Soap

[sochermit]

What does the expensive car washing soaps, used with pressure washers, have in them that makes them so expensive? I am not a detail type guy so I just wash and wax, by hand, my car. My simple minded question is can I use dawn detergent to wash my car? I have used this stuff for the past 10 years on my, soon to be traded in Volvo, and I really do not see a big degradation in the surface. Now if you put a magnifying glass to the paint you most likely would see a problem. Just wondering. All comments, positive or negative, are appreciated.

[sochermit]

Decided to NOT go with the Dawn and use Maguiar's car washing compound.

[1911A145]

PLEASE stop using Dawn detergent on your vehicle. Taking all your time waxing your car by hand is doing you absolutley no good when you are in return stipping all of the wax off of it with the dawn soap. Probably the worste thing you could wash a car with.

Get yourself on the autogeek's detail forum and you can lean a LOT about proper wash steps. you have the two bucket method with grit guards, microfiber wash mits, EZ detail brush for the wheels, different APC's for wheels and road grim, clay baring, and if you want to really get into it later on you can read up on paint correction through a DA.

[sochermit]

Originally Posted by 1911A145

PLEASE stop using Dawn detergent on your vehicle. Taking all your time waxing your car by hand is doing you absolutley no good when you are in return stipping all of the wax off of it with the dawn soap. Probably the worste thing you could wash a car with.

Get yourself on the autogeek's detail forum and you can lean a LOT about proper wash steps. you have the two bucket method with grit guards, microfiber wash mits, EZ detail brush for the wheels, different APC's for wheels and road grim, clay baring, and if you want to really get into it later on you can read up on paint correction through a DA.

Thank you for your comment and recommendation. I believe, I know, you are correct. I recently picked up Maguiar's car washing soap and will use a microfiber mit. I guess I was just so uneducated on the subject and used whatever was handy. I also, by mistake, picked up a bottle of Armorall washing liquid. I meant to pick up the wheel washing liquid.

I will certainly pay more attention to the autogeek's forum on this subject.

[1911A145]

Its ok. We all started somewhere and needed to find the "drive" to want to learn more. Once yo uget into it its like an addiction. the best thing you can do is read, read, read up on all the different ways to clean a car. Newer cars tend to have worse clearcoats and paint and thus needs more special attention.

[Section147]

Originally Posted by 1911A145

We all started somewhere and needed to find the "drive" to want to learn more. Once you get into it its like an addiction.

100% true! I'm always looking for the next "great" product. I like how Griot's Garage uses "Have Fun In Your Garage"
as their slogan. I recently bought their "Weekend Therapy Wash Kit"...which in soooooo aptly named. It becomes therapy
to take your time and do it right!

[sonicbimmer19]

Lawn detergent strips off wax protection so all these time you were pretty much wasting your time waxing your car.

Get Meguiar's "Wash and Wax." That'll wash and wax your car for high gloss finish. (You still should wax your car with liquid wax like once a year)

Detailing is fun haha

[sochermit]

I have seen the errors of my ways. From now on I will use only good products to clean my cars. Thanks for the information and advice.