Ask DI: How to Dilute Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine?
by Xavier @ DI
Optimum’s No Rinse Wash & Shine (ONR) is a very versatile product that can be used in a few different steps within your detailing process. Since this product is concentrated, it needs to be diluted to be properly used. In this article, I will be answering the question, how do I dilute the Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine!
Rinseless Car Wash
The most common use for ONR has to be as a rinseless wash of vehicles and to get the best results you are going to want to dilute it with some distilled water. The dilution ratio that Optimum recommends for the ONR as a rinseless wash is 1 oz. of ONR to 2 gallons (256 oz.) of water which is a 256:1 ratio.
Quick Detailer
Whether it’s for dust removal, a quick bug removal, or just to get some bird droppings off of your vehicle, ONR is the perfect choice for a quick detailing spray. The dilution ratio Optimum recommends is 8 oz of ONR to 1 gallon (128 oz.) of water. If you don’t need a whole gallon of quick detailing you can always reduce the ratio from 128:8 to 16:1. This would mean that if you are using a 16 oz. bottle, you would want to use 1 oz. of ONR.
Clay Lube
Before polishing your vehicle, one of the most important steps to take is to clay the surface for safe removal of embedded contaminants. Without doing this step, you are potentially leaving little particles of contamination on the paint that the polishing pad will catch, rub into the surface and cause swirl marks. You can also cause more swirls and imperfections while claying your vehicle with no lubrication, adding another notch into the belt of ONR. The dilution ratio recommendation for using ONR as a clay lube is 2 oz. of ONR to 1 gallon of water (128 oz.) If a gallon of clay lube is not needed, we can reduce the ratio from 128:2 to 32:0.50. This would mean that if you are using a 32 oz. bottle, you would want to use .5 oz. of ONR.
These are the dilution ratios that will open yourself up to a versatile product that can be used within various detailing steps. I also want to note that these ratios don’t have to be perfect, they are only a guideline to help you on your detailing journey!
ONR should be a staple in everyone’s inventory, detailer to diy’er alike. Just to versatile to not have. At 256:1 I use it to clean glass, quick interior wipe downs. I have a bucket nearby that I drop my used paint only towels in as pre-soak before they hit the wash. Just a must have.
For your clay lube dilution you say 2oz to a gallon of water. So a 32oz bottle would use .5oz of ONR not 2oz as stated.
What are you even talking about that’s exactly what it already says work on your reading bud.
Interior?No. Soaking towels? You know thats totally ineffective as ONR is a surfactant and not a detergent…
Also it repels water making your towels actually harder to wash
Sounds like there is some confusion here. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, or dispersants.
Would there be any problems if too much was used when used for a rinseless wash? Say 1-2 oz. per gallon?
No problems aside from possible steaking. It honestly just wastes product to use more than the recommended dilution ratios.