Product Review: Optimum Opti Clean

**db2** · 03-06-2002, 10:17 AM

When I bought my MB in late DEC. I was given these MB car care products. For some strange reason I keep using their car shampoo and I am starting to like it more than P21S conditioner. The label on all 7 MB car care products say they contain Jojoba oil, what is this oil and what does it do? Think I will contact the maker of these car care products and ask them (Meguiars) Does anybody know if any of the Meguiars consumer car wash soaps have silicone in them? Thanks

**bobdec** · 03-06-2002, 12:40 PM

Interesting. I`ve seen Jojoba oil used in skin conditioners before, but never car care products.

**Lowejackson** · 03-06-2002, 01:17 PM

Some of the P21S range has Jojoba oil - plastic cleaner and leather conditioner.

Steven

**jkochis** · 03-06-2002, 02:58 PM

It`s essentially the same thing as sperm whale oil.

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~aussipol/jojoba.html

**Lowejackson** · 03-06-2002, 03:10 PM

Well if it is good for my car and my skin - I like it

Steven

**db2** · 03-06-2002, 07:47 PM

My email to Meguiars

1. What is this jojoba oil found in all 7 of your Mercedes Benz car care products and what is the benefit of this oil?

2. Does Gold Class car wash soap have any silicone in it?

3. Does Quick Detailer have any silicone in it?

4. Why is silicone used in Car care products?

Do any of your other 3 CONSUMER car wash soaps have silicone in them?

Thanks again.

Meguiars response

Chris,

Thank you for your message and interest in our products.

Jojoba oils are specific oils that we put in our products that gives the finish a high quality gloss. This product is used to help rejuvenate the paint pores. It is very similar to lotion applied to your hand. It keeps the surface healthy and rejuvenated.

Gold Class Car Wash, Qick Detailer, and all of our consumer washes contains no silicones in them.

Silicone is very important for car care products. Silicones are the chemicals use to help the product bond to the care surface. With out this product there is no way to apply the product with out it bonding to the surface.

**bjwebster** · 03-06-2002, 09:26 PM

Is it just me or is that really convoluted?

**Dolphin463** · 03-06-2002, 10:20 PM

Anyone here notice that the Meguiars rep said that none of the consumer products, including Quik Detailer, containe silicone? This contradicts what many on this board have said about this product: that it is essentially similar to FI except that it contains silicones.

Do you think the Meguiars rep is blowing smoke or there just a lot of misinformed Autopians out there?

**jkochis** · 03-06-2002, 10:38 PM

Thanks for the humor Chris.

**db2** · 03-06-2002, 11:57 PM

<blockquote class=`ipsBlockquote` >

<em class=`bbc`>Originally posted by C240 [/i]
<strong class=`bbc`>My email to Meguiars
1. What is this jojoba oil found in all 7 of your Mercedes Benz car care products and what is the benefit of this oil?
2. Does Gold Class car wash soap have any silicone in it?
3. Does Quick Detailer have any silicone in it?
4. Why is silicone used in Car care products?
Do any of your other 3 CONSUMER car wash soaps have silicone in them?
Thanks again.

Meguiars response
Chris,
Thank you for your message and interest in our products.

Jojoba oils are specific oils that we put in our products that gives the finish a high quality gloss. This product is used to help rejuvenate the paint pores. It is very similar to lotion applied to your hand. It keeps the surface healthy and rejuvenated.

Gold Class Car Wash, Qick Detailer, and all of our consumer washes contains no silicones in them.

Silicone is very important for car care products. Silicones are the chemicals use to help the product bond to the care surface. With out this product there is no way to apply the product with out it bonding to the surface. [/b]</blockquote>Paint pores
I thought the paint was sealed with the clear coat which meant it did not breathe and basically means that it cant have pores.

**Deep Gloss** · 03-17-2011, 08:56 PM

Product Description: Optimum Opti? Clean is a combination of substantive polymers and cleaners that safely removes dirt and grime and leaves a glossy protective finish on all automotive surfaces. Optimum Opti? Clean is based on the same natural polymers used in Optimum No Rinse?. It is safe for use on all automotive surfaces and it`s safe for the consumer and the environment.

