Best Waterless Car Wash Products
Motor1 Reviews Team Take:
- The best waterless car wash products of 2024 will make washing your vehicle easier than ever. Featuring products from Chemical Guys, Aero Cosmetics, Meguiar’s, Optimum, and Flowgenix.
- Best used for cleaning your vehicle between larger car washes, waterless car washes are a great way to keep your ride looking fresh year-round.
- These cleaners can cost anywhere from $10—$40, depending on the size and strength of the formula.
A waterless car wash spray from a top-rated auto brand.
Wash Kit
A car wash kit with all the necessary items for an easy wash.
A waterless car wash with a long-lasting wax.
The car wash cleaner for your car’s interior and exterior.
For Detailing
A waterless car wash spray to make your car shine.
The best waterless car wash products make your car shine without increasing your water bill or necessitating a trip to a car wash. Many people use them in between larger car washes to keep sections of their vehicle looking fresh.
Additionally, soap and water can cause streaks on your vehicle, leaving you on the hook for a professional cleaning. With the top-rated waterless car wash products, you can expect a streak-free vehicle without a soapy mess on your car.
Our team has tested, rated, and reviewed the top-selling waterless car wash products so you don’t have to. You can get your car cleaner than ever with one of the best waterless car wash products on the market.
Waterless Car Wash Reviews
What Is The Best Waterless Car Wash?
We named the Chemical Guys Swift Wipe, Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit, Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax, Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine, and the Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray as the best-rated waterless car washes on the market in 2024.
| Brand/Model | Cost | Overall Rating | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash |
$15 |
4.8 |
Best Spray |
|
Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit |
$40 |
4.5 |
Best Wash Kit |
|
Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax |
$10 |
4.5 |
Best Wax |
|
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine |
$20 |
4.0 |
Multi-Surface |
|
Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray |
$20 |
4.0 |
Best for Detailing |
*Because cost data fluctuates, the prices in the table above are approximate values that our team regularly updates.
Waterless Car Wash Ratings: Our Testing Process
When testing waterless car washes, we specifically looked at how easy to use they are, what kind of value you get, and how good the results are. For more on our testing process, we go into detail at the end of this article.
1. Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash: Best Spray
- Cost: $15
- Amazon review score: 4.7 out of 5.0 (approx. 4,200 ratings)
- Designed to produce a scratch- and swirl-free shine
- Safely removes all dust, dirt, and grime
- Protects your exterior with a layer of high-shine sealant
The Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash is designed to make washing your car easier than ever. This spray is safe for cars, RVs, trucks, motorcycles, and most vehicle surfaces. With this spray bottle, you can wash, shine, and protect your vehicle from grime in one step. You can see how the Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash performed in each of our testing categories below:
| Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 5.0 |
| Value | 4.5 |
| Results | 5.0 |
| Overall Rating | 4.8 |
Below are the pros and cons of the Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash:
- Can be used on most parts of exterior
- Impressive cleaning results that hold up for a while
- Easy to apply and use
The Chemical Guys Swift Wipes were incredibly easy to use. The spray nozzle was already attached, so it was simple enough to spritz onto the wheel to clean grime and dirt. This product is of great value after we saw the testing result. While there are no cloths included, Chemical Guys does sell microfiber towels separately that performed very well in our test of the industry’s best microfiber towels.
Looking at the before and after, it is clear that the result of using this product was incredibly effective. It cleaned off dirt that had been sitting on the wheel of this vehicle for a long period of time. The result was exactly what our team was looking for, and our team could not have been more pleased.
Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash
Before
After
Customers rave about the product, sharing that it is easy to use and gives their car a great shine without spending the time or money taking their vehicle to a car wash.
The Chemical Guys Swift Wipe is a great choice if you are looking for a highly-rated product that will reliably clean and shine your car with just one component.
2. Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit: Best Wash Kit
- Cost: $40
- Amazon review score: 4.7 out of 5.0 (approx. 11,500 ratings)
- 16.0-ounce spray bottle of Wash Wax ALL
- 1.0 gallon refill of Wash Wax ALL
- Four microfiber towels
- Alcohol- and ammonia-free
- Human-friendly and causes no eye or skin irritation
The Aero Cosmetic Car Wash Kit cleans and protects your vehicle with the wax sealant that leaves a non-stick UV protective coating on your exterior. This car wash kit is compatible with all other waxes, sealants, and ceramic coatings—making it easy to mix and match the products that you want to get the sleekest car on the block. You can see how the Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit performed in each of our testing categories below:
| Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 4.5 |
| Value | 5.0 |
| Results | 4.0 |
| Overall Rating | 4.5 |
Below are the pros and cons of the Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit:
- Useable on exterior and interior surfaces
- Eco-friendly formula
- Great results inside and out
- Application required some heavy scrubbing
This product was overall easy to use. The spray bottle comes unattached to the nozzle, so you need to insert the nozzle into the bottle before use, which only takes a minute.
