Is a waterless car wash product a good option for your vehicle? It can be, as long as you employ the right technique, and choose a good quality brand! Today, we’ll look at the 6 best products on the market to help you choose the right one for your car.
If you’re a car owner, you probably already know how restrictive owning a car can sometimes feel! There’s just so much maintenance needed that you can’t always have the time or patience for it. One of these procedures you need to follow on a more-than-regular basis, however, is definitely washing your car.
Depending on the car you own, the climate you live in, the road conditions in your area, as well as your own car care standards, trips to the car wash can be as frequent as once every two weeks, once every week, or even almost daily. So this chore can easily become tiring and what was once a joy to do now becomes a real pain.
This is exactly why automotive technology has advanced to offer alternatives to vehicle owners that don’t have the necessary time or resources to go to the car wash so frequently.
In this article, we’ll explore in greater detail what the alternatives are to washing your car the traditional way, as well as the 6 best waterless car wash products for you to try as soon as possible.
But first, let’s take a closer look at the stressors that threaten the integrity of your car’s paint and its beautiful shine.
Why Is It Necessary To Frequently Wash Your Car?
What happens with cars is that they inevitably get that dreaded matte look over time due to a wide range of damaging factors.
First of all, there’s dust. Regardless of where you live, dust is a consistent occurrence that relentlessly settles on your car panels. Dust not only makes your car appear dirty, giving an unaesthetic look, its tiny particles can be very corrosive and damaging to the car’s paint, creating micro-scratches that are difficult to eliminate afterward.
Apart from the neverending dust, there’s also dirt, which is even worse, since it’s simply unclean matter. Dirt particles will simply wreak havoc on your car’s paint and will urge you to pay a visit to the car wash.
Factor in contaminants coming from polluted rain, as well as unyielding UV rays from the sun, and you have yourself a surefire way to see your glossy paint fade away. Road grime also has a way of sticking to cars that’s very difficult to remove once it hardens into the surface.
What Are the Alternatives To Washing Your Car?
Just as there are dry shampoos for people who don’t have time for an extensive shower, there are now also waterless car wash products taking the hassle out of cleaning your car, making it look spotless.
A waterless wash is an actual solution, and, thankfully, there are lots of high-quality products out there that do an excellent job at eliminating the need for those pesky car wash trips. You won’t need to wash your car anymore, but instead, apply one of the following waterless car wash products we’ll review in this article.
The best part about this is that you can get to it in the comfort of your own garage or by the curb, wherever it’s more convenient and time-saving for you.
Is Waterless Wash Good For a Car?
After reading all of this, it’s only natural to ask yourself: ‘Is waterless washing good for cars?’ As with any new emerging technology, there will be early adopters, whereas other folks wary of the improvements will wait to see how the market reacts.
So, to answer this burning question, yes, you can rest assured that waterless wash is definitely good for your car. Not only is it good, but it’s also recommended, as in some respects it’s even better than traditional and/or automatic washing.
So, what are some of the benefits of a waterless car wash? There are quite a few differences between regular car washing using water and waterless car washing. Some of them are actually noteworthy benefits:
You Won’t Waste Any Water
Perhaps this is the most obvious benefit of all, since no water is involved when using waterless wash items. A traditional car wash will have you wasting around 40-60 gallons of water in one single go, which is really unnecessary, and to be honest, not very environmentally friendly.
The alternative to this is an eco-friendly waterless car wash product that not only saves water, but also serves to protect the paint in the future.
Time And Space Flexibility
In other words, you can opt to wash your car with a waterless car wash product at any time, anywhere. You won’t be required to find a window in your schedule or to wait in line in the self-service car washes.
You can simply do it on a Monday evening in front of your home or during a coffee break on a relaxing Saturday morning.
You Only Need a Few Car Wash Kits And Tools
As you know, preparing for a car wash at home requires quite a bit of time and tools.
You’d need soap, sponges or mitts, two different buckets, a hose, drying tools, and so on. Quite a lot for such a basic procedure! When it comes to a waterless car wash session, all you need is the waterless wash spray solution and a few microfiber towels.
Save Money In The Long Run
Whether you choose to go to a professional car wash or you’d rather wash the car by yourself at a self-wash facility, you still end up digging into your pockets for the necessary and regularly-needed funds.
When opting for a waterless car wash solution though, all you need to do is pay once for the spray itself. With just one bottle you get to clean your car several times, while also adding that much-needed level of protection.
Your Car’s Paint Will Remain Intact
This is perhaps what many car owners fear the most when thinking about opting out of traditional car washing and choosing the waterless car wash alternative – that the product will damage the paint. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth, and well-versed users have already experienced this first hand.
