Review: Optimum Opti Clean

[CEE DOG]

Review: Optimum Opti Clean

 

Product Description (from AG website):

Optimum Opti™ Clean is the ultimate one-step product. It cleans and protects all automotive surfaces in one step. Use Optimum Opti™ Clean on paint, vinyl, rubber, metals, plastics, and even glass! You'll save time, effort, and money while achieving a clean, well-protected vehicle. Optimum Opti™ Clean does it all!

 

Initial Product Observations:

1.- Packaging: Not available

2.- Directions: Simple to follow

3.- Consistency: A thin liquid with a fluidity just barely thicker then water

4.- Color: White

5.- Scent: Very similar to the old formula of ONR

6.- Size: 32 oz.

7.- Current Price: 15.99

8.- Price Per oz: $0.50 (based on 32 oz. bottle)

9.- Price Per oz after diluting:$0.13 (based on 32 oz. bottle)

10.- Additional sizes: 128 oz. (39.99 or $0.31 per oz)

11.- Ready-to-use size: 8 oz. ($8.99)

12.- Manufacturer: Optimum Polymer Technologies, Inc.

13.- Made in: USA

 

Additional products used for prep, during application, or removal:

1.- MF towel

2.- Spray bottle

 

Introduction:

I just became aware of this product a few weeks ago and found it very interesting. I have a sense of trust in the products Dr. G sells that have anything to do with paint care so having not tried any products marketed as this one is thus far I was looking forward to purchasing it at some point in the future. Probably would have been a couple months from now. Anyway, Jim (Old Tiger) contacted me a little over a week ago and told me he’d like to see a review on a few particular products. He also offered to send me samples of all the products he would like to see reviewed. Well, I had to take him up on it obviously! J Fast forward to this week. I received a big box that contained healthy portions of some great products including this one... Enough Opti Clean to make 32 oz in fact! Thank you Jim for your generous gift! More on the other products in their respective reviews…

I had to get out of work a few minutes early Thursday night to stay ahead of an incoming thunderstorm (Sky was with me). Anyway since I got home early I decided I had enough time to start checking out this product. My first victim would be my green Saturn, which is overdue for a real car wash. This car is out 24/7 and is my DD. It wouldn’t be receiving a bath until Saturday and was certainly overdue. As such it was dirtier then what should probably be attempted with this type of product but I figured I’d jump in with both feet. I wanted to test its limits and my DD is always willing to sacrifice in the name of science.

 

Method of Preparation:

I mixed 8 oz. of product with 24 oz. of water.

 

Method of Application, and noted Observations:

 

Paint:

After taping a line down the center of the hood I shook the mixed product and applied it liberally to the drivers side of the hood. Next I wiped my MF towel gently across the hood one time. Then I flipped the towel and repeated on another dirty area. After getting the initial grime off the car I sprayed it down again and with a fresh side I wiped it down again a little more forcefully this time. Finally with a little less product, I wiped it down one more time and buffed it off with a clean dry side. In contrast to the way ONR beads on the surface when sprayed, Opti Clean seems to lay flatter across the surface. Initially I thought it lay flat because the car was so dirty but after the subsequent applications on the clean surface it continued to lay flat when applied.

With one side of the hood clean and dry I turned on my LED light to look for any scratches I may have caused from this test. While I did have a little shedding from my towel there did not appear to be any marring caused by the Opti clean. With the car as dirty as it was I was impressed with the results. The paint was left clean, fairly slick, and glossy. There was also no streaking in any of the lighting I subjected the paint to. Friday I would inspect again in the mid-day sun. I would expect a product that doesn’t mar the finish and does leave some protection to be somewhat oily but OOC is not at all oily. In fact OID is much more oily then OOC. The question for me is if I could get the same results using the same method while using ONR-QD as a substitute for the OOC.

Friday, after my morning jog I pulled out some ONR, OID, OOC, and IPA for some further testing. I took some ONR-QD (old formula) and cleaned a small area on the dirty side of the hood using the same method as I had with the OOC. As with the OOC when using the ONR method there was no streaking and no induced marring that I could tell. Granted I did only test a small round spot with the ONR. The difference I did see which I did not expect was that the OOC side was slightly glossier then the ONR test spot. I took some OID and sprayed the ONR test spot to see OID would equal or rival the gloss of OOC. It looked about equal to me.

The next test would be to identify if there was indeed some protection left by Opti Clean. The only way to observe this I thought would be to test the sheeting/beading of Opti Clean compared to a clean surface. I taped off 2 areas on the side of the hood I had already cleaned with Opti Clean. I then cleaned both of these taped areas with IPA to remove the Opti clean and wax beneath it. Next I applied Opti Clean to half of that area and buffed it dry. Then I got a bottle of pure water and sprayed, then poured water over the 2 test areas to see how the water would react to the OOC.

