huge one), were those filled with the same rinseless solution or just water?

[@theragcompany]

Same rinseless solution

[@barrybij8079]

Are there benefits to upping the dilution to 200 to 1 ...? Also, with winter approaching, would you use the same method to remove road salt on the paint?

[@rebelkillswitch]

No benefit could even leave streaking. And rinseless is perfect for winter salt washing!

[@user-mh4pq3sl8i]

does the IK Multi 12 Pro 12 high capacity have a valve to pressurize like the Multi Pro 12 Foam IK ? Thanks.

[@theragcompany]

Yes the Multi Pro 12 has a Schrader valve

[@lowasteam5319]

TRC or anyone smarter than me (the pool is wide). Is there any benefit to adding some rinseless to a snowfoam? Asking in regards to both a quickie foam and rinse between washes (in terms of cleaning power) but also for lubricity before a bucket wash

[@theragcompany]

No unfortunately there are no added benefits to mixing the two

[@derekbelton5932]

I wish y’all would open a Rag company 2 on the east coast so my shit wouldn’t take so long to get to me 😳

[@Dominik-CarshineGarage]

Can I use a sponge for this type of washing? Is it better to wash in two buckets, i.e. wring out the dirty sponge in one bucket and have clean ONR shampoo in the other?

[@theragcompany]

Yes you can use a sponge specific to rinseless washing like the one shown in the video. Two buckets can be used for added safety if you're concerned with how much contamination is on the vehicle.

[@realdopewater]

Thanks ! Does the protection last longer/work better when used on a dry (clean) panel vs a wet one?

[@theragcompany]

Due to the fact that water on the surface is diluting the product if you want the maximum longevity for your protection a dry application would be your best bet

[@realdopewater]

@@theragcompany thank you

[@ROBERT-eg4ys]

Always wondered can you get more then one wash with 256-1 mix ?

[@britishrocklovingyank3491]

Yep. If I have several cars to wash at once I use the same buck until I can't submerge my sponge any longer. It works a treat.

[@briannix5572]

How dirty is too dirty for rinseless?

[@davidde8777]

Hi guy's, what do you wash your drying towel with after using a drying aid so it doesn't damage your towel? Dave

[@theragcompany]

Rags To Riches Microfiber Detergent is what we wash all of our towels with here at TRC.

[@davidde8777]

Excellent, hope to see you at Waxstock. Bring some Rags to Riches with my name on it. 🤣👍

[@viperrcr]

Can I use warm tap water for the rinseless or do I have to use distilled water? I think most of these rinseless washes have a water softener in it but wasn't sure.

[@theragcompany]

Yes you can use warm tap water, ONR and Absolute have a water softening agent to avoid spotting

[@junito1008]

6:10 👈🏼😂 Did He say “TO RINSE”?? 🤔…I thought it was a RINSELESS WASH !!

[@whitegoodman7465]

Rinseless is a very superficial clean especially on a car thats parked outside. Did it enough to realize this.

[@richard73]

What do you do if your car is bad for example road salt etc ? Can you still do this?

[@theragcompany]

If the contamination is caked on the car and is in risk of damaging the paint we recommend pre rinsing with high pressure water to remove those contaminates before attempting a rinseless wash

[@cp-ul4bz]

Could this be done in a canadian winter day at -20?

[@theragcompany]

Sure! Because the whole appeal of rinseless wash is that it can be conducted indoors in the relative safety and warmth of a protected garage! Compared to a traditional soap wash, rinseless uses significantly less water and creates less of a mess as a result. The drippings that find their way to the shop/garage floor are minimal compared to a traditional wash. Now, if you’re asking if this can be performed outside in those conditions? Of course not. But neither could a traditional wash.

[@Audittr2108]

Once you dried your car off, the towel will be damp with the rinseless so you can use it to wipe down the interior surfaces, leather seats etc too. So time saving!

[@anthonybeckman]

I wouldn't wreck the dedicated dry towel for inside dirty work. Would just spray a hand MF towel with rinseless, then wipe down inside.