While it’s true there may be some waterless car wash products out there of doubtful quality, as long as you choose premium products and allow the reviews of other car owners to guide you, you’ll find a top-notch solution to cleaning your car without needing to use any water.
Our article aims to help you discover just this and enables you to make an informed decision when choosing your ideal waterless car wash product.
Long-lasting Shine And Protection
Another benefit of ditching conventional car washing and going waterless instead is the fact that waterless car wash products offer a glow that lasts quite some time after the care procedure.
This is not to be said about traditional car washing as well, where, as you already know, you may have washed your car on a certain day and the next it’s all dusty again.
Apart from this, with traditional car washing you also get those annoying water spots that as harmless as they seem, are quite pesky and annoying. As long as you apply a waterless car wash spray and wax solutions, you’ll also get a protective layer that will keep your paint at bay from any outside harmful factors like road grime and dirt, as well as air and water contaminants.
Disadvantages Of Traditional Car Washing
As you can see, traditional car washing is slowly starting to lose ground by offering plenty of disadvantages as well.
It Takes Too Much Time
For starters, you lose a lot of time actually picking a car wash to go to and maybe even needing to queue in line, depending on when you can afford to go. Or, if you opt for the old bucket wash technique, you won’t need to switch locations, but you’ll have to invest plenty of time and effort into getting that spotless shine for your car, while also needing to prep a long list of tools and materials.
May Result In Scratches On Your Car
Apart from this, using water and other cleaning solutions to wash your car may result in fine scratches, as well as in unpleasant and unaesthetic water spots.
Harder To Dry And May Cause Rust
Another way water can affect your car is the rust that may form in certain areas, on top of the fact that it doesn’t dry easily. Keep this in mind, especially when you need to have it impeccably dry to apply a wax finish.
This is why it’s best to let the old go and make room for the new. Having said this, it’s time to really consider choosing waterless car wash products and give them a chance to see what they can do not only for your car but also for your time and money.
How Do You Clean a Dirty Car Without Water?
When you think of a dirty car, you may imagine a very dusty vehicle that’s been driven all around, gathering all the dirt, grime, and dust it possibly can. And it might in fact be true. In some cases, even seeing the paint underneath the heavy coat of dirt can seem like an impossible feat.
Don’t fret though, there are plenty of waterless car wash products that can help you make any dirty car look clean once again. However, it’s important to note that you do need a quick rinse for your car if it’s heavily soiled. It’s true you will use some water, but not as much as with a traditional car wash.
After you’ve removed any heavy debris, you can begin the waterless wash process. The cleaning process itself is very easy to follow, even when it’s your first time cleaning your car with such a product. There are a few things to keep in mind just so you get it right the first time and don’t risk any micro-scratches or poor results.
Waterless Car Wash, Step-By-Step
- Get clean microfiber towels and keep them handy.
- Fold your first towel in half and then repeat the procedure.
- Start at the top of your car and gradually work your way down. This is the best way to carry out the cleaning process as it prevents the solution from dripping on any clean area. Plus, you won’t have to lean over or accidentally touch already cleaned areas.
- Apply some waterless wash on both your microfiber towel and a section of your car.
- Wipe your car in one direction only. Also, avoid a circular motion as it may result in you bringing dirt back into clean areas and scratching the paint.
- Dry everything with a second soft microfiber towel.
- Flip your washcloth as many times as you can. Switch to a new cloth whenever you feel you’ve used every single area of it. This is a key tip to consider if you want the waterless car wash process to go smoothly.
- Move on to the next dirty area that needs cleaning.
- Extra tip! Use plenty of product on your microfiber towels. Follow this recommendation even on waterless wash products that may advertise themselves as sufficiently lubricated. Using a fair amount of product avoids wiping the car with a rather dry cloth, ensuring a shiny finish with all the protection needed.
As you can see, with some diligence and careful strategy, you can easily clean your car with the help of a well-chosen waterless car wash product.
What Is the Best Waterless Car Wash Product?
We’ve carefully sifted through all the waterless car wash products on the market to offer you a list of six of the best ones out there!
We know that information online can sometimes be confusing and that the wide array of available products can make it seem almost impossible to know which choice will be the right one for your car while also considering your budget. This is why we’ve decided to get our own hands in the mix and test some of the best waterless car wash products on the market.
When choosing these products, we took into consideration the number of reviews they had and, of course, the quality of these reviews. We only chose the ones people kept returning to over and over again:
1. Nexgen Waterless Wash
Although with less reviews than the others products tested here, I wanted to give this waterless car wash a try as Nexgen has pleasantly surprised me with both their Ceramic Spray and their Ceramic Soap.