Pouring water over the area did indeed show a difference and the water sheeted off the OOC side better. Afterwards I wiped the ipa area with OOC to add some temporary protection.

The next morning after washing the entire car with a regular car wash I made one more video to see if you could still see a sign of protection from the Opti Clean side.

When you watch the video you will see that it sheets differently and if you look for the circular test area on the passenger side (most visible around 0:55) where I used ONR and OID you will see it sheets similarly to the OOC (drivers side). So the Opti clean did leave something behind that the bucket wash did not remove. The ONR/OID test spot did also. What exactly did each product leave behind? I’ll be asking Dr. G exactly that and report back during the week.

 

Glass:

For my glass test I sprayed a couple times on half of the windshield and wiped it clean. There did appear to be streaking but after a quick flip and one swipe with the dry side of the towel it was clean and streak free.

 

Interior:

I cleaned one side of a dash with straight water and the other with OOC to see if it left gloss. It surprisingly does not leave much gloss at all on vinyl. In fact I found the dash to be a little dry. I think this has to do with the age of the dash. In other words, OOC cleaned the dash nicely but didn’t really add any color or gloss. That may be good or bad depending on your preference. This dash had seen a lack of protection for over 10 years until the past year and a half. A well cared for dash would have come out with a nice matte finish. The reason I make that statement is the following. On the rest of the interior, (which hasn’t seen the same UV damage as the dash) the finish came out just fine with a clean almost matte finish. Throughout the interior I found OOC to work nicely removing some grime from the insides of the doors and other places without much effort. It left absolutely no streaking and I’m not sure I could have made it streak if I tried. I did not have the opportunity to use it on leather since there was none on this interior.

 

Door Jambs:

I tried out the OOC on doorjambs and sills as well. Normally with filthy doorjambs and sills, I put the hose setting on cone and hold it real close to the rubber gaskets to spray out behind them. Between that, a mitt and some brushes the jambs come out nice. I tried the OOC on some pretty bad jambs and it worked great on the rubber as well as the painted areas. It saved a lot of time and there was no streaking on any of the surfaces. For doorjambs OOC is a great solution!

 

Please see the pictures and rejoin me afterwards to see the listed Pros, Cons, and Summary.

 

 

 

 

01.- Before

 

 

 

02.- Application

 

 

 

03.- Application

 

 

 

04.- After

 

 

 

05.- Before

 

 

 

06.- After

 

 

 

07.- 50/50

 

 

 

08.- 50/50

 

 

09.- 50/50

 

 

 

10.- 50/50

 

[CEE DOG]

11.- 50/50

 

 

 

12.- Dew 50/50

 

 

 

13.- Dew Opti Clean side

 

 

 

14.- Products

 

 

 

15.- Optimum Opti Clean

 

 

 

16.- Optimum No Rinse

 

 

 

17.- Optimum Instant Detailer

 

 

 

 

 

18- Dash 50/50

 

 

 

19- Dash 50/50

 

 

 

 

20- Dash 50/50

 

[CEE DOG]

21- Interior 50/50

 

 

 

22- Interior 50/50

 

 

 

23- Interior 50/50

 

 

 

24.- Door Jamb (Before)

 

 

 

25.- Door Jamb (After)

 

 

 

26.- Door Sill (Before)

 

 

 

27.- Door Sill (After)

 

 

 

28.- Door Sill (After)

 

 

29.- Sky After

 

 

 

30.- Sky After

 

 

 

 

 

Pros:

1.- Versatile (Use on paint, vinyl, rubber, metal, plastic, and glass)

2.- Great pricing (as always with Optimum products)

3.- Time saver (Cleans and protects mar free in very little time)

 

Cons:

1.- Have got to do something about these names J

 

???:

1.- I was surprised to see how thin the Opti Clean is. I expected something thicker but it actually seems thinner then Optimum Instant Detailer.

2.- Another interesting thing is it smells very similar to the old ONR formula. Meanwhile the new ONR formula smells much different. So OOC smells like ONR and ONR smells like something tasty now. So why can’t this smell tasty?

 

Final Observations and Summary:

 

Can you forget about a bunch of other products and let this replace them? Yes you can. Will you? Depends on who you are. What I mean is: To the enthusiast that likes using different things, you will probably continue using other products. However I think this product will earn a place on your shelf and will be taken off that shelf for use often. Personally this will now be my go to product for removing fresh bugs after a drive, doing doorjambs, and I will use it to wipe down a car that’s not too dirty. For detailers that make money by saving time and spending less on products this may indeed replace some of your other products.

