A Clean Iq Is A Happy Iq

[Dark Matter]

I’ve had my IQ just over a week and yesterday gave it its first clean.

As I stood back and admired the brilliant white pearlescent paintwork a thought occurred that I should share a “secret” with all fellow IQers.

Have any of you tried waterless cleaning products? My last 3 cars hardly ever saw a bucket of water but were instead cleaned using a product called Showroom Shine from Greased Lightning.

http://www.greasedli...CFcUmtAodaC8OVg

The video is a bit naff but does illustrate the remarkable properties of the product.

Today as I looked at the IQ parked outside my office window it was the only car in the car park that the rain was simply rolling off of.

During the summer my cars are always clean as a quick 10 minute top up a couple of times a week keep them looking as if they have just come out of the showroom. The IQ will be no exception, with the diminutive size and the polishing friendly curves that will probably cut to 5 minutes.

It’s not cheap but the results are remarkable and difficult to explain how it works so effectively at removing dirt and building a seemingly impenetrable coating of protection. Bird crap,bugs spats, tree sap, road tar etc. simply will not stick to it and come off with a gentle rub.

I've aways used Autoglym products in the past so it took a lot to impress me - but the though of using a bucket ,water shampoo chamois etc etc is almost laughable now

Recommended - because as we know a clean IQ is a happy IQ.

( .... and no, before you ask, it doesn’t scratch the paintwork)

[aaronfife]

I owned my own award winning waterless detailing business. Waterless comes up superb on the pearl white paint. I got my waterless products from Pearl Car Care. It is expensive but you get what you pay for, as they say.

Waterless, if used correctly can achieve better results than traditional. Depending on so many factors. Give Polished Bliss a go. Based in Aberdeen, Scotland they have a fantastic range of professional polishes and waxes/glazes etc.

IQ is nice small car to work on :)

[Adam-IQ2]

i use Astonish Spray N Shine only £1 at Wilkinson

pretty good

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/car-cleaning/astonish-spray-n-shine-car-care-750ml/invt/0286891/?htxt=%2FUvRjc0xAaKk26JwgsxcsV6E2gjpK53ITJCPcypNRrR6jhjYX3SDlEUFWaOdTpLU0xVcTayKYYOc%0Aw4t9gBa9qg%3D%3D

[johnan]

Always use "showroom Shine" myself. Makes my old MG look like a new car, which it most certainly isn't.

Great stuff!

John

[craggle]

Interesting stuff.

If someone had of suggested this to me before this thread I'd have said "Surely you are just pushing the dirt around and scratching the car?" They probably would have replied "Don't call me Shirley" but now I'm tempted to try it.

I live in a house that hasn't got hose pipe facilities so I always drive over to see my parents and clean the car there but maybe I can do it at home. If it really is as good as it says on the tin and people have had good experience with it I'm more tempted to give it a go. :)

I'll let you know if I do, no point trying in the torrential rain we've had over the last week!

Craig.

[Red Yaris 54]

i use Astonish Spray N Shine only £1 at Wilkinson

pretty good

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/car-cleaning/astonish-spray-n-shine-car-care-750ml/invt/0286891/?htxt=%2FUvRjc0xAaKk26JwgsxcsV6E2gjpK53ITJCPcypNRrR6jhjYX3SDlEUFWaOdTpLU0xVcTayKYYOc%0Aw4t9gBa9qg%3D%3D

Astonish Spray and shine is NOT a waterless car cleaner and should only be used on previously washed cars........If used on a dirty car it will just result in swirls and scratches.

Used on a clean car it produces a reasonably shiny finish :)

[Dark Matter]

Interesting stuff. ............ "Surely you are just pushing the dirt around and scratching the car?"

Craig.

Yeah ... I get that a lot. All I can do is assure you it doesn't but I must admit I can't explain why. It just doesn't.

I hate the terms "miracle" and "magic" for products but in this case the words seem appropriate! Use it once and you'll never use a bucket again.

It always amazes me that waterless washing is not more popular.... but then again responses to this thread may mean that it is more popular than I thought.

Along with my IQ we have a SAAB convertible that has never seen a bucket of water and always been cleaned with Showroom Shine. The paint work is immaculate even under close inspection in the "right" light NO swirls , no scratches ( not from waterless washing anyway!) ... just a hard amazing shine.

Limitations. Thick caked on mud probably a good idea to get the worse off first. Don't get it on your windscreen but it is perfect for all other glass although I have a thing about putting wax on glass and use a separate cleaner - but that's my choice.

