# Eco touch waterless car wash review



## marc147

This is my first review so i hope i have done a good job  Thank you to rob at eco touch for firstly sending the product and secondly for giving me the opportunity to do a review for him. I have always been curious about waterless wash systems. 

What is it? 

"Eco touch waterless car wash is a spray and wipe cleaner designed to wash your car quickly without using a drop of water. A powerful blend of surfactants lifts dirt away from the paintwork while polymers leave a smooth and protected long lasting finish " thats taken from back of the bottle as i couldn't word it any better. Here is a picture of the kit i received: 



What does it bring to the table? 

Eco touch waterless wash ( as in the name) eliminates the water part of the washing process, which in my opinion is the longest part of the washing of a car.

What i am testing it on? 

I am testing this product on a silver kia picanto LX 

Let the pictures begin, here are some before pictures: 

Due to not knowing how to work this forum fully i can only add 5 pictures so i have had to limit  i have loads aswell.

The spray is really easy to use, and the microfibres are in my opinion a really good size, not to big and not to small, and very soft.

All that is needed to be done is to spray some of the solution onto the micro fibre cloth and start wiping, i done as the bottle said and started from the top and worked my way down.

This process was effortless, the cloth glided over the paintwork brilliantly and picked up every bit of dirt, i kept turning the cloth as it was getting rather dirty, a quick spray of the solution and we were off again. It even took of most of the bugs that where caked to the front bumper and bonnet off which was a pleasant surprise.

After i had done a panel i gave it a buff with the second micro fibre that was in the kit. The shine is amazing for no water involved. 

Here are the after pictures:


What do i think of it? 

I think it is a great product that actually does what it says it does, i have to admit that before i tried this waterless wash i was sceptical and wasn't to sure but after using it and seeing with my own eye the results i can safely say i now believe on it fully. The price if reasonable as well, this kit Costs £9.99 and i think its worth every penny. 

Conclusion 

I think this product is good for the money and easy to use, i know that people will say that i am being one sided and there must be downfalls but honestly i cannot see them.

I hope this review gives you an insight into the product and will get you to see that waterless isn't bad at all. 

Sorry about that little mishap with the pictures, i have had to add them as attachments. i am sure you will be able to work out the before and after shots 

Thanks for reading 

Marc


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## Focusaddict

I get this when clicking on your attachment links...


> Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator


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## Marky-G-66

^ Same here.


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## marc147

hopefully should be fixed, there are attachments now


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## Focusaddict

Yup.


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## Eco Touch UK

Cheers for the review Marc, some cracking feedback


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## Marky-G-66

Quite impressed with that:thumb:... never really tried waterless products... I think i should give this a go:thumb:


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## xJay1337

Never gonna use these for more than a quick detailer at shows etc. 
Cars need water to be cleaned, in my eyes anyway.

A good review nevertheless. Will try it as a detailing spray sometime.


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## DetailMyCar

Have to admit I struggle to see how any waterless wash product can do anything but inflict swirls (albeit minor if you're extremely careful) but as even the most gentle wash procedures generally cause some light swirls over time using as much water as possible it doesn't make sense in my mind that a waterless product will ever effectively clean perfectly as you are still dragging dirt across the panel whichever way you look at it.


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## xJay1337

My thoughts exactly. Which is why I'd only use them as a quick detailer product on an already (99.9% clean car).


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## Lowiepete

DetailMyCar said:


> ...the most gentle wash procedures generally cause some light swirls over time using as much water as possible





xJay1337 said:


> My thoughts exactly. Which is why I'd only use them as a quick detailer product on an already (99.9% clean car).


That's true, because the water does not encapsulate the dirt with polymers
that stop the sharps from doing their damage. Waterless washes are just a
clever technology that gets the best out of using a microfibre cloth.

Your reticence is based upon not understanding the way that MF cloths work.
Couple that knowledge with a polymer rich cleaning fluid; allowing that fluid
time to work; some care in how you wipe and making sure you don't overwhelm
the MF cloth, means that waterless washing is unlikely to cause any more 
swirls than when using a car shampoo.

