My Initial Reaction of Optimum NRWS vs. QEW

[toml]

While I`m no expert when it comes to detailing, I do have some observations about Optimum`s NRWS versus QEW after using NRWS for the first time this past weekend.



After hearing the positive buzz about NRWS here, I bought a quart as I was down to my last couple of ounces of QEW (which I`ve used for nearly a year). I paid approx. $24 including shipping for the NRWS, so this product is more expensive than QEW ($15 including shipping for two 16 oz. bottles from Protectall`s website) even if you put in a half ounce or so of over the counter QD in your QEW wash. Of course, this all depends on the dilution ratio you use for the NRWS (see below).



Instructions on the NRWS bottle are clear and understandable. Like many people here who`ve used this product, I chose to go with 1 oz. of NRWS in one gallon of water (similar to QEW) rather than the 1 oz. per two gallons of water on the label. If one went with the dilution ratio on the bottle, then NRWS would be cheaper to use per wash than QEW since you`d only use ½ oz. of NRWS per gallon of water compared to 1 oz. per gallon with QEW.



On a technical note, the cap on the quart size NRWS is larger than the cap on the 16 oz. QEW bottle. I just tried this with water, and 2 capfuls from the QEW cap fill the NRWS cap with a small amount of overflow. The QEW cap actually holds about 1/3 an ounce compared to a ½ ounce from the NRWS cap, so if you`re used to using 2 capfuls of QEW like I am (2/3 an ounce), 2 capfuls of NRWS (1 ounce) will give you a stronger wash mix.



When you put your wash pad or mitt into the NRWS wash mix, you can definitely feel an extra ingredient that`s lacking in QEW as the wash mix has a more slippery feeling than QEW. My guess is it`s the QD that Optimum has added. When washing, my chenille wash pad glided over the paint a bit better with NRWS than with QEW. The NRWS didn`t leave the wash pad any cleaner or dirtier than QEW. I did think, though, that the NRWS left more dirt in suspension in the mix on the car than QEW as the Megs ultra-plush terry cloth towel used for my initial drying pass got dirtier quicker with NRWS than with QEW. For this reason, I think it`s wise to use a plush towel (whether cotton or MF) for an initial drying pass with NRWS. The waffle drying towel used for my final drying pass stayed relatively clean, same as when using QEW.



My initial drying pass left much less product on the paint with NRWS than with QEW. So, there was less for the waffle weave to get, but it also meant that I needed to be quick on my second pass before what was left had dried. When I finished the entire car, NRWS left it clearly clean, but there was no noticeable shine or glow. I would say that QEW (with a ½ oz of QD thrown in) was about the same. Of course, neither can compare with the look after using a QD like Quikshine ... not that I would expect them to. I had no marring with NRWS (nor with QEW).



To sum it up, both NRWS and QEW are fine products. But is one better than the other? After my first use of NRWS, I don`t think so, but it`s just my opinion and, as I said at the beginning, I`m no expert. More use of NRWS may change my opinion ... and don`t PM me asking if I want to get rid of it, `cause I do plan on using it up. However, I do think that if you`re looking for NRWS to leave a nice QD-like shine on your car just by itself, you`ll be disappointed. But still, all in all, a nice product. :2thumbs:

[a.k.a. Patrick]

A fair observation after 1 use. However, your experience with QEW is based on nearly 1 yrs worth of use. I for one appreciate your initial observations, and value your posted experience. I have yet to try the NRWS myself enough to really have an opinion. I "really" didnt care for the QEW, though I have talked to many who really appreciate the product, and would be lost without it. I guess time will tell!

[toml]

A fair observation after 1 use. However, your experience with QEW is based on nearly 1 yrs worth of use.

Very true ... thanks for keeping me honest!

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Lol....You were honest from the get go. Just an observation.....

[toml]

I forgot to mention that NRWS didn`t streak on glass for me. Much better than QEW.

[stilez]

Even if its equal with QEW, its a very good product.





Thanks for the review!