As I had expected, Nexgen Waterless Wash is really fantastic, and if you had to take one spray bottle on the road with you to do everything, from washing to car polish and vehicle exterior protection, this would probably be it.
It removes dirt, pollen, dust and other stains and leaves behind no streaks, smears, or spots, and the subtle coating left on the car is absolutely amazing and super slick looking. Best part is, it protects your car’s paint from rain, UV radiation, and other environmental hazards without leaving the paint sticky/oily for dust to stick to.
The smell is great too, so it made it pleasant to work with. The only downside to Nexgen’s Waterless Wash is its price. And although a little goes a long way, at $32 for 8oz Nexgen is probably amongst the most expensive products in its category. But even with the price, I found it was worth it.
Overall, I found this product amazing. I would rate it a 10/10, but since it’s a bit pricey, so I am rating it a 9 out of 10.
2. Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax
With over 7,400 reviews to attest its quality, the Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax definitely knows how to earn its top position as one of the best waterless car wash products around.
What makes this item so special?
If you need to take only one bottle of car detailing on the road with you, put it in your trunk, and head off, this should be it, since it does it all. It has a super slick formula that’s easy to apply on any surface of the car, and what is left behind is a protective, shiny, non-sticky film. This means you won’t have any dust settling on your vehicle once you’ve applied this product. Literally any car owner’s dream!
Although the Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax includes wax in its composition, it does not leave any streaks. This is an extremely desirable feature for those car enthusiasts who own black vehicles. It simply lifts off fingerprints, bird droppings, dust, and bugs without leaving any marks or scratches behind, making it truly the most coveted item on the market for those interested in a good waterless wash session.
All in all, I liked how this product performs, and I rate it a 8 out of 10.
3. Wet or Waterless Car Wash Wax Kit 144 oz. Aircraft Quality
At 144 oz, this waterless car wash wax kit is everything you need for your car and more.
This product is uniquely branded as having been used by the AirCraft (this intrigued us so much!) all around the world for 33 years. Think NASA, Air Force One, Marine One, Airlines, and the Military. Corporate and private aircraft owners also use this product, which speaks about its quality and top results!
Then, they sponsor sale after sale, which demonstrates this item’s top-quality features and just how satisfied car owners are with it.
This Aero Cosmetics Aircraft Quality waterless car wash wax kit is created to gently clean your car while creating a protective, non-sticky, UV-safe film. This means that your vehicle will get extra protection from harmful sun rays, which is always a great plus.
Apart from this, this waterless car wash solution offers a protective film meant to also shield other layers you may already have on your car, such as waxes, ceramic coatings, and sealants.
As a car owner, you are probably already familiar with all the alcohol-based products used in the automotive industry and you may know just how harmful they can be. The Aero Cosmetics waterless car wash wax kit is alcohol and ammonia-free and all water-based.
This solution is also ‘human-friendly,’ which means it’s not toxic and completely safe when it comes to eye or skin contact, causing no irritation.
Remember this is an entire kit and it provides the following items for a spotlessly clean car:
- 1 gallon of Wash Wax ALL
- 1 16 oz spray bottle of Wash Wax ALL
- 4 microfiber towels (16 in x 16 in)
- Product Guide
- How-to-Use Guide
Seeing how it gives you all you need to get that waterless cleanliness you fancy, the Aircraft Quality car wash wax kit can be used anywhere from your garage, parking lot, an RV park, and many more other locations.
I did notice the wax doesn’t last too long with this product when compared to regular wax. But, if you use it every time you clean your car, you can notice that specific sparkly cleanliness you always desired. As an added perk, the wax works wonders on the windows, enabling your wipers to perform even better than before.
As some customers noticed some haze after using this product on their top-tier cars, we can say that this product works really well, but you may want to test your options widely before using it on your luxury vehicle.
For the same reason, this product may be less favorable for dark-colored vehicles as some smears can appear from time to time after the waterless car wash procedure. So keep in mind that if you live by the highest car care standards, you might want to carefully test this product out.
My conclusion after using this product is that many other items on the market perform better, which is why I will rate the Aero Cosmetics Aircraft Quality with an 8 out of 10.
4. SHINE ARMOR Fortify Quick Coat – Ceramic Coating – Car Wax Polish Spray – Waterless Car Wash & Wax
The SHINE ARMOR Fortify Quick Coat – Ceramic Coating – Car Wax Polish Spray is rated on Amazon as one of the best waterless car wash treatments out there, with over 51,000 positive reviews. But is this product really living up to its hype?
Shine Armor’s solution is advertised as complex and advanced, offering 3 steps to car care: ceramic coating, car wax, and waterless wash, enabling you to clean your car quickly and efficiently. All while also taking care of the detailing part. And as a carowner, having all these car care steps included in one single product is, let’s face it, pretty amazing.