[CEE DOG]

Below is a response from Dr. G. He gave some very thorough responses which I really appreciated. Black print shows my questions and blue print shows Dr. G's answers.

Hi Corey,

Thank you for joining the Optimum forum and for using the Optimum Car Care products. I do remember our conversation about No Rinse at Detailfest and I appreciate that you decided to try it out since then. I appreciate also your thorough review of Opti-Clean and I will try to do the same in answering your questions below.

1. - For what reason would someone not just use ONR in the place of OOC for the purpose of cleaning paint. What I mean is: When a car is at the stage where OOC would be a good solution for cleaning, why not use ONR in a spray bottle and MF towels to achieve the same result?

No Rinse used as a quick detailer works fine for a car with light dust while Opti-Clean can be used on a car with several days of build up. The reason is that Opti-Clean contains the same polymers in No Rinse that encapsulate dirt but at a much higher concentration than No Rinse QD as well as other polymers not used in No rinse that offer more lubricity and gloss.

2A.- Will Opti Clean have any negative affects on looks, durability, or protection if a sealant or wax is applied directly after using it? Context: Someone has washed their car at night and decided to come back to it in the morning to seal. Because of the condensation on their vehicle they decide to wipe it down with Opti Clean before sealing.

2B.- Same question for ONR

2C.- Same question for OID

Based on the chemistry of these products (Opti-Clean, No rinse, Instant Detailer), there should be no bonding issues or affects on the longevity of waxes or sealants when you use these products before or after application of waxes or sealants. The protective film these products leave behind is dissolved and removed by the chemical solvents and abrasives used in waxes or sealants. None of these products contain detergents or solvents to remove waxes or sealants and therefore they only add protection not remove them.

3A. - What are the finer points of reasoning on the ONR directions stating to use a MF towel rather then a wash mitt or other media? I prefer using an MF towel but would like to know the reasoning behind that being specifically stated.

The reason we recommend Microfiber towels is that there are anywhere from 50,000 pores per square inch for an average microfiber to 200,000 pores per square inch for a very plush Microfiber towel. These pores are active sites to trap dirt and remove it from the surface. Therefore you get a much greater cleaning and protecting effect from a microfiber towel than a wool mitt, etc. The towels we offer are on the upper end of the range I mentioned. The only draw back when using a Microfiber towel as the wash media is that it is hard to remove the dirt that is trapped by No Rinse from the towel unless you use a strong detergent like Power Clean.

Another great wash media is a soft sponge (minimum 80 PPI) that works great for washing with No Rinse. The advantages of sponge over Microfiber is that dirt particles can get adsorbed into the sponge and away from the surface. We are working with a foam manufacturer to develop a mitt that not only is safe and gentle for the automotive paint but also has good cleaning and dirt release properties. Once we complete all the testing and development, we will make this new foam mitt available to help make the wash process with Optimum No Rinse easier.

4. - What is the main difference in OOC and ONR? What I mean is: Is their something interesting you can point to that wouldn't require us to be chemists to understand? Such as: Do they have a much different PH? Does one contain much more protective polymers then the other? Which has a stronger cleaning ability if used in the same way?

While both of these products are pH neutral, Opti-Clean contains much higher levels of polymers than No Rinse as well as some new polymers that we developed for this type of application. The added polymers are necessary to compensate for using a fraction of the water as compared to a regular No Rinse wash.

5.- Do the polymers in OOC have any level of UV protection in them?

You do get some level of UV protection from the reflection effects as well as some sacrificial UV protection (the polymers breaking down rather than the paint). But for UV protection, you need specific compounds designed to block UV light. The main product we offer for exterior application that provides the most UV protection is Optimum Car Wax which contains these specific chemicals to block UV light.

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Thanks again.

Best Regards,

David,

[srhtx]

Okay, I hate to say this but, due to me having brain damage, I'm not able to read all of that information without falling asleep.

 

Please advise me if Opti-Clean works better than ONR. I have a small test container of Opti-Clean being sent to me to test it out on my vehicle. I used the ONR every time I have a chance to clean my vehicle and it's not often since I'm always working on vehicles. Especially trying to promote my XPEL Paint Protection Film. It took about 2 years for me to win a disabilty case against Social Security. ugh...... was that a PITA!