This method is really quick, and because it's so quick you can give it a quick 5 minute clean a couple of times a week and the car always looks clean. Easier in the summer obviously ... but I have cleaned my car mid winter in sub zero temperatures when all pipes and hoses are frozen ! It's really nice driving around in the snow with an immaculate car!!! The pleasure is even more because all other cars are inevitable filthy caked in road salt and brown snow......... neither of which will "stick"particularly well to a car with a nice layer of Showroom Shine.

[johnan]

Showroom Shine works without water because it contains surfactants which encapsulate the dirt particles and prevent them from touching the paint surface as you wipe over it.

It then leaves a Carnuba wax layer which must be buffed off with a different, preferably microfibre, cloth.

You are more likely to cause surface swirls and scratches using water and a sponge.

[craggle]

I'm always concerned that dirt will build up in sponges and scratch the finish hence my initial disbelief in these products.

I will have a go now though as it seems a popular option and if you were going to get scratches I'm sure you would have all noticed them by now. :)

I'll go on a spending spree later.

Cheers

Craig.

[Dark Matter]

Welcome to the waterless world craggie!!!!

Hosepipe ban ?...... water meter? .....we laugh at them

I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the results. I can only speak for showroom shine but I guess all waterless cleaners are good. The products Aaron suggested from Pearl Car Care look interesting. May give them a go when stock of SS run out.

After a couple of days driving in the pouring rainy my IQ looked a bit dull last night and as it was a lovely evening and set to be dry today I though a quick buff was in order

- I timed myself. 7 minutes and the car now looks like it did when I drove it out of the dealer (actually I think it looks better !!)

[s44gtw]

I am pleased it worked for you.

Every day i have to go over my cars.

I was reading your post and thought i would time myself going out to wash off the Sharp sand that blows about here from the quarry & the bird dirt that lands or blows on the wind from the car they dive bomb next door.

After filling my buckets,

i Matched your 7 minutes with 2 buckets on 3 vehicles.

A dash of Tesco 'Wash & Wax' per bucket, (much cheapness)

2 litres for £1.78 is marvelous IMO

Not hosed or rinsed today but still wonderfully shiney.

Even though i was a car spray painter and have used all sorts of professional stuff on trade vehicles,

my own cars get a simple treatment for a show finish without any expense.

Never waxed anymore, after years of using expensive waxes paid from my own pocket and from customers pocket.

Now i come to believe that was such a waste of money.

Protected twice a year, before winter and after winter usually with 'Mer' the ultimate car polish, i have loads of the stuff so that should last my life time as it seems to be less needed these days, as winter lasts all year.

'Turtle wax 'Ice' used for a quick going over the car before going off to Motor Shows , car events or the like where people might expect to see a shiny car.

I love the stuff for my own cars and doing family members cars.

After years of hard work & expense it works just perfectly for me.

I bought kits @ 3 for the price of 2 online , 2 years ago, done about 20 cars with it and the first bottle is still half full.

So 'Ice' and Tesco own brand products have made my life easier and me lazier, but with shinier cars than i ever had with all the Autoglyn or Meguiar's type products i used to use.

I will give your recommendation a try,

but it will not be used without a wash first with the amount of Sand or salt or bird poo on the paintwork around my way.

& most importantly to me is getting crud , muck, slime and salt hosed out from between body panels, trim etc.

george

[Dark Matter]

....................After filling my buckets,

i Matched your 7 minutes with 2 buckets on 3 vehicles.

A dash of Tesco 'Wash & Wax' per bucket, (much cheapness)

2 litres for £1.78 is marvelous IMO

Not hosed or rinsed today but still wonderfully shiney. ...........

george

3 cars ..,.that's going some! I still think applying a polish ( traditional or waterless products) gives better shine that just washing alone. Without using a squeege and /or chamois to dry the car you are going to leave water spots ( I guess none of your cars are black!)

It's a good point about under body, wheel arches etc needing a blast of water to clean them .... probably agree with that to some extent and would confess to using the hose to remove caked on mud and crud from such places.

I also tend to agree that the cheaper cleaning products often match over hyped (and marketed) leading brands like Autoglym. - despite being a fan. Never really seen the difference between Autoglym glass cleaner and the ASDA equivalent! But I did like Autoglym polish but that may have been because I'm a sucker for a brand associated with Aston Martin!!!

I'm also a bit paranoid about getting wash/wax onto windows particularly the widescreen as I think the wax content causes wiper juddering and poor wiper performance in general and is a b***tard to remove.

[s44gtw]

The 'Mer' is my Polish & protection not Wax anymore,

& the 'Ice' gives enough shine for a long time that the water or Wash and wax just beads off,

a quick drive after a wash and the car is dry.