This technology comes from the investment of untold amounts of dollars in
response to needs created in areas of the USA where water is treated as a 
very precious resource. Unlike us where we feel we're entitled to waste it 
beyond comprehension! For many people, there is no other choice than to use
waterless. Denying that the technology works is now a bit like saying that 
you shouldn't use soap to wash your hands.

The _only_ drawback is the price of waterless, though as more competitors 
surface and the greater the uptake by users, that's bound to fall. At least
the bulk purchases now give much better value for money than hitherto!

Regards,
Steve


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## xJay1337

Hmm. Even with the most plushy microfibres you are still dramatically increasing your likelyhood of creating wash marring marks. 
You will always create some marks when washing even when being super careful but the risk of that happening when using waterless car washes (no pre-soak, no rich, bubbly shampoo, no clean rinse buckets for you 2BM guys) are increased ten-fold (or more!)

If you use the cheapy shortish pile microfibres that most people who uses these waterless car wash products then you have no chance.

With respect the way you bang on about how we "waste water beyond comprehension" sounds like the start of an eco-rally and is off topic and the comparison with soap is wrong.

More like saying you shouldn't use water while washing your hands. After all that would be fairer comparison.


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## Lowiepete

xJay1337 said:


> Hmm. Even with the most plushy microfibres you are still dramatically increasing your likelyhood of creating wash marring marks.
> You will always create some marks when washing even when being super careful but the risk of that happening when using waterless car washes (no pre-soak, no rich, bubbly shampoo, no clean rinse buckets for you 2BM guys) are increased ten-fold (or more!)


Sorry, but that is absolutely wrong! The information that you are giving is
completely false and based only upon supposition rather than any fact or 
experience. The absence of water does _not_ equate to any increase of risk 
in creating swirls.

Just look around you at the advances made in technology. Self-healing paints,
nano coatings, treatments with indefinite protection. You can also include 
waterless washes in that list, and indeed, MF cloths. Thank goodness for 
21stC products!



xJay1337 said:


> If you use the cheapy shortish pile microfibres that most
> people who uses these waterless car wash products then you have no chance.


Again, absolute nonsense not based upon fact! I've been regularly using Aldi's 
finest el cheapo short pile MF cloths for the best part of 4 years on my 
present car without any ill effects. There's a bag with around 40 of them in 
the boot and I wouldn't be without them.

If you are going to nay-say any product, do please do it upon proven fact 
rather than false supposition.

As for my comments upon waste of water in the UK, I stand by them! People 
from parts of the world where water is seen as precious can only wonder in utter
disbelief at our profligacy and attitude.

Oh, and I don't drive a wreck of a car either...









Regards,
Steve


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## DIESEL DAVE

Lowiepete said:


> Sorry, but that is absoultely wrong! The information that you are giving is
> completely false and based only upon supposition rather than any fact or
> experience. The absence of water does _not_ equate to any increase of risk
> in creating swirls.
> 
> Just look around you at the advances made in technology. Self-healing paints,
> nano coatings, treatments with indefinite protection. You can also include
> waterless washes in that list, and indeed, MF cloths. Thank goodness for
> 21stC products!
> 
> Again, absolute nonsense not based upon fact! I've been regularly using Aldi's
> finest el cheapo short pile MF cloths for the best part of 4 years on my
> present car without any ill effects. There's a bag with around 40 of them in
> the boot and I wouldn't be without them.
> 
> If you are going to nay-say any product, do please do it upon proven fact
> rather than false supposition.
> 
> As for my comments upon waste of water in the UK, I stand by them! People
> from parts of the world where water is seen as precious can only wonder in utter
> disbelief at our profligacy and attitude.


I fully agree with your whole post Steve :thumb:


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## DetailMyCar

I'd dare you to take a Black Civic Type-R (EP3) that's been fully corrected and waterless wash it 10 times....

I would put money on there being damage 

Fair enough though, I admit I don't understand the science behind it enough to really pass judgement so this is all just in my un-educated opinion, I just struggle to believe any MF cloth and the correct chemical can break down or pick up every single dirt particle before it gets dragged across the paint by the cloth - Even if you used a brand new cloth for each pass.... if a car is dirty (and I do mean dirty) - I just can't imagine how it works well enough.

