It's official: Car washing in my city is now forbidden

[Guss-E 2021]

This is some truly horrifying stuff. I'm in NH and we occasionally get lawn water restrictions (occasionally) but nothing on the magnitude of the OP.

It seems the need for commercial scaling of the tech in the link below is more critical than ever.

https://interestingengineering.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-air-to-water-devices

I also think we all (not just folks in CA) might want to switch to (or at least supplement with) dry washing our cars. At least during the summer months.

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[Regularmache]

I find that a rinseless wash with ONR is still safe and effective on a dusty car. The key step is to put some ONR solution in a spray bottle or garden sprayer. Then take this and pretreat the area you are washing by first spraying the ONR solution. Let it dwell on the cool paint out of the sun. Then after 1-2 min, proceed with the rinseless wash.

The only time I would still do a traditional wash instead of a rinseless wash is if there is caked on mud or very heavy dirt.

What is an example of heavy dirt?

 

[jhalkias]

I've read all of his books and was a huge fan. Until I met him at a book signing. Turns out that he's a big jerk.

Well, that's disappointing to know. When he and Jerry Pournelle teamed up they did some great work.
Bad news for the West. We visited Lake Powell last year and it was bad then, and worse now. As awful as winter can be here on the North Coast near Lake Erie, at least we don't have severe water issues.

 

[joebruin77]

What is an example of heavy dirt?

For example, if you went off roading and your car is covered in splattered, caked on dirt, I would go for a traditional wash. But anything short of that, I am comfortable doing a rinseless wash.

if the car is really dirty, instead of doing a pretreat by spraying ONR, you can spray with Optimum Power Clean. This is Optimum’s All Purpose Cleaner. When diluted properly, it is safe to use on paint.

Here is a video where they give a really dirty car a rinseless wash with Power Clean and ONR:

 

[dbsb3233]

Well, that's disappointing to know. When he and Jerry Pournelle teamed up they did some great work.
Bad news for the West. We visited Lake Powell last year and it was bad then, and worse now. As awful as winter can be here on the North Coast near Lake Erie, at least we don't have severe water issues.

They've decided to prioritize Lake Powell for now as it was in most danger of dead pool and electricity generation halting. But it comes at the expense of Lake Mead. It's down to 28% full now.

This megadrought out here is in it's 23rd year. Hoping the cycle finally turns soon. But the other problem is millions of people keep moving into the Western states every year, increasing demand.

 

[Kismit]

For example, if you went off roading and your car is covered in splattered, caked on dirt, I would go for a traditional wash. But anything short of that, I am comfortable doing a rinseless wash.

if the car is really dirty, instead of doing a pretreat by spraying ONR, you can spray with Optimum Power Clean. This is Optimum’s All Purpose Cleaner. When diluted properly, it is safe to use on paint.

Here is a video where they give a really dirty car a rinseless wash with Power Clean and ONR:

If they'd put a waterless kit together I'd buy it !

 

[joebruin77]

If they'd put a waterless kit together I'd buy it !

Here are some ONR kits available on Autogeek.net :

https://www.autogeek.net/optimum-no-rinse-essentials-wash-kit.html

https://www.autogeek.net/opt-no-rinse-kit.html

If you get the second one, just be sure to add a spray bottle like this one:

https://www.autogeek.net/36oudebo.html

Some people like to add a bottle of Optimum Power Clean and a second bucket (if you prefer the "2-bucket" method).

 

[Kismit]

Has anyone tried this Chemical Guys Waterless ? I'm considering buying it

 

[joebruin77]

Has anyone tried this Chemical Guys Waterless ? I'm considering buying it

I have used this product in the past and it is a very good product if you want to do a waterless wash. But I personally I have come to prefer a rinseless wash over a waterless wash. Waterless washes are great if you do not have access to any water at all or if you want to do a light cleaning between car washes (I think of a waterless wash as a detailer on steriods). But you are more likely to induce scratches and swirls with a waterless wash than with a rinseless wash if the car is more than lightly dirty.

 

[yngwenli]

I'd honestly rather they just impose water restrictions on people and let me choose how to use the water instead. If I opt to not shower for 2 weeks because I want to give the car a bath instead, let me.

Same if I want all my grass/plants to die, but want to wash the car the old school way (maybe folks don't want to buy another $50-$100 in waterless cleaners).

Water municipalities can just jack up rates to insane level if you go over some baseline maybe. Compared to most folks, we use so little water that I don't know if banning car washes even helps that much (I hear it's agriculture that uses the bulk of water).

I know in my hood, I rarely see people wash their cars even when we didn't have water restrictions (maybe seems too "ghetto" to have to wash your own car in my hood now).

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