Exterior Aircraft Wash and Degrease: Why Rinseless is the

If you've ever seen a detailer foam down a car, you might wonder why aircraft professionals use a different approach. The rinseless wash method has become the industry standard for aircraft exterior cleaning, and understanding why helps you evaluate the quality of your detailing service. ## Why Not Pressure Wash or Foam? Aircraft are fundamentally different from cars in ways that affect cleaning methods: Static ports are small pressure-sensing holes on the fuselage that aircraft instruments rely on for accurate readings. Water forced into these ports can ground an aircraft until thorough inspection clears it for flight. The liability exposure alone makes pressure washing inadvisable. Antennas on modern aircraft are often more fragile than they appear. High-pressure water can damage these expensive components. Aircraft paint and seals age differently than automotive finishes. Many aircraft have areas where seals have deteriorated or cracks have developed. Pressure washing can force water into places where it causes corrosion---a safety issue, not just cosmetic. EPA regulations at many airports restrict water runoff. Detailers have been fined and even banned from airports for violations. Rinseless wash eliminates this risk entirely. ## The Rinseless Wash Process Our exterior wash uses Optimum No Rinse or similar aviation-safe rinseless products diluted in distilled or deionized water. Here's how it works: We work panel by panel, never spraying down the entire aircraft at once. Each section receives a spray application of the rinseless solution, which lubricates and encapsulates dirt particles. Using the eight-sided towel method---a microfiber towel folded to create eight usable surfaces---we wipe the lubricated surface, switching to a fresh towel side with each pass. This prevents reintroducing contamination. Immediately following the wash pass, a clean drying towel removes remaining moisture before it can spot or streak. Degreasing: The Most Important Exterior Service While washing makes an aircraft look clean from a distance, degreasing is what separates amateur and professional results. Aircraft bellies accumulate oil, exhaust residue, and hydraulic fluid that regular washing won't remove. Our degreasing process uses aviation-specific products applied to affected areas. After appropriate dwell time, we agitate with rinseless wash and fresh towels. For stubborn buildup, we use a DA polisher with a finishing pad on the lowest setting---the mechanical agitation breaks down embedded grease without risk to the paint. The critical final step is following up with a brand new, clean microfiber towel. Stopping with a damp towel leaves streaks; only a fresh dry towel provides the final clean finish. Level 1 vs Level 2 Exterior Level 1 Exterior (1-2 hours) focuses on the most visible and most soiled areas: nose and windshield, leading edges of wings and engine inlets, visible leak degreasing, and door wipe-down. Level 2 Exterior (3-4 hours) includes complete aircraft coverage: full wing wash (top and bottom), entire fuselage including belly, engine washing with comprehensive degreasing, and landing gear cleaning. Protecting Your Investment After cleaning, we recommend protective wax or ceramic coating application. These products create a barrier against environmental contamination and make future cleaning significantly easier. For San Diego's coastal environment, this protection is particularly valuable against salt air corrosion. Learn more about our exterior aircraft detailing services and schedule your appointment.