Hope you can see where I'm coming from anyway?


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## Lowiepete

DetailMyCar said:


> I'd dare you to take a Black Civic Type-R (EP3) that's been fully corrected and waterless wash it 10 times....
> 
> I would put money on there being damage


Sorry, but you'd probably lose it...

I'd happily take that challenge on because I already have a car with very 
soft paint. When you speak of dirty, then it becomes a judgement call as to 
whether or not to use a waterless cleaner. Generally, if you rely on waterless,
then you tend to not allow too much dirt to build up in the first place. This is 
simply because in the time taken to fill and carry out 2 buckets, I will have 
already completed half the cleaning task anyway. Indeed, with most waterless
washes it just gets easier the more often you use it.

If you're regularly off-roading, then waterless is not going to be for you and
it was never intended for that market. I spend time on a farm twice a year 
and if there's a build-up of cow dung splatter which will often stick like the 
proverbial, then a quick ONR wash with half a bucket of water makes it the 
job of moments to solve. I'll then do a bucketless wash as a follow up so that 
I avoid waterspotting. I could just as easily do it with a waterless cleaner.

As I said in my first contribution to this thread, all that's needed is a basic
understanding of how the 2 technologies work together. The waterless liquid
will bring out the best from an MF cloth and all that's required is a technique
of using the cloth so that it doesn't become overwhelmed with dirt.

Lightness of touch is an absolute pre-requisite so therefore you rely upon the 
cleaner. In turn you give the cleaner time to permeate the dirt before you 
start wiping. Basically, if you have to apply pressure over and above the 
weight of the cloth, then something in your approach needs adjustment.

So, your wiping action is no more than dragging your cloth, and adjusting its
leading edge so that dirt gathered into the cloth is held away from the paint
as you progress. It's nothing more than a judgement call based upon common 
sense.

There's one other point to make. Bear in mind which market it is that most 
waterless washes are aimed at, with most manufacturers also being based in 
that country. If this stuff scratched cars as easily as is being claimed by the
nay-sayers here, then manufacturers would be facing bankruptcy through a
morass of litigation.

How much of a non-story is that? The technology is already well-proven and 
just gets better as time passes. I'm looking forward to receiving this particular
product to review it and from what I've read so far, it's unlikely to disappoint 
me...

Regards,
Steve


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## Junior Bear

I really do think someone needs to do a proper comparisons with this compared to a normal wash

Start with a perfect finish panel, 50/50 of each product used in its intended way over a period of 3 months


Then get the sun guns out.




Lowiepete you say that a ecowaterless-wash car cleaner doesn't usually allow much dirt to get on their cars, therefore a spray and wipe every few days or so will not inflict swirls. Making an already expensive product run out very quickly, not very eco. Do you wash your cloths in an eco friendly way too?

I find myself cleaning my car every other week, moderate dirt build up. And I am very confident that the paint condition is good still. 


I guess what I'm trying to say is. The old fashioned method of car cleaning is IMO the safest, least time consuming, more Eco friendly and much cheaper way of keeping our cars clean.


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## cheekymonkey

I tried a few waterless and found them no way near as good as a proper 2BM wash. they all left scratches on my paint albeit jap black pearl. So seemed to be ok until a ipa wipe down removed the fillers they left behind. I used top quality microfibre towels that have never left scratches before. To me there nothing more than a uprated QD.


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## Lowiepete

As a bloke with limited motor function and not too steady on his feet, I come
to waterless washing by necessity, not by choice. If the way to wash a car 
was only by the 2BM then my beautiful wheels would now be a shed! I simply 
could not maintain it, and enjoy it, in the way that I do. Oh, and it has very
soft paint too!

What I'm railing against is unfounded comments that waterless washes are 
little more than glorified QDs that require a 90+% clean car before you start.
That mostly comes from people who have never used a waterless wash and 
then base their argument on unfounded conjecture, rather than actual 
experience.

You make a very valid point about cloth washing, and that's why I never use
waterless on wheels. The only time I'll use MF cloths to clean my wheels will
be at a show where there's no access to water. Usually, I'll pick cloths that 
are clean but close to disposal, then bin them on my return.

