Abba, If you can, it’s better l’chatchila to use a kli, koach gavra and a r’viis of water. But if you can’t, YOU STILL MAKE THE BRACHA AND IT STILL REMOVES THE RUACH R’AAH. (Mishna B’rurah Siman 4, S”k 15, 16 & 17).
However,the water does have to be poured (you can place them under a faucet for example even though it’s not koach gavra) (M.B s”k 17) and it does have to be 3x over each time in order to remove the Ruach R’aah (SA seif). Maybe tht is what you were thinking of.