[srhtx]

It fills the gap between a QD and an ONR/Traditional wash. NOT better than ONR, just different. Think of it like this: QD for dust, Opticlean for a few days of road grime type dirt, ONR for normal bi-weekly wash. I will have to say that I am impressed with how much cleaning it will do without scratching, but if you find your self thinking "this is too dirty" go ahead and ONR it.

 

That is what I, and others, feer the most. Scratching the paint by using the Opti-Clean. I'm use to the ONR, but, will try the Opti-Clean when it arrives next week.I will only us it on my car to make sure it does not cause harm to other peoples vehicles.

 

Thanks for your assistance!!

 

Stephen

[CEE DOG]

That is what I, and others, feer the most. Scratching the paint by using the Opti-Clean. I'm use to the ONR, but, will try the Opti-Clean when it arrives next week.I will only us it on my car to make sure it does not cause harm to other peoples vehicles.

 

Thanks for your assistance!!

 

Stephen

 

It is incredible how well it cleans without scratching. That said I would NOT normally use it for a car in the condition shown in the review. That was filthy and asking for trouble. I did that only to test the product.

[Perfections Detail]

If Opti Clean has a much higher concentration of chemicals in it, can it be used like ONR diluted in a gallon of water to wash the car like ONR but with higher lubricity and gloss?

[bigltc]

Great review! Thanks for posting (and I did not fall asleep)!!!

[hag6]

Great review CD. Thanks for your time & efforts.

I am also curious to know if opti-clean can be used in the same way as onr ie diluted in a bucket as a no rise wash. Given the higher concentration of key cleaning ingredients opti-clean this would make a more cost effective wash solution eg 0.5oz per 1-2 gallons.

[DLR Detailing]

I'm new to Opti-Clean and still trying to learn all of the advantages this product offers. Thanks "King of Demo"! Very informative review!

[CEE DOG]

If Opti Clean has a much higher concentration of chemicals in it, can it be used like ONR diluted in a gallon of water to wash the car like ONR but with higher lubricity and gloss?

 

I wish I could answer that. I look forward to Dr. G's answer.

 

 

Great review! Thanks for posting (and I did not fall asleep)!!!

 

Thank you! It was my pleasure.

 

Great review CD. Thanks for your time & efforts.

I am also curious to know if opti-clean can be used in the same way as onr ie diluted in a bucket as a no rise wash. Given the higher concentration of key cleaning ingredients opti-clean this would make a more cost effective wash solution eg 0.5oz per 1-2 gallons.

 

Thank you hag6!!

 

I'm new to Opti-Clean and still trying to learn all of the advantages this product offers. Thanks "King of Demo"! Very informative review!

 

Thanks for the kind words DLR!

[senyorp]

I'm not sure about using OptiClean as a rinseless. I know other company's waterless wash pull double duty as both at different dilutions, but Dr. G said he specifically formulated OptiClean to do the job safely with very little water. I will ask him to explain and get back with you guys.

 

I wish I could answer that. I look forward to Dr. G's answer.

 

Hello, i know that this is already an old topic but was Dr. G able to reply to this question? I just cant help but think that it would be possible and maybe perform better than ONR because of the added polymers. Nice reviews btw!

[Gabrielol]

I have an Alpine White F31 MPPKd 330d. Alpine White is a sd to keep clean but looks great when it is.

 

I am no detailer and have never obsessed over the cleanliness of my cars. I respect people who spend lots of time cleaning and lots of money on products for their cars but Im not one of them, as Id rather be driving my car or doing other things

 

When I got my AW F31, I researched waxes and sealants and decided that the best solution for solid AW was Optimum Opti-Seal. I didnt realise however how quick and easy is was to apply, and how stunning the results would be. It takes little or no effort to apply and I can do the whole car in 15 minutes flat, including the alloys. A coating lasts 2-3 months, and the water beading is astonishing, given how little of the product is required - in fact, the more you apply, the worse the results can be in terms of streaking. Ive had the same bottle for over a year and still have 30 left. All I have in my cleaning stable now is Autoglym shampoo / conditioner and Optimum Opti-Seal, and thats it.

 

So, in summary, an incredible product which delivers great results. Im only surprised that it doesnt get more coverage on the forums.

 

Warning: it doesnt prevent stone chips and doesnt stop rapid build up of brake dust from the M Sport braking system

[Ron@Optimum]

Thank you for the positive review of Optimum products. Opti-Seal is one our best kept secrets (Optimum is not a marketing company and forum/feedback is our best sales tool). I'm starting to get more questions about Seal, so it's getting recognition out in the real world. By the way, Seal is great on windows, stainless steel, and other household surfaces...we know it's hard to use a bottle up.