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Detailing Shed | Optimum Polymer Technologies Australia
How one bottle of ONR does the job of five different products, and where the rest of the Optimum range fits.
Jump to: Who's Behind Optimum · What Is ONR · ONR's Different Uses · ONR vs Traditional Wash · Shop By Category · Why Choose Optimum · FAQ
Dr. Ghodoussi developed ONR to solve a specific problem: washing a car safely without the water waste, runoff and setup time of a traditional hose-and-bucket wash. That polymer encapsulation technology, where dirt particles are lifted away from the paint and suspended in solution rather than dragged across the surface, became the foundation for the wider Optimum range: Hyper Polish and Hyper Compound for paint correction, Paint Prep for pre-coating surface preparation, Power Clean as an all-purpose cleaner, and eventually Opti-Coat, Optimum's professional silicon carbide (SiC) ceramic coating brand.
What's the difference between Optimum and Opti-Coat? They're the same company, not two separate brands. Optimum Polymer Technologies is the parent name covering the wash, correction and maintenance range, most of which, including ONR, is available to any customer with no trade account required. Opti-Coat is Optimum's professional ceramic coating line, and its top-tier Pro, Pro Plus and Pro3 coatings are sold only to certified installers, see the Opti-Coat Guide for that side of the range, including the DIY-accessible Opti-Coat Hyper Seal.
Optimum No Rinse, known as ONR, was one of the first rinseless wash concentrates on the market, launched in 2006 and updated several times since, most recently as the V6 formula. It uses polymer encapsulation technology to lift dirt away from the paint and suspend it in solution rather than dragging it across the surface, which is what makes washing with only a couple of buckets of water actually safe.
What sets ONR apart from a lot of rinseless washes is that the same concentrate does far more than washing. Depending on how strong you mix it, the same bottle works as a rinseless wash, a clay lubricant, a quick detailer, an interior cleaner, a glass cleaner and a drying aid.
| ONR Rinseless Wash | Traditional Wash | |
|---|---|---|
| Water use | Around 2 buckets total | Full hose, often well over 100 litres |
| Where you can wash | Apartments, garages, water-restricted areas | Needs outdoor tap access |
| Safe on ceramic coatings | Yes | Depends on the shampoo used |
| Setup time | Minimal, no hose or pressure washer needed | Hose, bucket and rinse setup each time |
| Best for | Regular maintenance washing | Heavily soiled vehicles needing a full rinse-first strip |
One concentrate, several jobs, just mixed at different strengths. Weaker (more water) for washing, stronger (less water) for detailing and prep work.
| Use | Dilution Ratio | What It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Rinseless wash | 1 : 256 ≈30ml per 7.5L (about 1oz per 2 gallons) |
The main use, washing the full exterior with a couple of buckets of water, no hose needed |
| Interior, glass & general cleaning | 1 : 21 ≈180ml per 3.8L (about 6oz per gallon) |
Dashboards, trim, screens, glass, gentle enough for regular use on most interior surfaces |
| Clay lubricant | 1 : 64 ≈60ml per 3.8L (about 2oz per gallon) |
Provides slip for a clay bar or clay mitt during mechanical decontamination |
| Quick detailer / drying aid | 1 : 16 ≈240ml per 3.8L (about 8oz per gallon) |
A stronger spray-on mix for light dust, fingerprints, loosening dirt before a wash, or misting onto a drying towel |
On dilution ratios: ONR's formula has been updated several times since 2006, most recently as V6, and dilution ratios have shifted slightly with each version. The ratios above reflect the current formula's published guidance, but always check the ratio printed on your bottle before mixing, it's the most accurate source for the exact stock you have.
ONR is safe to use on ceramic coatings, sealants and waxes, it won't strip existing protection during a regular wash.
A full rinseless wash uses a couple of buckets of water total, useful for apartments, water restrictions or washing in a garage.
Instead of separate bottles for wash, quick detailer, clay lube and interior cleaner, ONR covers all four at different strengths.
The Optimum range extends well beyond ONR. Everything here is DIY, no trade account required.
Two decades of continuous reformulation and a loyal following among professional detailers who use it for washing, interior cleaning and engine bay wipe-downs alike.
Less water waste, no runoff carrying contaminants into storm drains, and the ability to wash safely in places a hose simply can't reach.
Apartment dwellers, water-restricted areas, mobile detailers, and anyone who wants a faster, lower-effort maintenance wash routine.
Anyone building a full DIY detailing kit, from wash through to correction and coating maintenance, without needing a trade account for any of it.
Primarily as a rinseless wash, cleaning a full vehicle with a couple of buckets of water and no hose. The same concentrate also works as a clay lubricant, quick detailer, interior cleaner, glass cleaner and drying aid at different dilution strengths.
Yes. ONR is formulated to be safe on coated, waxed and sealed paint, and won't strip existing protection during a normal wash.
ONR is a rinseless wash, used with water in a bucket for contact washing. Opti-Clean is a ready-to-use waterless wash spray, designed to clean, shine and protect surfaces with no water and no bucket at all, better suited to a light maintenance clean between full washes.
A full exterior wash with ONR typically uses around two buckets of water total, a fraction of what a traditional hose-and-bucket wash uses, which is why it's popular in apartments and water-restricted areas.
No. The entire Optimum Polymer Technologies range is available to any customer, no trade account required. That's different from the Opti-Coat Pro range, which is trade-only, see the Opti-Coat Guide for that side of the business.
ONR was invented by Dr. David Ghodoussi, a chemist and the founder of Optimum Polymer Technologies, in 2005. It was one of the first rinseless wash concentrates on the market and has been reformulated several times since, most recently as ONR V6.
Optimum Polymer Technologies is the parent company. Opti-Coat is Optimum's professional ceramic coating brand, built on silicon carbide (SiC) chemistry, with its Pro range sold only to certified installers. The rest of the Optimum range, including ONR, is available to any customer.
A full DIY detailing range: Hyper Polish and Hyper Compound for paint correction, Paint Prep for pre-coating surface preparation, Power Clean as an all-purpose cleaner, Car Wax and Opti-Seal for protection, plus wheel, tyre, interior, glass and RV/marine products.
Yes, mixed stronger than the rinseless wash dilution. It's one of ONR's several uses alongside washing, quick detailing, interior cleaning and use as a drying aid.
No. ONR is a rinseless wash, used with water in a bucket for contact washing with a wash media. Opti-Clean is Optimum's waterless wash, a ready-to-use spray requiring no water or bucket at all.
Both, under different names. Optimum's own range, ONR, waxes, compounds, cleaners, is all DIY. Ceramic coatings are sold under the related Opti-Coat brand, some DIY like Hyper Shine, most professional-install only like Pro, Pro Plus and Pro3.
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