One clear advantage of waterless is that you are applying a protective 
coating every time you use it. This coating is far more effective than a wash
and wax shampoo. So, it ain't necessarily so that you're out there washing
more often.



Junior Bear said:


> I really do think someone needs to do a proper comparisons with this compared to a normal wash


Already been done. See Post #4 in this thread _et seq_

Regards,
Steve


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## DIESEL DAVE

Lowiepete said:


> What I'm railing against is unfounded comments that waterless washes are
> little more than glorified QDs that require a 90+% clean car before you start.
> That mostly comes from people who have never used a waterless wash and
> then base their argument on unfounded conjecture, rather than actual
> experience.
> 
> You make a very valid point about cloth washing, and that's why I never use
> waterless on wheels. The only time I'll use MF cloths to clean my wheels will
> be at a show where there's no access to water. Usually, I'll pick cloths that
> are clean but close to disposal, then bin them on my return.
> 
> One clear advantage of waterless is that you are applying a protective
> coating every time you use it. This coating is far more effective than a wash
> and wax shampoo. So, it ain't necessarily so that you're out there washing
> more often.


Spot on Steve :thumb:


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## xJay1337

With respect mate I find your posts rather irritating because you assume things about my experience with waterless wash products. Your spiel is more of someone advertising than someone who is using -

I'm sure you are more than happy with these waterless products, and if so - that is great - but some of us are not (or rather some of us prefer using the 2BM with a water supply) but you are unable to at least comprehend where we are coming from.



Lowiepete said:


> Sorry, but that is absoultely wrong! The information that you are giving is
> completely false and based only upon supposition rather than any fact or
> experience. The absence of water does _not_ equate to any increase of risk
> in creating swirls.


Uh, no it's not. And it's not based on supposition - I don't talk about things I haven't experienced. Your assumptions are unfounded and if anything ignorant to the views of other people..

I have done a waterless car was on my Mothers car. She is disabled and on a water meter so using buckets or a hose/jetwash are not practical or cost effective. I also tried it once on my car, as she gave me about 1/8th of a bottle. Can't say I liked it. Was not nice to use.

Normally she does it but I offered once. I also live with a guy who uses waterless car washes on his Range Rover Sport, but we'll get to that later*

I have no idea how (I guess she bought it from QVC or something) but she had something similar to the Dodo super plushy towels, super plushy and thick, which I folded to give 8 or 10 square surfaces to wipe. I used these on the more dirty panels which therefore required more protection and I had a couple of "cheaper" Microfibres laying around for those which were cleaner to begin with, or to use as a "final wipe". I may not be a professional detailer but I know how to clean a car and reduce the risk of swirls as much as possible. I know about trying to keep the dirty parts on cloths away from the paint when using waterless.

There are various swirl marks on my Mothers paint with a large proportion of this in the areas where soiling is (or would be when the car is dirty). Towards the bottom of the doors, the lower half of the boot... etc.



> Just look around you at the advances made in technology. Self-healing paints,
> nano coatings, treatments with indefinite protection. You can also include
> waterless washes in that list, and indeed, MF cloths. Thank goodness for
> 21stC products!


Some of the ceramic and nano coatings are very good, but waterless washing technology was around before the turn of the century. There is a good reason why it's not been taken up by the professional detailing community unless specifically requested by a customer. Self healing paints are a fallacy - paint does not "self heal" no matter how much it is claimed. Once you have inflicted a swirl or a scratch, it will be there unless corrected or resprayed, depending on severity.



> Again, absolute nonsense not based upon fact! I've been regularly using Aldi's
> finest el cheapo short pile MF cloths for the best part of 4 years on my
> present car without any ill effects. There's a bag with around 40 of them in
> the boot and I wouldn't be without them.
> 
> If you are going to nay-say any product, do please do it upon proven fact
> rather than false supposition.


Well that's good for you. I on the other hand have experience that waterless wash products are not the perfect all-in-one washing solution (for me at least).
If they work for you then great but not even admitting you are at higher risk of inflicting swirls using a waterless wash system (so that's no pre-soak, no snow foaming, no rinsing aids, no G101, no Citrus Power, etc) is, I guess, ignorant.