[spotter]

Patrick - if I was in So Cal I might not care all that much about QEW either (unless I was under water restrictions) but anytime it is under freezing outside QEW is a "must have" product.

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Patrick - if I was in So Cal I might not care all that much about QEW either (unless I was under water restrictions) but anytime it is under freezing outside QEW is a "must have" product.

That I can understand.....85 in So Cal....I think its rediculous truthfully, and I cant stand it.....Anyone want to take in a So Cal refugee and his family!? :nixweiss :chuckle:

[toml]

... anytime it is under freezing outside QEW is a "must have" product.

I just did a "winter" wash on my car today with NRWS ... 26 degrees F outside. I don`t usually wash it unless the temp`s above freezing, but snow is forecast this weekend, and I wanted to clean it up before the snow hit. My car is dark grey and it was parked in the sun for the most part.



I had no problem with NRWS except at the end of the wash on the front bumper where the stuff froze because that part of the car had been in the shade. I moved the car so that the front bumper was in the sun, waited a couple of minutes, and re-did the area with no problem.

[SpoiledMan]

Wow! Shorts and a t-shirt today.

[toml]

Wow! Shorts and a t-shirt today.

6-12" of snow forecast for late Sat. night into Sunday with lots of wind ... and I have to work on Sunday

[imported_COBRyan]

Wow! Shorts and a t-shirt today.

For sure!



QEW is great on those cold winter days when you have nothing better to do than wash your car in the garage! But this past week the weather has been in the low 70`s, and I`m sorry but there is nothing like a hose wash if available! I love QEW still, but I`d do a normal hose wash over a QEW wash anytime (assuming the weather is more than 70 degrees). My car tends to get very dirty and I just prefer having the water there for rinsing.

[Scottwax]

The main difference I have noticed between the two is that No Rinse leaves the paint slicker than QEW does. Cleaning ability seems pretty similar although No Rinse is a bit better on glass as Tom noted.

[toml]

I did think, though, that the NRWS left more dirt in suspension in the mix on the car than QEW as the Megs ultra-plush terry cloth towel used for my initial drying pass got dirtier quicker with NRWS than with QEW...



When I finished the entire car, NRWS left it clearly clean, but there was no noticeable shine or glow... Of course, neither [NRWS or QEW] can compare with the look after using a QD like Quikshine ... not that I would expect them to.

Just a quick update after using NRWS for 6 weeks now ...



My thought about NRWS leaving more dirt in suspension on the car may have been in error as I`ve washed the car since then where the terry cloth towel didn`t get noticeably dirty and other times when it did .. and it really wasn`t a case of how dirty the car actually was. So, I`m not sure what was going on there. Maybe it was the different chenille wash pad used, the number of times I went over an area, or something else. :nixweiss I still think it`s a good idea to use a push towel for an initial drying pass and then follow with a WW or MF for final drying.



About the shine ... I definitely wasn`t wowed by any shine the first time I used NRWS. However, now that I`ve used it for 6 weeks, I can definitely see a shine and some nice reflections on the car. It`s almost as if the product needed some time/repeated washings to build a nice shine to it. Anyone else have the same reaction?



Just for comparison, I followed up NRWS with Quikshine (QS) on half the hood, half the trunk, driver`s side door, etc. and compared the shine to the areas that didn`t have the QS. I really couldn`t tell much of a difference while looking at the car from different angles. The QS might have added a bit of depth, but it wasn`t a big difference. So, NRWS does leave a nice shine on its own IMHO, but it takes some time to develop.



On the other hand, QS left the paint noticeably slicker than just the NRWS alone. A dry MF glided effortlessly over the areas topped with QS while it took some effort on the areas that only had NRWS. So, it looks like I`ll still be using the QS ... not so much for shine but for added slickness.

[Scottwax]

Tom-I`ve noticed on my regular customer`s cars after using ONR for about 2.5 months exclusively that their vehicles are staying consistantly slick with an excellent shine. I`ve also noticed a few have held off on wax jobs because of the slickness and look.