# ONR as a prewash to a normal shampoo wash?



## PeterUK (Apr 21, 2011)

Just dipping my toes in for the first time and would like to detar and also clay the bonnet this weekend.

Never having used ONR before thought I may mix up a prewash spray and use it as a snowfoam replacement (for which I do not have) as part of a normal wash afterwards.

Waste of time?


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## Bel (Mar 1, 2011)

I'm not sure it's a waste of time - ONR does, after all, lift dirt away from the paint just like snowfoam does - but I've become disenchanted with ONR after somebody pointed out that it contains polymers that remain on the surface.

If you're going to clay afterwards anyway then that's fine - in fact that's probably fine for most people all the time - but do be aware that it's not just lifting dirt away like snowfoam does.


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## kirkn99 (Aug 23, 2006)

It’s a good pre-wash although I would usually also wash using ONR but don’t see any reason why you couldn’t use it to lift / soften dirt etc before a normal wash

I find it good at softening and lifting bugs too


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## PeterUK (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks lads, will give it a go and see how I get on.

What's bad about polymers remaining on the surface?


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## TOGWT (Oct 26, 2005)

PeterUK said:


> Thanks lads, will give it a go and see how I get on.
> 
> What's bad about polymers remaining on the surface?


 Good point Bel. They can react with some polishes affecting their abrasive abilities and cause some waxes to sheet as opposed to bead


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

TOGWT said:


> Good point Bel. They can react with some polishes affecting their abrasive abilities and cause some waxes to sheet as opposed to bead


Now if a combo makes it sheet while retaining the wax i would be up for that i would love all the water to sheet off...:thumb:


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## Bel (Mar 1, 2011)

PeterUK said:


> What's bad about polymers remaining on the surface?


Everything I know about this I learned from my recent thread on getting variable results with the same wax:

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=216939

I had it in my head that ONR was purely a cleaner, but as pointed out in that thread it does in fact contain polymers as well. Now, that's a selling point to many people of course, because they use it as a QD but I really was only after a cleaner.


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## E38_ross (May 10, 2010)

it has to have sheeting polymers in it because otherwise it would be a pain to dry, and you'd need to rinse it properly, with water. thus defeating the purpose to be honest.


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

The idea that ONR somehow affects a wax applied to the paint afterward is
really quite bemusing. The coating left behind by ONR is so miniscule that it's
quite insignificant. When you come to apply a wax afterwards, just the solvents 
already present in the wax, required to make it spread properly, will soon cut 
through the ONR layer. I've never had too many problems with beading either...



















Regards,
Steve


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

The problem is steve not everyone waxes after ONR.


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## toni (Oct 30, 2005)

Lowiepete said:


> The idea that ONR somehow affects a wax applied to the paint afterward is really quite bemusing.


It's not a problem of affecting the wax applied afterwards but affecting the properties of the wax already present.

Here's a vid of ONR beading and sheeting after 18months from it's last wax


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

gally said:


> The problem is Steve not everyone waxes after ONR.


Well, I don't either... but I have read posts where people have said that the
performance of a wax applied after an ONR wash is somehow prejudiced. I
think that would be news to OPT too, because ONR is in fact a good way to 
help prepare paint for waxing, or applying a QD.

The only concern I have is with people mixing it at 20:1 when a 32:1 starting
point is fine with UK water hardness. I know that this is recommended on the 
ONR bottle, but water hardness is probably the only factor in gauging the 
dilution in your area of the country. Certainly in Northern England and Scotland,
20:1 is way, way too strong!

Regards,
Steve


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

toni said:


> Here's a vid of ONR beading and sheeting after 18months from it's last wax


18 months? :doublesho
Which wax was this, and are you sure there's any left...?

Regards,
Steve


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## toni (Oct 30, 2005)

It's not my video, but I think you misunderstood my point.

The wax is long gone after 18months, but the polymers in ONR (from the washes) make the paint sheet water.


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