Chemical Guys Nonsense Review: Is “Colorless & Odorless” Enough?

Chemical Guys Nonsense Review: Is “Colorless & Odorless” Enough?

Chemical Guys Nonsense Review: Is “Colorless & Odorless” Enough?

Chemical Guys Nonsense is marketed as the safest, most neutral interior cleaner ever made — completely colorless, odorless, and designed to work on every surface without leaving residue. But does removing color and fragrance actually make it a better cleaner? We tested Nonsense on leather, vinyl, plastics, soft-touch dashboards, Alcantara, and fabric to see how it truly performs.

Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Introduction: What Makes Nonsense Different?

Chemical Guys positions Nonsense as a “super safe” interior cleaner — no dyes, no scents, and no harsh additives. The idea is simple: if there’s nothing in the cleaner to stain or irritate surfaces, it must be safer. But that doesn’t automatically guarantee performance.

In our testing, we evaluated:

  • → Cleaning strength on real interior grime
  • → Safety on leather, vinyl, soft plastics, and Alcantara
  • → Residue, streaking, and surface finish
  • → Dilution behavior and cleaning consistency
  • → Whether “colorless & odorless” is actually better
  • → How Nonsense compares to Koch-Chemie Pol Star and Complete Cabin Cleaner

1. Product Overview: What Chemical Guys Claims

Nonsense is sold as a true all-surface interior cleaner with a “near-neutral” profile. Unlike typical APCs that contain dyes or fragrances, Nonsense is completely blank — which is meant to make it safer and reduce the chance of staining.

Key Features

  • → Colorless
  • → Odorless
  • → All-surface compatible
  • → pH around 9–10
  • → Dilutable up to 1:20
  • → Marketed as residue-free

But here’s the catch: a higher pH cleaner (9–10) is more alkaline — and that increases the likelihood of streaks, tackiness, and haze unless wiped aggressively.

2. Real-World Cleaning Test: How Nonsense Performs

We tested Nonsense on real interior dirt, body oils, food spill residues, dusty plastics, and light-to-medium fabric staining.

Leather Cleaning

  • → Removes surface dirt effectively
  • → Leaves a slight tacky feel if not wiped thoroughly
  • → Higher pH can dry leather over time

Result: Effective but not ideal for luxury leather or maintenance cleaning.

Vinyl & Hard Plastics

  • → Good cleaning strength
  • → Residue appears if too much product is used
  • → Streaking common on soft-touch dashboard materials

Result: Cleans well, but finish quality is inconsistent.

Soft-Touch Plastics

  • → Most prone to haze
  • → Requires a second dry towel to remove film

Result: Not ideal for modern interiors unless wiped carefully.

Fabric & Upholstery

  • → Foams aggressively
  • → Less effective lifting embedded grime
  • → Leaves no fragrance behind

Result: Looks strong but cleans lighter than expected.

Alcantara

  • → Usable at higher dilution
  • → Leaves slight dampness
  • → Inconsistent cleaning compared to Pol Star

3. Strength Comparison Table

Surface Nonsense Pol Star Complete Cabin Cleaner
Leather Good cleaning, tacky feel Safe, even cleaning Deep clean, zero residue
Vinyl / Trim Streak risk, film buildup Natural finish OEM matte finish
Fabric Foamy but low lifting power Excellent fiber lifting Fastest, most consistent results
Soft-touch Plastics Haze potential Safe No haze, no residue

4. Is “Colorless & Odorless” Actually Better?

Nonsense’s main selling point is that it contains no dyes or fragrances. But that doesn’t automatically make it safer or more effective.

Where “Colorless & Odorless” Helps

  • → Won’t stain fabric
  • → Good for customers sensitive to scents
  • → Avoids artificial fragrances sticking to surfaces

Where It Hurts Performance

  • → No lubricity boost from additives
  • → Wipes dry quickly, causing streaking
  • → No surfactant fragrance means grime smells linger
  • → Higher pH makes it less “neutral” than marketed

Removing dyes and scent sounds good on paper — but the real-world benefits are limited unless you have allergies or fragrance sensitivity.