The Aero Cosmetics Kit is definitely worth the money for most drivers. With the included microfiber towels, sponge, and gallon-size liquid refill, the value is high for this product. The result also made this product definitely worth our time. Our team did have to put in some elbow grease to get an interior paint stain off the passenger seat, but the end result was great.
Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit
Before
After
The majority of customers emphasize the ease of use when cleaning their vehicles. Many share that the microfiber towels are high quality and pull the kit together.
The Aero Cosmetics Waterless Car Wash Kit is a great choice if you are looking for a set that contains everything you need to get the cleanest car without making a separate purchase for towels or sponges.
3. Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax: Best Wax
- Cost: $10
- Amazon review score: 4.6 out of 5.0 (approx. 13,000 ratings)
- Water spot-free formula
- Advanced polymer chemistry for a synthetic wax barrier lasting for weeks
- Safe on glass, chrome, polished metals, and plastic trim
As with the majority of waterless car wash products, Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax cleans your car in just one easy step. This cleaner is designed to gently wash and provide a wax protection barrier to your vehicle’s exterior without the need for water. You can see how the Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax performed in each of our testing categories below:
| Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 5.0 |
| Value | 4.0 |
| Results | 4.5 |
| Overall Rating | 4.5 |
Below are the pros and cons of the Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax:
- Formula prevents waterspots and swirls
- Very simple to apply and easy to use
- Need other (not-included) products in order to get the most from this one
The Meguiar’s Wash & Wax turned our test vehicle’s back windshield from grimy to glossy in just a few minutes. Using this product could not have been easier. It arrived with the nozzle already attached, and with a few sprays, the windshield was covered and ready to wipe clean.
This product was worth the purchase for us, though it does lack value in terms of products you need to purchase to get the best cleaning experience. A regular towel won’t wipe up the dirt and grime well enough, and will likely leave streaks or marks, so you would need a separate purchase to get the best of this product.
While it does not come with a refill or microfiber cloths, the result was a glossy new windshield that had a great shine. All in all, Meguair’s was a win for our team thanks to cleaning that took no time.
Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax
Before
After
Reviewers are incredibly impressed with how easily the product picks up dirt and grime while leaving a wax coating that many claim lasts on their vehicle for weeks after cleaning.
This product is ideal if you are looking for a quick and easy cleaner that has a wax barrier coating to protect your vehicle’s exterior.
4. Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine: Multi-Surface
- Cost: $20
- Amazon review score: 4.8 out of 5.0 (approx. 7,400 ratings)
- Combine this cleaner with 1.0 to 2.0 gallons of water for a complete clean
- Wash glass, plastic, metal, rubber, and leather interior on cars, trucks, RVs, and golf carts
- Can also be used as a clay bar lubricant
The Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine is a car wash solution that is designed to clean road grime from both your vehicle’s interior and exterior. This washer is compatible with many vehicles and surfaces ranging from glass to leather for a multi-purpose sprayer.
Optimum has updated its rinseless car wash formula containing polymers to create a greater barrier between dirt and your vehicle’s finish after cleaning. As an added bonus, diluting this product with water is great for car detailing and requires less water consumption than a traditional car wash. You can see how the Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine performed in each of our testing categories below:
| Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 3.5 |
| Value | 4.0 |
| Results | 4.5 |
| Overall Rating | 4.0 |
Optimum has updated its rinseless car wash formula containing polymers to create a greater barrier between dirt and your vehicle’s finish after cleaning. Diluting this product with water is great for car detailing and requires less water consumption than a traditional car wash. The results of using this product, especially with the sponge and then a wipe of the microfiber towel, left one of our test vehicle’s windshields spotless. Below are the pros and cons of the Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine:
- Worked quickly and effectively
- Formula is designed to be long-lasting
- Not entirely waterless
- Some difficulty with application
The Optimum Wash & Shine did come with its challenges during use. We applied some water to a sponge and poured the product to mix the two together for a diluted solution. This was not incredibly difficult, though it was not the cleanest product we used, as there is no nozzle attachment.
This product can definitely be worth a purchase if you are planning to do a deep clean, will be buying other products, and plan to use a small amount of water on your vehicle. But if you’re looking for something quick and entirely waterless, you may want to choose one of the other featured washes on this list.
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine
Before
After
The majority of customers share how this product works great on its own but even better with a small amount of water and a clean microfiber towel. Adding water helps to better rinse the car’s exterior and leave the vehicle streak-free.
The Optimum waterless car wash works best if you want to get a clean and easy shine on both the exterior and interior of your vehicle, making it great for detailing or a weekend cleaning project.
5. Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray: Best For Detailing
- Cost: $20
- Amazon review score: 4.4 out of 5.0 (approx. 6,200 ratings)
- Quick car detailer
- Can be used to repair car scratches
- For use on the exterior of your motorcycle, bike, jet ski, truck, RV, and most other vehicles
Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray is a great sprayer to protect your car’s paint with no smearing or water spots after cleaning. This product is an all-in-one solution to wash, shine, and protect your vehicle with the wax polish included in the formula. You can see how the Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray performed in each of our testing categories below:
| Review Category | Score (Out of 5.0 Stars) |
|---|---|
| Ease of Use | 4.5 |
| Value | 3.0 |
| Results | 4.5 |
| Overall Rating | 4.0 |
The ceramic car wax cleaner is great for a quick car detail. It is designed to protect your vehicle’s exterior from scratches, and can also be used as part of a car scratch repair kit. Below are the pros and cons of the Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray:
- Good cleaning results
- Small bottle size means it runs out quickly
The Flowgenix spray was very simple to use because it came assembled without the need to unscrew and attach the spray nozzle. However, this product did lack value. Being only an 8.0-ounce sized bottle of cleaner, it is definitely ideal for a quick spot detail but would not cover your entire vehicle. It also does not come with a sponge or towel.
The results of using this product reveal its utility in car detailing. It wiped dirt in a matter of seconds and gave the vehicle a pearly white look with a glossy finish.
The majority of customers are happy with the durability of the product. It cleans off bugs and grime from vehicles while leaving a shine and coating that reviewers claim protected their vehicles for weeks to follow.
The Flowgenix Spray is best if you want a product that provides a quick car detailing experience with a ceramic coating wax that is long-lasting and durable in all weather.
Waterless Car Wash Buying Guide
Any vehicle you decide to purchase is and can be a big investment. You want the best products that will not damage your vehicle’s exterior and keep it clean from the environment. Factors to consider before making this important purchase include lasting effects, type of waterless car wash product, and outside purchases for necessary cleaning materials.
Compare Waterless Car Washes
| Brand/Model | Cost | Bottle Size | Formula Type |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash |
$15 |
16.0 ounces to |
Spray |
|
Aero Cosmetics Wet Or Waterless Car Wash Kit |
$40 |
1.0 gal |
Spray |
|
Meguiar’s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax |
$10 |
26.0 fluid ounces |
Spray |
|
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine |
$20 |
32.0 fl. oz. |
Liquid |
|
Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray |
$20 |
8.0 oz. |
Spray |
Waterless car wash products are designed to clean grime and dirt off spots around your vehicle, including water spots, which can damage your vehicle’s exterior if not cleaned properly and in a timely manner.
Lasting Effects
When buying any product, you want it to last. Some waterless car washes emphasize in the product description that the wash is formulated to give longer-lasting waxes and coatings that leave a shine for weeks to come.
The Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax and the Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray both emphasize a long-lasting wax that is great for detailing and leaving a shiny coat over your vehicle’s exterior. A product that lasts and makes it worth your while is important to get the most out of your purchase.
Product Type
Waterless car washes come in many different forms. Some are designed to wax, shine, or best to dilute in small amounts of water for a deeper clean. Depending on the type of cleaning method and result you are hoping to achieve, one product may be ideal over another.
Looking at the Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine and the Chemical Guys Swift Wipe, both are great products. But the Optimum is best when diluted in a small amount of water for a deep clean, whereas Chemical Guys is better on its own to leave a protective shine on your vehicle.
Cleaning Add-Ons
All cleaning products and sprayers require some sort of rag or towel to wipe the surface and properly clean. While this may seem obvious, many waterless car wash products don’t come with those items that are necessary to use each sprayer. Most auto enthusiasts already have a few microfiber towels hanging around the garage, but if you don’t, it’s something you should consider upfront.
The Aero Cosmetic Car Wash Kit is a prime example of a complete waterless car wash product. This kit comes with microfiber towels, a sponge, and a refill of their car wash product. If you prefer making one purchase that has a refill and towels included, a waterless wash kit may be the best choice.
What Is A Waterless Car Wash?
Waterless car washes are specialized cleaning formulas designed to strip away dust and light grime that collects on surfaces. The sprays get their name from not needing to be diluted or paired with water for the application process, making them popular as quick detailers.
Where these waterless car washes fall short is handling tough grime since they lack the power to clean heavy-duty blemishes. Although they aren’t the ultimate detail sprays for auto enthusiasts, waterless washes can be useful to have in a car cleaning arsenal.
What Are The Disadvantages Of A Waterless Car Wash?
The main drawback of a waterless car wash is they are not a proper substitute for car soap if you want to clean the entire exterior of a vehicle. They are great at dealing with dust or small amounts of dirt but aren’t strong enough for hard-to-clean messes.
