Rinseless & No-Rinse Shampoo - In short, it's black magic

That explanation may sound a bit silly, but the first time I came across Rinseless, or rinse-free shampoo, I thought it sounded completely stupid and silly.

How on earth can something that doesn't lather and doesn't need to be rinsed off be safe to use? It really took me a while to become a fan, as I'm a creature of habit like everyone else, and have always been told that it takes lather to remove dirt, sure!

When I finally started using it, I've only been able to explain it as simply black magic because it goes so against everything we've been taught, and it has without a doubt become my new favorite product.

When I'm faced with someone who is new to car care, I will always suggest leave-in shampoo over traditional auto shampoo, which simply has too many benefits for me to cheat them out of trying it myself.

What is Leave-in Shampoo?

Optimum was the first to invent a rinse-free shampoo with their Optimum No Rinse (also known as ONR), and when applied to the car's surface, it encapsulates the dirt and lifts it away from the surface, making it harder to scratch the car.

The big difference from traditional car shampoo is that you don't have to rinse when you're done, you just have to wipe with your microfiber towel.

Can I still use prewash?

You can still use pre-wash, rinse-free just means you don't have to rinse after you wash. Rinse-free is just like traditional car wash, a matter of reading your car correctly.

If it is filled with sand, mud and other dirt, it is beneficial to use a pre-wash and rinse it off before using a leave-in shampoo.

But why is Rinseless car wash cool?

In short, it can be used whenever and wherever you want. It doesn't matter if you're at home in your driveway, or inside your garage, or a parking basement, you can wash your car!

In the past, living in an apartment meant having to use a car wash, or finding a good buddy to help you. That's no longer a necessity. You can simply stuff your rinse-free car wash shampoo into a spray bottle, spray it directly onto the car's surface, and keep it in your wash bucket, just like traditional car shampoo.

Most rinse-free car wash shampoos can even be used in direct sunlight, and are therefore also great to use when the sun is baking, which is almost impossible with traditional soap. You just need to be aware that you have to wash one panel at a time, and here it is recommended that you wash a little longer than the panel fills, and then dry the panel immediately afterwards.

Can I spray rinse-free car wash shampoo on the car first?

You can definitely do that! It's not a necessity, but if you want to be as safe as possible so that you don't scratch your car, it's a really good idea.

Personally, I only do it if I don't use a prewash, but you can certainly use it after a prewash.

I live in an apartment, can I use leave-in shampoo?

Even though I live in a house myself, I don't wash at home, and typically use a room or a car wash to wash my car, and there I use leave-in shampoo.

All it requires is that you have a wash bucket where you can put water and your leave-in shampoo. If you really want to help yourself and give yourself the best possible conditions, I would even recommend that you use it together with a spray bottle or pressure sprayer.

Simply mix your rinse-free shampoo in your wash bucket, fill it in your spray bottle, and then you can spray it directly on the car before you get started.

But why? Most people who live in apartments typically don't have access to a pressure washer, and therefore any form of dissolving dirt before touching it is a welcome gift, and by spraying it on beforehand, it starts working and you don't have to start washing a dry surface.

Are there other benefits to rinse-free car wash shampoo?

It actually is, just like I called it black magic earlier, it's definitely not a lie. Just like ketchup can be used for most dishes, (sorry but I love ketchup!) so can rinse-free car wash shampoo be used for more than just washing your car.

Here are just a selection of the additional functions they can provide:

• Clay lube
• Quick Detailer
• Waterless (so spray on and wipe with a cloth)
• Glass cleaning
• Interior cleaning
• Cleaning polishing pads
• Drying aid
• Removing polishes

As I said, there are so many ways to use leave-in shampoo. When I polish cars, it's my preferred method for removing the used polish. So now that you've learned a little about the dark magic behind leave-in shampoo, let's welcome you to the dark side.