5. pH Levels: The Real Story Behind Nonsense

Nonsense is marketed as extremely safe, but its pH (9–10) tells a different story.

Why That Matters

  • → Higher pH = more risk of dryness on leather
  • → Higher pH = more streaking potential
  • → Higher pH = more haze on dashboards

When we tested it against Pol Star (pH ±8) and Complete Cabin Cleaner (balanced pH), the differences were clear. Safety isn’t just about being colorless or unscented — it’s about the entire chemical balance.

A Safer, Stronger All-Surface Alternative

Complete Cabin Cleaner offers deeper cleaning, zero residue, and a perfect OEM matte finish — without streaking or tackiness.

Buy on Jimbo’s Detailing Buy on Amazon

6. Foam: Does Nonsense Clean Better Because It Foams?

Nonsense creates a dramatic foam — especially when agitated with a brush. But foam alone doesn’t equal cleaning strength.

Nonsense Foam

  • → High foam
  • → Collapses quickly
  • → Doesn’t improve deep cleaning

Pol Star Foam

  • → Controlled foam
  • → Better at lifting fibers

Complete Cabin Cleaner Foam

  • → Low foam
  • → High lubricity
  • → Easier to wipe streak-free

Foam may look nice for Instagram, but performance-wise, Nonsense’s foam doesn’t outperform competitors.

7. Residue & Streaking: Nonsense’s #1 Weak Point

This is where Nonsense struggles most. Despite being marketed as residue-free, our testing showed the opposite.

Observed Issues

  • → Sticky feel on leather
  • → Haze on dashboards
  • → Streaks on glossy plastics
  • → Film buildup on vinyl

Why It Happens

  • → High pH surfactants cling aggressively
  • → Lacks lubricity additives
  • → Wipes dry too quickly

By comparison, Pol Star and Complete Cabin Cleaner left zero residue and a consistent OEM finish.

8. Dilution: Does Nonsense Become Better or Worse When Diluted?

Nonsense can be diluted up to 1:20 — but performance drops dramatically.

At 1:5

  • → Strongest cleaning
  • → Highest residue risk

At 1:10

  • → Moderate strength
  • → Still streaks

At 1:20

  • → Weak cleaning
  • → Still produces haze

Compare That to Complete Cabin Cleaner

  • → Ready to use
  • → No dilution math
  • → Consistent performance every time

Nonsense becomes more cost-effective when diluted, but the performance drop makes the value questionable.

9. Should You Use Nonsense? The Final Verdict

Nonsense Is Good For:

  • → Customers sensitive to fragrance
  • → Quick cleaning jobs
  • → Light dirt removal

Nonsense Is NOT Good For:

  • → Leather maintenance
  • → Soft-touch dashboards
  • → Heavy soiling or stains
  • → Professional detailing speed

The biggest issue is consistency. Nonsense can clean well — but finish quality suffers. For detailers, that alone is a deal-breaker.

The Cleaner That Outperforms Nonsense

Complete Cabin Cleaner is stronger, safer, and leaves a perfect finish every time — making it the most reliable interior cleaner for pros and daily drivers.

Buy on Jimbo’s Detailing Buy on Amazon

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FAQs

Is Chemical Guys Nonsense safe for leather?

Yes, but its higher pH can dry out leather if used too often.

Does Nonsense leave residue?

Yes — it frequently leaves tackiness or haze unless wiped carefully.

Is Nonsense better than Pol Star?

Nonsense cleans similarly but leaves more streaks. Pol Star is safer.

Does Nonsense work on dashboards?

It works, but streaking and haze are common.

What’s the best alternative to Nonsense?

Complete Cabin Cleaner offers stronger cleaning, zero residue, and perfect finish quality.