In a world where fresh water is sacred and time is always short, only one product remains appropriate for car cleaning.
It’s not a going to win funding for a Hollywood blockbuster but despite that, waterless car wash products can seem rather appealing in principle.
Does waterless car wash work well?
As the idea of waterless car wash has grown in popularity, the demand for their improved effectiveness has too. It’s got to the point where top waterless car wash products are a viable alternative to car shampoos.
That being said, many waterless car wash products are advertised as a wash and wax. In the same way that regular car shampoos sometimes come as a wash and wax, remember that they will not offer the same quality of coating as a dedicated wax applied after a wash. This can be addressed by using a waterless wash, followed by protective coating.
Similarly, for the most stubborn grime and bird poo use something a bit more powerful. Two such products we rate highly are the Greased Lightning Bug Buster and 26JPN Bug & Grime sprays.
There are certain practical elements that lean in favour of waterless car wash products. They’re faster to use and apply than normal car shampoo; depending on how thorough you want to be you can have a waterless car wash done in five minutes. Waterless car wash sprays also allow you to clean a car indoors too.
We've kept things straightforward and chosen a small selection of the very best waterless car wash products.
The best waterless car wash products
Editor's pick
Description
The cleaning solution from Greased Lightning is no-nonsense and works an absolute treat. You can use it beyond the metal paintwork and use it to equally good effect on glass and plastic too. Additionally, the value is excellent; but when you run the one-litre bottle empty, you can buy 3.78-litre refills.
Silver award
Description
On the face of things, the Diamond Shine is exactly the same as the offering from Greased Lightning. Indeed, the volume is the same and you also get two microfibre cloths throw in. In fairness it is a close contest, but the Greased Lightening just edges ahead in terms of effectiveness. But the Diamond Shine cleaner still earns silver. It's very good and minutely cheaper.
Best value
Description
When we recommend a best-value product, it doesnu2019t come at the expense of effectiveness. The Waterless Wash & Wax from Dirtbusters remains a sound cleaning solution while also offering top value. It comes with the added benefit of fragrance. This is a sort of berry fragrance, but there is cherry too.
Best detailer
Description
303 Products produces some of the very best cleaners and protectants for not only cars but boats and home use too. Its Speed Detailer is a very handy spray that works best in between washes. We recommend it not only because you can use it on essentially every relevant material including your fibreglass TVR, but also because it has brilliant UV protection like several of its other products.
Best wax
Description
A protective coating, whether it's a paste or liquid is waterless. However, in keeping with the theme of this guide, we thought we'd recommend our favourite protective spray. All you need to do is spray on and buff. This Gtechniq spray uses ceramic coating to achieve a high-gloss, durable protective coating.