Unfortunately, the results were far away from my initial expectations, and the only good thing about Shine Armor waterless car wash sprayable solution is that it’s very easy to use. It can be sprayed on the paint, glass, wheels, textured plastic, clear optical plastic, bumpers and window trim, engine bays, door jambs, exhaust tips, and so on.
Like many other products that wish to do more things at the same time, Shine Armor ends up doing nothing right. It doesn’t perform too well in terms of the actual cleaning, and it doesn’t offer any notable results in the ceramic coating and waxing, either. Not to mention that at $20 a bottle, you would expect it to show something for its price. What you get is just a little product which vanishes after 2-3 washes.
I found this product to be very disappointing (surprisingly) so I’ve rated it a 6 out of 10.
5. Adam’s Waterless Wash
Boasting more than 800 reviews from customers, Adam’s Waterless Wash is another popular waterless car wash product among car enthusiasts.
This product has earned its right to be on this list for a variety of reasons. One of them is because it uses a formula with extra surfactants and lubricants that lifts the dirt up and away from the car’s finish.
In fact, Adam’s Waterless Wash is safe on all painted surfaces, trim, wheels, windows, and chrome. This solution has also been created so you can enjoy it streak-free whether you’re dealing with humidity, sun, or shade. I did mine while relatively sunny outside and encountered no issues with it. This waterless car wash sprayable solution also incorporates slick clay lube and is a type of super shine detailer that will quickly become your best friend during every single waterless wash.
And still, the same advice we’ve given before is applicable here as well!
If you own luxury or showroom cars that you’re looking to keep in pristine conditions, this product may not be for you since it may leave certain swirl marks on your vehicle.
We can also argue that the finish may not be as glossy as that of other quick detailing products. However, it pays to use it at least once during your waterless car wash procedure and see how well it bodes with your car.
Overall, this is an okay-ish product but not spectacular in any way. I’m rating it a 7 out of 10.
6. Flowgenix Grand Finale Waterless Car Wash Shine and Shield
The Flowgenix Grand Finale Waterless Car Wash Shine and Shield has been reviewed by over 3,500 car enthusiasts, and 70% of them have given this product an unapologetic 5-star review. Let’s look into the reasons why and what the other 30% of the customers had to say about this item, as well as what it did for us when we tested it.
First of all, this product has rightfully earned its position amongst the best six
waterless car wash products considering how quick and easy it is to use.
Wiping my vehicle with this solution was incredibly easy and straightforward. Apart from this, it’s also an eco-friendly waterless car wash solution that doesn’t use any sticky or harmful solvents. It being primarily water-based, it doesn’t cause any irritation to the skin or eyes.
One bottle of the Flowgenix Grand Finale solution will be enough to clean a decently dusty car and repel water from its surface. This is also great for motorcycles, as it leaves the bike looking as if it just left the showroom.
The only concern I noticed with this item is that the spray nozzle may not have optimum functionality. Several customers have also claimed the spraying area is wider than necessary, causing you to lose valuable liquid. Others mention the nozzle only sprays an insufficient amount of liquid, which may result in micro-scratches.
In order to solve this issue and get optimum waterless car wash results, you can easily just buy a greater quantity of the Flowgenix liquid and use it in your own bottle with a nozzle that suits your needs best.
Overall I cannot say that I was too impressed by the Flowgenix Grand Finale solution, which is why I will rate it with a 7 out of 10.
The Takeaway On The Best Waterless Car Wash Products
These six waterless car wash products are the best on the market as indicated by their popularity among car enthusiasts and their many positive reviews.
My intention behind this blog was to test them and see why they’ve made the cut into the top six out there.
They are all meant to do the same thing: help you clean your car without using any water, but only the solution at hand and a couple of microfiber towels. They’re also created to offer a hydrophobic film, which means that any water beads should slide right off your car.
Apart from this, the waterless car wash products reviewed above are also meant to give your car that showroom gloss that every car owner dreams of and they mostly do so successfully.
On top of the shine, these sprays and solutions have also been designed to create a protective film on every single panel and area on your car, shielding them from harmful UV rays and other contaminants.
Now, it’s true that every single product reviewed online will have unsatisfied users, which is why I wanted to share a balanced view of each of them, so you can make an informed decision when purchasing.
I’m confident that once you order some of these items and get into serious business regarding car care, waterless washes will become your go-to car care solution!
I hope this article has helped you find the right waterless car wash solution for your vehicle. Reach out to us if you have any additional questions regarding car care products and services. We’d love to help!
To find out more about the best products for your car, check out some of our other reviews:
