Has anyone tried Lucky Earth Waterless Car Wash? I was going to order a bottle of Optimum No Rinse but I was at the Alt Car Expo in Santa Monica today and saw a demo of Lucky Earth and decided to pick some up. I was wondering which is better for light cleaning.
My car wasn't very dirty so I thought it would be a good chance to give Lucky Earth a try. I was not impressed. It sprays on in a fine mist the same as any detailing spray. A lite wipe with a pre-damped microfiber cloth and a lite wipe with a dry microfiber resulted in a streaked finish. To really do a good job take much more liquid and some buffing with the microfiber. I will be trying Optimum this week to compare and post my results here.
Yeah, it does a really fine job of taking the GRIT and DIRT that you are trying to remove and turn it into SANDING GRIT for destroying the clear coat. Thats why you use water in the first place, to REMOVE DAMAGING DIRT. You then use a Mitt and lots of soapy water and gently remove the rest of the filth from your car, without, scratching the Clearcoat. I use Meguiars Ultimate Detailer wth Wax, only after the car is washed and dried. I am suprised at the grime it picks up that I missed!!! It also leaves a great shine!!!
There are products out there that can safely clean paint without a great deal of water, like the ONR, or Protect All's Quick & Easy Wash (same kinda thing). Generally though...if it comes in a spray bottle I'd pass.
I know I am a fan of Griot's garage products, but I have personally used Griot's spray on car wash and it works fine. I did it in my garage, out of sunlight, and on both my old 2006 black prius and my new 2010 blizzard pearl, the results were great. Spray-On Car Wash Kit - Cleaners - Car Washing - Car Care - Griot's Garage http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/car+washing/car+cleaners/spray-on+car+wash%2C+one+gallon.do?search=basic&keyword=car+wash&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
This would be my analysis of the two methods based on the following brands: Lucky Earth, Eco Touch, Bayes, Optimum, QEW Waterless Car Washing Pros - Convenience - Speed - Cleaning power - Shine & gloss - Biodegradability (depending on brand) Cons - Less foregiving (streaking) - Cannot handle as much grit/dirt - Higher risk of clearcoat scratching/marring if surface too dirty - Amount of towels required No-Rinse Methods Pros - Streak-free - Little chance of clearcoat scratching & marring - Compatibility with waxes and polishes - Cost per wash Cons - Less convenient (buckets and water still required) - Synthetic Teflons and polymers/non-biodegradability - Less gloss
Whatever it's worth, the only safe way to clean plastic windshields is plenty of water to wash away the abrasives. Any kind of spray on cleaner will leave scratches, which then leaves you polishing out scratches. I have to assume the plastic windshields only difference is you get to see the scratches more readily, and of course the plastic may be softer, but your still scratching the paint as well.
The truth is whenever you touch paint you are introducing marring. However, QEW and ONR, in my experience and the experience of many other professionals, is just as safe as bucket & hose washing.
[FONT="]Hi Guys, I’m Jeff from Lucky Earth. I wanted to answer some of your concerns regarding our products. We have worked with some of the top chemists in the country to develop the next generation of car cleaning products. You can be sure that our products are developed with the safety of you and your car in mind. That’s why many Toyota, Smart Car and Harley-Davidson dealerships sell and even use our products in their service departments. All you really need to do is be sure you follow the instructions on the bottle. Simply spray the car with a little of the Lucky Earth car wash spray. Then do the same with a micro-fiber towel and wipe off the dirt. After that, use a second clean and dry microfiber towel to lightly buff the work area to remove any residue. There shouldn't be any streaks once you wipe again with the dry micro-fiber towel. Another benefit of using our product is you save money each wash. Each 32 ounce bottle will give you approximately 7-10 washes depending on usage, amount of dirt, and size of the vehicle. That's about $1.50 per wash. Unlike a bucket and hose which can use up to 140 gallons, or even a commercial wash which can cost on average $15 dollars and uses about 45 gallons of water. Lucky Earth car wash saves up to 800 gallons of water per bottle. Unlike some of the other products mentioned, Lucky Earth has no toxic chemicals or VOC fumes so it’s safe to use around children, pets, and yourself! We are so proud of our products we want to give you guys a discount to try it for yourself! All you need to do is head over to our site luckyearth. com and use the discount code: TOYOTA I would be more than happy to answer any other questions you have! Thanks! Jeff[/FONT]
I thought about trying ONR, but I just don't see how it wouldn't scratch. Without rinsing it seems like you would be dragging dirt across the paint.
Trust me, I am EXTRAORDINARILY anal about my cars, and my Lexus is a deep burgundy color that scratches very easily. ONR is completely safe, provided you use it properly and use good quality towels and wash media. It encapsulates dirt and protects the paint from scratching. Its actually very cool to watch. Trying it for the first time was hard for me too, but I promise you, from one car fan to another...its not going to scratch, just follow the tutorial I posted in this forum. I've not tried your product so I can't comment as to its effectiveness, but I can say the fact that its used at dealerships is no feather in your cap. I have had people pay me hundreds of dollars to correct the mess dealerships have made of the paint on their cars after just one wash SO many times its not even funny. Car dealerships and proper detailing are like oil and water. I actually would be less likely to try it if dealerships use it...
Hi Eddie, [FONT="] Lucky Earth "Waterless" Car Wash utilizes an emulsifier to loosen the dirt then, the water soluble silicone encapsulates the dirt and grime that makes a slick barrier; dirt and grime is effectively slides off to safely clean your whole ca. It's sounds simple [/FONT][FONT="]enough but, world-class chemists that have worked diligently to create an effective next generation of "waterless" car wash products that are safe for you, your car and the earth. We'd love you to give it a try so, we are offering free shipping for orders over $35 and a coupon code for an additional discount of 20% off. With Lucky Earth "Waterless" Car Wash there is no bucket, no hose, no runoff, no hassle. It's easy to use and will save you money - about $1.60 per wash. Contact us with any questions. luckyearth. com Give us a try and you'll be amazed. We hope to hear how you liked it. Best, Jeff, Lucky Earth [/FONT]
There's a difference between answering questions and shilling product IMHO, this post really crosses the line...
I got my order of Optimum No Rinse (ONR) today. WOW am I impressed! That is a quick and easy way to wash a car. It's not a half assed wash either it is truly clean. They sent me a free sample of their wax which I will be trying at some point (currently using Zaino). It's a spray on wipe off and gets great reviews over at the Optimumcarcare forum.