> As for my comments upon waste of water in the UK, I stand by them! People
> from parts of the world where water is seen as precious can only wonder in utter
> disbelief at our profligacy and attitude.


Well aren't you the messiah......



> Oh, and I don't drive a wreck of a car either...


I can't remember asking what car you had.









Here's a picture of my car from about Feburary. This was 3 days worth of back road grime due to having to do some on-site work.

Now anyone with half an ounce of brainpower would know that a waterless wash MAY INDEED get this rear end clean again however it will almost certainly inflict swirlmarks.
Where if you pre-soak, rinse, snowfoam and apply a APC or pre-rinse citrus cleaning solution, in whatever order you prefer, you are likely to be able to remove 80-90% of the dirt in a non-contactless way.
It doesn't take a scientist to work out that if you are washing your car contactlessly you are not inflicting any wash marks at all.

Wiping a clean microfibre cloth on clean, freshly machined paint will not create any swirl marks. If you use a sealant or a wax (whatever product you prefer) following a 2BM and correction, followed by a correct washing procedure (snow foam, pre rinse, and 2BM) there's a good chance your car won't need another correction in the time you own it (assume 2-3 years). And using pre-wax cleansers to remove any final specs of dirt before applying sealant or wax using your applicator sponge or pad will no doubt reduce the risk even further. Scratches are caused by trapping dirt between the paint and the material being moved across the paint, after all. If there's no dirt to drag then no scratches can be inflicted!

*Back to the guy I share a house with, and his Range Rover - From a distance, it looks great. Shiney etc. Obviously has a wax in the product so beads in the rain.. However he has owned the car from new and almost exclusively used these waterless wash products. I am not sure what product he uses but I do know that he gets them from his friend who works at Bentley! So obviously not cheap crap. Unfortunately he has many swirl marks on his car which I would be happy to bet are due to his waterless washing technique. I've watched him doing it and he doesn't scrub and rub, perhaps not as in detail as your techniquie but not exactly that of an idiot either. I can take photos to show his swirling when I get home if you want?

In closing, would I use a waterless wash product? Yes. On a clean-ish car, one that has been prepared for a show and then driven to the show in dry conditions. I would use a good quality quick detailer that was compatible with my LSP.

If it was wet and the car was what one would call "dirty" again then I wouldn't wash it unless I had a water supply.



Lowiepete said:


> Sorry, but you'd probably lose it...
> 
> Generally, if you rely on waterless,
> then you tend to not allow too much dirt to build up in the first place. This is
> simply because in the time taken to fill and carry out 2 buckets, I will have
> already completed half the cleaning task anyway. Indeed, with most waterless
> washes it just gets easier the more often you use it.


So as has been said, you make an expensive product run out very quickly if you are cleaning your car every few days. Not only that but you say you have a motor issue and are not steady on your feet, yet somehow would manage to have half your cleaning task completed in the 3 minutes it takes to fill two buckets up from a garden tap?



> If this stuff scratched cars as easily as is being claimed by the
> nay-sayers here, then manufacturers would be facing bankruptcy through a
> morass of litigation.
> 
> How much of a non-story is that? The technology is already well-proven and
> just gets better as time passes. I'm looking forward to receiving this particular
> product to review it and from what I've read so far, it's unlikely to disappoint
> me...
> 
> Regards,
> Steve


The nay-sayers? 
Most people who use these waterless cleaners don't understand swirl marks or clear coats. They just see a clean car and think "great" and report that the product is the best thing since sliced bread! Not saying you are definately going to get scratch marks but that the risk of inflicting scratches are far, far greater.. 
Infact here's a showroom showcase of a car which has been washed regularly with a waterless car product! There are other contributing factors as well but still... 
The link you posted does not show any up close shots with a sun gun. I can post countless pictures of my car which make it look spotless and swirl free.. such as here, here and here. But under a sun gun you'll see swirl marks (nothing too major for a 134k car but hey).

As I said in my original post I don't use waterless products personally but the result from this product looked alright.
And here you/we are now...