Waterless Car Washes: Bottom Line
Waterless car washes are for the meticulous car owner who wants to keep their vehicle in pristine condition. While not the best for cleaning an entire vehicle, they are great for mitigating grime that builds up quickly or for cleaning small areas of the car body.
- Best Spray: Chemical Guys Swift Wipe Waterless Car Wash
- Best Wash Kit: Aero Cosmetics Wet or Waterless Car Wash Kit
- Best Wax: Meguiar‘s G3626 Ultimate Waterless Wash & Wax
- Multi-Surface: Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine
- Best for Detailing: Flowgenix Waterless Car Wash Spray
Waterless Car Washes: FAQ
When should I use a waterless car wash?
Considering most waterless car wash products are manufactured in smaller sizes and with a spray bottle attachment, this makes them best for touch-ups and light dirt accumulation on your vehicle. However, many waterless car wash products can be mixed with water to get a heavy-duty wash while still using less water than you would a traditional car wash.
Are waterless car washes a good purchase?
Waterless car wash products are high in lubricity, which makes them extremely good at reducing friction between dirt and your paint. This protects your vehicle’s exterior while also cleaning and leaving a great shine or wax on your car.
Can I use waterless car wash products on my car windows?
Waterless car wash products can be used to easily clean car windows. It’s as simple as taking a microfiber cloth, spraying the product, then wiping to remove any dirt or grime. You also do not have to worry about water spots or product residue because these products leave a clean finish on most surfaces.
Can waterless car washes scratch car paint?
Scratches can be produced if used improperly. When using a drying towel, make sure you only swipe in one direction, instead of in circles. Also, make sure you’re only using the towel on a lubricated surface.
What is the best waterless car wash for ceramic coatings?
Our picks for a waterless car wash spray to pair with a ceramic coating would be either the Chemical Guys Swift Wipe or Meguiar’s Ultimate Waterless Wash And Wax. Both use formulas that make them safe for polished surfaces.
Are waterless car washes any good?
Waterless detailing products can be effective for dealing with small deposits of grime from a car’s finish. For car care that removes dirt and contaminants on vehicles that have been heavily neglected, you’ll probably want to seek more traditional auto detailing services.
Full Waterless Car Wash Testing Methodology
The five best waterless car wash products in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching Amazon and Advance Auto Parts for top products, looking at factors like shipping eligibility, customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and prices.
Our product testing team then ordered the five waterless car wash products that best met these standards. A team member tested each product on a car, taking note of how simple the product was to use, the value of purchase, and the end result of each product. Each waterless car wash product was given a rating out of 5.0 stars based on this criteria.
Ease of Use
Washing your car is not the most exciting task you could do on a weekend, so our team wants to make cleaning your car an easy and painless process. By testing ease of use we determined how well each product was applied to spots on our test vehicle that needed cleaning. Ease of use was determined by how simple the product was to initially apply to the test vehicle, followed by how well the product picked up any dirt or grime with the use of a clean microfiber cloth.
Value
Car detailing projects can get expensive, and we want to be sure you are getting the most out of whichever product you choose for a waterless car wash. Depending on product size, if the product comes with towels for cleaning, or even refills bottles in some cases, these will all impact the value. This helps to determine if a separate purchase is needed to get the most out of one of these waterless car washes.
Results
When buying any car wash or detailing product, the end result is a cleaner car than before. By testing how clean our test vehicle is after applying and using each product, we hope to help you make a better decision as to which product will be best for your cleaning needs. We tested this by cleaning dirt spots on our test vehicle. We then compared the before and after for a visual reference so we could see how well each waterless car wash product performed.
How We Score Products
Every product we test is given a score between 1.0 and 5.0 stars in each category. Here’s what those star ratings mean in concrete terms:
- 5.0 Stars: A 5.0-star rating means a waterless car wash is among the best in a category. It provides a complete cleaning that holds up to discerning eyes, it does so easily, and it doesn’t break the bank.
- 4.0 Stars: A 4.0-star rating means a wash performs better than average in a category. It is easy apply, offers a great shine, or offers additional versatility.
- 3.0 Stars: A 3.0-star rating indicates what is average or typical for a car wash, based on our testing experience. It gets the job done and comes at an expected price tag, but doesn’t wow in any category.
- 2.0 Stars: A 2.0-star rating indicates the waterless wash performs poorer than average. It doesn’t do a very good job of cleaning the car, it requires intense scrubbing or application, and the price tag is nothing to write home about.
- 1.0 Star: A 1.0-star rating indicates that the waterless car wash performs well below expectations in a category. It does next to nothing in terms of cleaning ability, is way too expensive, or it takes way too long to apply to be worth it.
Why Trust Motor1.com
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.
*Data accurate at time of publication. Products subject to availability.