I dont get water drops leaving any spots from the Wash & Wax drying if i just leave it to run off and not rinse,

no micro fibre wipe or anything gets done, but thats why i use the Cheap Tesco stuff and sparingly,

it does not leave the deposit that more expensive stuff does.

(I do tend to dash out to wash cars just before or during it raining, more lazyness)

I always & always have used Rain X on my windows including the windscreen.

Both my iQ's were black, and they were washed at the end of or before that start of any journey

or they looked terrible,

the first and last Black cars i will ever own, (next one is going to be Silver)

& thats when i started my relaxed cleaning procedure & first started using Turtle Wax 'Ice' because it was so good on the iQ's plastic.

Before that it was always 'Tesco Tyre & Bumper restorer' £1.99) spray that i used at home if not using a Trade Preparation.

Thats my Satin Black and rubber treatment especially for winter time as it is as good as Silicon spray for stopping door seals freezing.

george

[craggle]

Gave my car a quick, old fashioned wash the other night with a water and sponge, let it dry naturally then sprayed on some Turtle wax waterless wash and buffed to a shine. I bought this as I was in Halfords buying other cleaning products and they have a 3 for 2 thing on at the moment so thought I'd give it a go.

Anyway, Very impressed. Cleans well and leaves a nice slippery finish on the car.

Looking to buy some more though for when it runs out and someone I know who flies planes says try onedrywash as he does on aircraft and it leaves them shiny, slippery and the bugs polish off easily. http://www.onedrywash.com/

It looks good in the website blurb and a good price too but has anyone here heard of it and tried it? I may try to borrow his bottle sometime and have a go before buying.

Cheers

Craig.

[mrpj]

I have used this stuff http://www.ebay.co.u...=item4167c0c07b which I find good. A lot of people say it's rubbish for some reason? Maybe they're a bit doubtful of cleaning a car etc. without water!

One Dry Wash is available from Argos TV channel, I've never used but no doubt very similar to Shoroom Shine. http://www.argos.co....NE+DRY+WASH.htm

[craggle]

Ahhh, That's interesting. The chap with the aircraft said he ordered some through a TV shopping channel first then a company called Pooleys started stocking it so he gets it from there now although it's in their own label.

http://www.pooleys.com/prod_list.cfm?&PageNum_rs_product=2&product_category_id=13&product_sub_category_id=233

Think I may take a chance, order some and report back to you all on results. :)

Thanks.

Craig.

[johnan]

There are quite a few suppliers selling the same sort of stuff now, but I have used Showroon Shine for years without needing or wanting to use anything else.

It even does a great job on my MG's soft top and flexible screens, I have always been scared of scratching them when cleaning, but Showroom Shine does it perfectly with no worries about scratching.

John

[wornout]

I use Showroom Shine nearly all the time and it really is superb, however, last week, for a change, I took the car to a jetwash and there must have been grit in the brush.........left some scratches on the car. I am soooo cross.

[Mr Jones]

I use Showroom Shine nearly all the time and it really is superb, however, last week, for a change, I took the car to a jetwash and there must have been grit in the brush.........left some scratches on the car. I am soooo cross.

I jet wash my car but never use the brush, shampoo or anthing. Just spray it till everything is out, drive back home then show room shine it.

[wornout]

That is the way I will be doing it in the future.

[Dark Matter]

Probably going to have a similar approach with a hose myself in the future - particularly in the winter months when the mud and muck makes using Showroom Shine a bit wasteful. Meanwhile postie has just delivered a nice fresh 2 pack of SS. :D

[johnan]

I jet wash my car but never use the brush, shampoo or anthing. Just spray it till everything is out, drive back home then show room shine it.

"thats the way to do it" as Mr Punch would say, although I use a Karcher at home to do the jetwashing.

John

[Mr Jones]

I've been eyeing on a jet wash from Argos, the B&D has come own to £79.99... tempting...

[Dark Matter]

I've been eyeing on a jet wash from Argos, the B&D has come own to £79.99... tempting...

If you just want to use it for car washing..............

742/0078 is really good value

[johnan]

If you go for a pressure washer for cleaning your car, I would suggest ideally you want one with enough pressure, and suitable lance, to remove the dirt without resorting to using a brush or sponge as well, or you are just back to the possible scratching scenario.

I.e. you want one with the highest rated or useable bar value that you can afford.

My Karcher came with a "dirt blaster" lance which is too powerful for using on a car, so they say, but I do and it has not caused any problems.

I would rather use it than rub it with a scrubbing brush, certainly.

John