Optimum Opti Clean is in a category by itself! It cleans like a waterless wash, but it offers better protection and gloss. It shines like a premium quick detailer, but Optimum Opti Clean has better cleaning ability and provides superior paint protection. It has no equal.

???????????????????????????????????.

I should preface my review by clarifying how careful I am with paint. I do not even use quick detailers except as a drying aid post wash. I simply do not believe in taking the risk of inducing swirls in paintwork. With that said, it is a very substantial testament to my faith in Optimum products to not only use this product but, to use it on my brand new vehicle.

As I believe in full disclosure, I will also state that this product was provided to me gratis from Optimum (thanks again!).

Ok, on with the show..

My vehicle wasn?t extremely soiled. I had just spent 13 hours on it 5 days before. The majority of the soiling came from a 300 mile round trip in the rain. It may not look dirty but it was (I love silver paintwork!).

I used the concentrate and diluted 3:1 per the directions (3 water / 1 Opti Clean). Directions also state that for lower (more soiled panels) to let the product dwell before wiping of. With this product as with Optimum No Rinse, a little common sense goes a long way by this I mean:

? No scrubbing
? No pressure
? Simply wipe
? Inspect your towel after each area cleaned to ensure no debris is embedded in your towel
? Work clean = utilize all 8 clean folds of your towel. I am very OCD about this and as a result probably use way more towels than most. On my paint work for this clean I used 6 towels.
? Start from the top of your vehicle working to the horizontal panels and then down the vertical panels from top to bottom.

My method of application was as follows:
Spray panel
Gently wipe with clean towel
Once majority of solution was wiped off follow up with a secondary towel to ensure a streak free shine

I must say that I was very happy to realize that the smell was the same as the original Optimum No Rinse before the formula change.. I loved this smell and brought back fond memories!

Overall usage was a very simple, straight forward and effective and I was very happy to inspect the paintwork to find that it did not induce any swirls, cleaned well and left a very nice slick, shiny surface.

I should also add that the entire exterior of my vehicle is treated with Opti Coat.

Another thing that I find intriguing but have yet to try is that this product can be used on such a wide array of surfaces ? see below:

Optimum Opti? Clean can be used anywhere! It dries clear and non-sticky so use it on the dashboard, plastic instrument gauges, and glass! On the exterior, you can depend on Optimum Opti? Clean to provide real protection to tires and wheels, paint, and metals

On with the pics:

Before: Like I said, silver hides soiling well so there is no real point in showing before pictures. Instead what I will show are afters and also direct sun shots to show that no swirls we induced.

Direct Sun Shots:

Misc After Shots ? excuse the undressed tires, I was racing against sun down:

Wheels:
Before:

After:

Another great use for the RaceGlaze XL Brush ? wrap a micro fiber around it to get inner barrels of wheels:

Brush:

Micro Fiber Wrapped Brush:

In closing, this product did exactly what it said it would and I look forward to doing further testing.

**bmw5541** · 03-18-2011, 08:25 AM

Thanks for the thorough review Jason. It seems like it is all that it is cracked up to be.
One question on the wheels. Did you just spray the Opti-Clean onto the wheels and wipe with a MF? No other washing right? If so, very impressive.:hurray:

**imported_glfahlc** · 03-18-2011, 10:31 AM

nice work on the voovoo... i;ve been using opti clean for a while now. didn`t realize it could be used on so many surfaces, been basically just doing the paint and my observations are the same. in your dilution did you use tap water or distilled....

**Deep Gloss** · 03-18-2011, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by bmw5541

Thanks for the thorough review Jason. It seems like it is all that it is cracked up to be.
One question on the wheels. Did you just spray the Opti-Clean onto the wheels and wipe with a MF? No other washing right? If so, very impressive.:hurray:

My pleasure Barry..

Yes, thus far from my intial usage and very thorough inspection after using the product it does what Optimum says it will

Yep, not other washing on the wheels.. Just sprayed, let dwell and wiped - winning:money:

Originally Posted by glfahlc

nice work on the voovoo... i;ve been using opti clean for a while now. didn`t realize it could be used on so many surfaces, been basically just doing the paint and my observations are the same. in your dilution did you use tap water or distilled....

Thanks...

The versatility of the product is amazing... just like ONR it has blown me away by contradicting everything I have learned regarding what not to do.