[@Audittr2108]

@@anthonybeckman My interior is never dirty!

[@RayNLA]

Noooooooooooooo…😢

[@dannyaviles4094]

What are the limits of rinsless washing? Can it break downs salts and heavy caked on mud?

[@whitegoodman7465]

lol nope, not even close. Used rinseless tons of times and its a superficial clean at best. Wont do anything to road salt let alone mud. I have major doubts about the whole "encapsulating" thing, is it really realistic when people say it encapsulates dirt..that means it picks up the caked on particles of dirt from the paint and lifts them up in a zwitterionic bubble for you to wipe away...yeah ok..whats the weight and size of dirt for it to do that..lots of questions..i use rinseless for alot of other things but cleaning the car, not a fan anymore. Also as everyone throws that term "encapsulation" around regarding rinseless and even soap...if the encapsulation is one big benefit over soap then why does everyone say that and in the same breath say soap encapsulates as well..i can tell one thing for sure, a soap like carpro reset cleans far better than any rinseless ever could while still remaining ph neutral.

[@Scottwilld]

Is it bad to use a mitt for the whole car? Like more likely to scratch than a sponge?

[@theragcompany]

It's personal preference, here at TRC we prefer the sponge.

[@shojus]

I bought a bottle of ONR and used it for the first time and it had almost zero slickness! I followed directions to a "T" and couldn't understand what the problem was. Maybe I got a bad batch? It's their latest version.

[@whitegoodman7465]

If your used to soap/foam, rinseless is NOT as slick as most claim.

[@bhegg]

Ah, great tip about washing in direct sun. You can't really wash large areas all at once because they'd be dry and polymer-spotted by the time you got to the other areas.

[@nerdynette]

any recommendations for a bucket dolly?

[@whitegoodman7465]

Grit guard.

[@nerdynette]

@@whitegoodman7465 thank you!

[@michaelwelsh9957]

I thought I just needed a sprayer, the wash concentrate, and microfiber towels.

[@AndrewTa530]

bro we gotta talk about the curb rash on them wheels…..

[@KR8810]

I love it love the rag company products but they never seem to mention the DIY detail brand? Thanks to Yvan for introducing the rinseless method .. also love their products

[@Phuong_Nguyen_]

Why don’t you want the sponge soaking wet? It would be good for water to carry the dirt off the car right

[@whitegoodman7465]

Sponge cant absorb the dirt if its dripping wet, it just keeps spewing out water.

[@Phuong_Nguyen_]

@@whitegoodman7465 oh ok. I was thinking maybe let the dripping water rinse the dirt right off the car

[@Dcervantes243]

That tr1 spray hose at 2:15 made me feel like and inferior man for some reason

[@stevelafara6953]

Are those available separately to retrofit on older IK bottles?

[@Dcervantes243]

@@stevelafara6953 not via trc as of yet

[@joaolopes3038]

mas o carro está com muito pé e insetos, não vai riscar a pintura sem colocar água, e basicamente estas a espalhar os insetos pelo carro todo, mas principalmente a espalhar a pó para o resto do carro riscando a pintura se tiver alguma areia

[@user-tr1cm8zw6z]

Absolute or ONR…? That is the question..

[@whitegoodman7465]

Absolute. Has all the best properties of a polymer rinseless but is slicker than onr.

[@silver10188]

what? can't I just do that with soup?

[@AndrewTa530]

mkees37 onr is superior to optimus imo

[@misssummersalt]

Do you even know what the o in onr stands for?? It's OPTIMUM NO RINSE. Optimum is the name of the brand that first started rinseless wash. You can't call McKee's product "McKee's 37 onr", because McKee's is a competitor brand of Optimum. It's like saying "I think the Chevy Ford Mustang is better imo". It doesn't make sense (plus it's kinda disrespectful to Optimum and ONR, come on man.)

[@victor4091]

ONR is superior to mkshit37

[@KkKk-px2le]

😢 I don't know how I watched this whole video. It was terrible

[@theragcompany]

What did you not like about it?