Can ONR be used in conjunction with Absorber?

**mikebai1990** · 06-07-2007, 02:18 PM

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to use the Absorber as the first dry step after using ONR on a dirty car? I won`t be wiping or anything, blotting only. After this step, I would then take a WW to do the second and final drying step.

This seems like it would save the use of some WW`s, since the Absorber can be constantly wrung out and reused immediately.

**brwill2005** · 06-07-2007, 02:21 PM

I use a Water Sprite (similar to Absorber) to dry with ONR. Never have a problem with spots or marring. In my opinion it works better than a MF.

**bjackson8** · 06-07-2007, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by mikebai1990

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to use the Absorber as the first dry step after using ONR on a dirty car? I won`t be wiping or anything, blotting only. After this step, I would then take a WW to do the second and final drying step.

This seems like it would save the use of some WW`s, since the Absorber can be constantly wrung out and reused immediately.

I have to admit, I`m really not a big fan of the Absorber. It just didn`t work for me. I really don`t see why it would not work with the ONR wash.

I do basically the same thing with 2 WW towels. One for the first pass to get most of the water off, and a second for the final drying. When the towel I use for the first pass gets too saturated, I just wring it out and keep going.

**mikelea4ever** · 06-07-2007, 02:23 PM

I don`t see it a problem using Absorber after use of ONR. You`re fine as long you would do just blotting. Even on my reg. wash, I blot my absorber first then use my WW.

**PhaRO** · 06-07-2007, 02:34 PM

I dry with 2 MF (occasionally 3) and just wring the first one out as needed. I think the absorber would work too but I`m not a big fan of them.

**mikebai1990** · 06-07-2007, 02:36 PM

Thanks for the honest responses

Appreciate it. I guess I`ll be using the Absorber for my first drying step, then! My main concern is that I don`t want to use too many WW`s. I find that once WW`s absorb too much water, it`s hard to dry them immediately to the point where they can perform as well as they do when dry. Thus, I was wondering and know now that the Absorber can absorb the bulk of the ONR, while I can use 2 WWs or so to complete the drying process.

**Less** · 06-07-2007, 06:39 PM

I wouldn`t use an Absorber with ONR. But like anything else in this racket, you have to try it first and see for yourself.

My understanding is that ONR works by encapsulating dirt particles in the ONR solution. Then when you dry the car, you absorb the ONR solution, and the suspended dirt, into your towel.

The debate about the Absorber, has always centered around the fact that the towel "clings" directly to your paint and any dirt trapped between the two will get dragged along the surface as you move the towel. That`s why MF always wins that debate, it can hold dirt in its fibers and off the paint.

Also, anyone who uses the absorber will give you this advise: RINSE. It`s great for drying, but if dirt gets underneath it, you`re screwed. In otherwords, the surface of the car must be absolutely clean and free of loose debris for the Absorber to work without scratching.

So if the key to using the Absorber is to RINSE, and ONR stands for Optimum NO RINSE. I would think that the two are incompatible.

If you are going to use the absorber, I would suggest laying it flat on the surface of the car, letting it absorb what`s there, then lift it off without moving it across the paint. Rinse and wring it constantly.

**BlackElantraGT** · 06-07-2007, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by Less

I wouldn`t use an Absorber with ONR. But like anything else in this racket, you have to try it first and see for yourself.

My understanding is that ONR works by encapsulating dirt particles in the ONR solution. Then when you dry the car, you absorb the ONR solution, and the suspended dirt, into your towel.

The debate about the Absorber, has always centered around the fact that the towel "clings" directly to your paint and any dirt trapped between the two will get dragged along the surface as you move the towel. That`s why MF always wins that debate, it can hold dirt in its fibers and off the paint.

Also, anyone who uses the absorber will give you this advise: RINSE. It`s great for drying, but if dirt gets underneath it, you`re screwed. In otherwords, the surface of the car must be absolutely clean and free of loose debris for the Absorber to work without scratching.

So if the key to using the Absorber is to RINSE, and ONR stands for Optimum NO RINSE. I would think that the two are incompatible.

If you are going to use the absorber, I would suggest laying it flat on the surface of the car, letting it absorb what`s there, then lift it off without moving it across the paint. Rinse and wring it constantly.

+1

If you were to use an absorber, I would use it for the 2nd drying pass. Let the waffle weave do the first pass because the dirt particles NEED to go somewhere and the Absorber does not allow that. You`ll be rubbing encapsulated dirt particles back into your paint.

If your reason for using the Absorber for ONR is because you don`t have enough waffle weave towels, go to Walmart and buy a bunch of the waffle weaves in houseware section. They`re cheap and work well enough for an ONR wash. Plus, ONR gets your towels dirty as H ell, so I like these towels for this purpose.

If you don`t want to buy a bunch of waffle weaves, go get a couple wash media that you like and feel comfortable with such as a sea sponge, grout sponge, chenille sponge, etc. Personally, for ONR I like using it with my sea sponge because I use less towels, plus the sponge releases dirt particles into my rinse bucket really well.

**mikebai1990** · 06-07-2007, 08:24 PM

As I mentioned before, I am planning on blotting only. I understand your (BlackElantraGT and Less) concerns, but since I won`t be dragging the Absorber, I should be okay right? My only concern by using this method: Will the Absorber absorb the ONR encapsulating the dirt particles and leave them on the paint? If that`s the case, then I`m worried about marring the paint when I go for my final drying pass with my WW`s.

**Strokin04** · 06-07-2007, 08:48 PM

Originally Posted by BlackElantraGT

They`re cheap and work well enough for an ONR wash. Plus, ONR gets your towels dirty as H ell, so I like these towels for this purpose.

Are you talking about your wash towels or drying towels getting dirty while using ONR? When I use ONR my lambs wool mitts get dirty but, my drying towels (ww) stay clean looking. So while washing I rotate the mitts out depending upon how dirty they get.

**BlackElantraGT** · 06-07-2007, 09:17 PM

Originally Posted by Strokin04

Are you talking about your wash towels or drying towels getting dirty while using ONR? When I use ONR my lambs wool mitts get dirty but, my drying towels (ww) stay clean looking. So while washing I rotate the mitts out depending upon how dirty they get.

the wash towel. if his media for cleaning it is his towel, that`s where most of the dirt will go on that first pass. the drying towels get dirty too since ONR is done in sections, there are parts of your car that will be dirty that your dry towel will touch slightly. It`s just nowhere near as dirty as the wash towel itself.

That`s why I prefer washing with ONR using a sponge because they release the dirt well and rinse clean compared to a mf mitt or mf towel.

**mikebai1990** · 06-09-2007, 10:13 AM

Just finished with my first ONR on our black Mazda MPV

It was an awesome experience, I must say. So I mixed up 2 gallons of ONR solution, one ounce of ONR. The dirt came right off onto my wash media (chenille mitt) and didn`t seem to leave any swirl marks at all. I followed with Absorber, and dried with one WW. I only used one WW for the entire drying process! Not bad

I began to use less and less water as I went on. I found that as long as the mitt releases a bit of water as it passes on the paint, that is sufficient for the ONR to do its job. There`s no need to have it sopping wet and dripping all over the ground. I ended up using only one gallon (maybe even a bit less) of ONR solution with a 2 bucket method. I guess I`ll save the other gallon for tomorrow, when I wash our Acura.

I also went around the car, ONR`ing door jambs and small areas that I originally wouldn`t have been able to do with a traditional wash (the water would get all over the place, and the rinsing would be very hard).