Yum Cars Yum Rinse-Less | Ultra-Concentrated Rinseless Wash

Yum Rinse-Less lets you wash a car properly without a hose. One ultra-concentrated bottle covers a bucket-style rinseless wash, a spray-and-wipe waterless clean and an interior or glass wipe-down — it dilutes as far as 399:1, so a 500ml bottle goes a very long way.

The chemistry

A rinseless wash works by surrounding dirt particles with lubricating surfactants so they glide off the paint in the towel rather than being dragged across it. The Safety Data Sheet shows a high level of non-ionic surfactants for that slickness, and a small amount of citric acid, which softens the wash water so it dries without leaving mineral spots. Yum Cars describe it as packed with slickening surfactants, with zero streaking and zero water spots.

Use it for

Apartment and water-restricted washing, garage washes in winter, show-day touch-ups and lightly soiled cars. Yum Cars state it is safe on paint, glass, trim, wheels and ceramic coatings, including matte and satin finishes. Heavily soiled cars still need a pre-rinse first.

Dilution guide

Rinse-Less is extremely concentrated, so the amounts are small. Here is what to add per litre of water, and what that works out to in a standard 15 litre wash bucket. Ratios in brackets if you prefer them.

In a 15 litre bucket: about 60ml for a traditional rinseless wash, 45ml for a quick wash on a well-kept car, 100ml for a full waterless wash. Fill your pre-soak pump sprayer at the same strength as the bucket. These are Yum Cars' own recommended dilutions.

How to use

Bucket method. Shake the bottle, dilute in a bucket, and pre-soak each panel with a pump sprayer filled at the same dilution. Wash one panel at a time with plush microfibre towels or a wash pad, then dry immediately.

Spray and wipe. Mix in a spray bottle, spray the panel generously, wipe gently in one direction with a plush towel, and dry before moving on.

Common questions

What dilution do I use for a rinseless wash?
4ml per litre — about 60ml in a 15 litre bucket — which is Yum Cars' 256:1 traditional rinseless ratio. Use 3ml per litre for a quick wash on a well-kept car, 7ml per litre for a waterless spray and 2.5ml per litre for interior and glass.

Will a rinseless wash scratch my paint?
Used properly on light to moderate dirt, no: the surfactants lubricate the dirt so it lifts into the towel. Pre-soak every panel, use plenty of clean towels, and pre-rinse a heavily soiled car first.

Is it safe on matte paint and ceramic coatings?
Yum Cars state it is safe on all surfaces, including ceramic coatings and matte and satin finishes.

Good to know

Available in 500ml and 5 litre. The concentrate is mildly acidic and can cause serious eye damage and skin irritation — wear gloves and eye protection when measuring it out.

See the full Yum Cars range laid out in wash order.

Genuine Yum Cars, supplied through the Australian distributor · Alpha Details Melbourne