Mr. Clean

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What's your opinion about the Mr. Clean auto dry car wash. They are using classic cars in their TV commercials.

Is the stuff really delicate on a Zaino finish? Does it work?
 

Viperfreak2

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Dunno yet. I'm gonna try it. I did just try a bottle of XLR and it worked. Supposedly it's got an ion charge like those air purifiers. I called total BS on the guy selling the stuff and he gave me a sample bottle. OMG, for the first time I think a product actually does what it says. I have driven the last 5 days and the car looks clean! People keep saying 'you just washed it didn't you?' This is after driving through the gravel parking lot of the Blind Horse Saloon. Mr. Clean sounds like the same theory, only purified water.
 

01bee

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Tried it, did not like it. It did leave the paint spotless, but the paint felt like crap after it dried. It lost the smooth as glass feel that I like.
 

Matt M PA

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As I understand it, the Mr Clean system's soap leaves a film behind in a effort to help sheet the water away. I also understand that you must use the Mr Clean soap, or you will get spots.

I frequent other forums, and some users said they can "see" the film...others have reported that the paint did not feel the same afterwards and that they thought it stripped the wax.

I was looking forward to this product, but have decided against using it.
 

01bee

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I used the complete system as it comes in the box, the soap and the filtered rinse. I did not see a film, but did not like the way the paint felt once it dried. I am fanatical about keeping my paint feeling smooth as glass and this left the paint feeling scratchy, looked clean, but did not feel clean.
 

Achilles99

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Viperfreak2

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The XLR is available at Lustrelab.com.

The film 'coating' that the Mr.Clean left, do you think if someone rubbed the surface it could scratch the finish?
 

Achilles99

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I never noticed the coating being rough or anything like that on mine...

BTW, my friend has used this setup using his own soap. He said that it still dried spot free, and it's a black car...
 

jrkermode

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I have used the Mr. Clean stuff on my Graphite GTS for several months. I had to experiment quite a bit to get a method I liked.

IMHO the Mr. Clean "gun" puts on WAY too much soap. Perhaps that is responsible for the film.

I switched to squirting a small amount of Mr. Clean soap into a 5 gallon bucket (1-2 tablespoons). I wash and rinse the car as usual, following up with a final rinse using the Mr. Clean gun for filtered water.

The finished car looks a lot like it did after washing with Meguiar's gold car wash.
 

pauls

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I must have really bad water. Washed my black Excursion. Spots still on paint and billet wheels. I tried it twice and soaked the heck out of it with the final rinse the second time. Still no good.
 

ChrisGTS

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I really like it. I have used it several more times since writing my initial review (links in Achilles99's post) and it continues to work well for me. I have not experienced any roughness with the paint or stripping of Zaino (which I use on my car). I've also gotten good enough at using it that it is really saving me a lot of time on the job.
 

Vic

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I don't like the taste of the paint anymore myself, as compared to my previous car wash soap. Not as smooth, and my tongue kinda gets bogged down, when dragging the surface of the paint. But it was good for buffing the bishop, but after using it for a while, the damm thing went off.

heh heh, all kidding aside

You can use any soap in it, and it still works well. The only problem is that the filter only lasts for what amounts to several minutes. By the time you have rinsed two cars, you need another $6 filter. Which isn't too bad, if you only use it on your nice cars. But for a fleet like mine, (yes, I know, I'm sucha bigga wheel now) its impractical.

One other little issue, as the filter gets loaded up, it works proportionally less, and there are more and more spots after drying. To avoid any possible spotting, you have to quit using the filter when it has only done maybe two cars, and quickly at that. If you are in the middle of the second car when the filter begins to get loaded up, you get slammed with spots when you are done. So really, it seems like its only good for one good thorough car wash, then you better change to a new filter before starting the second car.

Maybe I'm rinsing too much?
 

Bruce

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Mr. Clean is overpriced. I tried it and do not like at all.

$20 plus shipping and u can have it. (i paid $30 and used it one time) Junk!!!!!
 

Achilles99

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The system only costs $19.95 at Wal-Mart and Target. I paid $30 for mine, too, before it came out in the stores.

As for being junk, I think it would be more correct to say that it depends on how crappy/mineralized your water is. Vic mentioned that the filter lasts two times for him. Between my friends and I, we've used the same filter several times (10+), and it seems to still be doing the same great job.

Just buy it, and try it for yourselves. It's only $20, and it could save you a bunch of time. I know it has me!
 

BigCarrot

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I think the refills last quite a bit longer. The filter that comes with it only lasts a couple of times.
 

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