:detailer:


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## Eco Touch UK

Makes interesting reading this thread and certainly backs up the fact that waterless technology divides opinion, that certainly won't change. The good thing is that everyone is entitled to their opinion and opinions help shape a lot of things and without differing ones the world would be a very boring place 

What I would say is that certainly, modern waterless technology continues to evolve and will continue to do so. That coupled with modern microfibre tech means that for many people and many situations, it is a viable option, although for some, maybe not. 

Another thought is that whether you agree with this kind of product or not, the world is ahead of us because our planet has an issue; there are more and more of us each year, consuming more and more water, but the climate means there is less available water to go round. Long term, it just isn't sustainable, so in my opinion, I expect government, water co's etc to be more stringent with water usage, much as we saw earlier this year with hosepipe bans. 

I think it is good that there is a healthy debate as this promotes awareness of the challenges faced and that is important, although, in addition, the performance of the product has got to be there too. 

Rob


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## Junior Bear

Environmentally I see our point, but it's also in your best interest for water bans to come in which is also understandable. Your business allows for car cleaning without water after all


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## Lowiepete

Jay, I'll not reply in detail to your extensive post, apart from a few points.
Otherwise, I think we should just agree to disagree. 

No, I agree that I'm not the Messiah, but I have lived through seeing a dead 
river. It was in Cambridgeshire in the mid 1970's. I never want to witness 
anything like that again or indeed its causes! Seeing the effects of something 
like that for several weeks does put valuing clean water into perspective.

One other point about water use in this country is that whenever it's us who 
get asked to use it wisely, the first thing we do is to divert attention away 
from ourselves by turning on the water companies and attacking them for 
their wastages. As if that absolves us from not doing anything? You only had 
to look at the crying and deprivation expressed here when the hosepipe bans
were announced earlier this year.

Secondly, I posted a picture of my car as clear factual evidence that you 
_don't_ only need to use the 2BM to have a swirl-free car. The car is nearly 
4 years old and has never had a machine near it and it doesn't look like that 
need will become imminent either. 

It's only had one claying, more as a test for reviewing a clay-lube than any 
real need to smooth the surface and I generally don't use filler-heavy potions 
on its surfaces. The closest to a 2BM that car has had has been half-buckets 
of HFE to either wash the wheels, wash off salt in the winter, clear concrete 
dust off or loosen cow dung splatter whilst on holiday.

The world has moved on, and continues to do so apace. To me the 2BM is 
now just waste on so many levels - time, water, energy and money. It's now
not even a 1990's anachronism. Indeed, even with the 2BM, the point where
you are at greatest risk of swirling your paint is if you use a _dry_ MF towel.

I'm not joking! For a microfibre cloth to work safely as intended, it _needs_ 
to be lightly dampened. The only time I'd ever place a dry one on paint is for 
buffing-off protective potions, only because I know that the surface is clear 
of any sharps. With drying, you cannot be _certain_ that is the case. A damp
MF cloth also reduces the risk of static build-up.

Just because there are simpler and quicker ways of doing things today does
_not_ mean that we have dumped surface care along with the old methods.
Indeed, once you embrace the new, you'll find that there's actually less risk
of damage, not more! Loads of suds for example can actually lead you into
a false sense of security where you can press too hard. The damage isn't
then revealed until you rinse off and you're left to wonder how it happened. 

With waterless you have a constant reminder of the need for care. So much
so that lightness of touch becomes your everyday mantra that you carry
through to everything you apply to the paint. That's why I'd take on that
Honda paint challenge without blinking. 

You'll even seriously question why any buffing off needs rubbing. Applying 
polishes by hand becomes very scary indeed, even though you know that 
some pressure is required. Nevertheless, the feeling becomes alien to you.
Waterless and bucketless are just different, simpler and quicker ways of 
reaching the same objective, making good use of 21stC technologies. 

As a disabled guy, I say thank goodness because it means I can really enjoy
my motor!

Regards,
Steve


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## cheekymonkey

If your really worried about the water issue there are better ways of over coming this in the shape of water butts, simply collect the rain water and reuse it. theres less manufacturing, transporting so even better for the environment :thumb:


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## Junior Bear

Wasting water all over the floor helps global cooling, lol


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