Car Washing
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2010
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Car Washing
Hello;
The guy we bought our vette from told us, for routine washing, to use household laundry or dish detergent. He claims to have tried many of the specialty products and found them to be no better then the household products only that they cost more.
Please provide me with your opinions.
Thanks, nicholas
The guy we bought our vette from told us, for routine washing, to use household laundry or dish detergent. He claims to have tried many of the specialty products and found them to be no better then the household products only that they cost more.
Please provide me with your opinions.
Thanks, nicholas
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: OC Calif
St. Jude Donor '10
OP- dawn dish soap is fine, just don't use granulated dishwasher soap, it may leave a scratch or 2.
Lots of info here
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/car-care-discussion-10/
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 33,066
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From: Rochester NY
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
I avoid the dish stuff, takes all the wax off or so I'm told. I use a regular car wash soap (darned if I can recall which brand) from the local parts place, then follow with Ibiz.
There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are forum members - your mileage may vary.
There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are forum members - your mileage may vary.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 10
From: Apple Valley MN
LMAO!
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Safety Car
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Holland MI
I use mothers car wash, the pink stuff. Doesn't strip wax.
There are opinions on everything, but if you wax, use a proper wash.
If you want the paint stripped down to the clear and never wax it, then dish soap might be just fine for you.
There are opinions on everything, but if you wax, use a proper wash.
If you want the paint stripped down to the clear and never wax it, then dish soap might be just fine for you.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Raleigh NC
LMAO!
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: May 2010
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Hello;
O.K. So I'll be better off using a product designed for car washing. I'm o.k. with that. My guess is that anyone of the products designed for this purpose is probably just as good as the next. Like which truck is better, Chevy or Ford.
Yesterday at WM I was reading labels on car wash products. Some say it will not leave water marks. That got me thinking. How can it not leave water marks. The wash product is mixed into a pail of water. The car is washed. The car is rinsed and off goes the car wash product and on goes plain water. How can the product prevent water marks when it's no longer on the surface? Not that it really makes any differance. The car gets dried so no water spots.
Thanks, nicholas
O.K. So I'll be better off using a product designed for car washing. I'm o.k. with that. My guess is that anyone of the products designed for this purpose is probably just as good as the next. Like which truck is better, Chevy or Ford.
Yesterday at WM I was reading labels on car wash products. Some say it will not leave water marks. That got me thinking. How can it not leave water marks. The wash product is mixed into a pail of water. The car is washed. The car is rinsed and off goes the car wash product and on goes plain water. How can the product prevent water marks when it's no longer on the surface? Not that it really makes any differance. The car gets dried so no water spots.
Thanks, nicholas
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,426
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From: Pennsylvania
I know a guy who adds kerosene to his car wash detergent. He says it makes the car shine better afterwords.
He drives a C5 and swears by that method.
He drives a C5 and swears by that method.
Last edited by FOURSPEEDVETTE; Aug 11, 2010 at 12:45 AM.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 264
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From: San Antonio Texas
Hello;
The guy we bought our vette from told us, for routine washing, to use household laundry or dish detergent. He claims to have tried many of the specialty products and found them to be no better then the household products only that they cost more.
Please provide me with your opinions.
Thanks, nicholas
The guy we bought our vette from told us, for routine washing, to use household laundry or dish detergent. He claims to have tried many of the specialty products and found them to be no better then the household products only that they cost more.
Please provide me with your opinions.
Thanks, nicholas
My vette goes here at least once a week. I bought the membership for unlimited washes.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,651
Likes: 10
From: Apple Valley MN
Good question - but if you don't wash your car out in the sun, and dry it off right away, water marks should not be an issue.
If you're interested in learning more about how to care for your car, I'd recommend the car care forum here that was mentioned earlier, and also check out autopia.org and autogeek.net.
If you're interested in learning more about how to care for your car, I'd recommend the car care forum here that was mentioned earlier, and also check out autopia.org and autogeek.net.
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St. Jude Donor '10
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Boise Idaho
LMAO!
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
next wash.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,738
Likes: 15
From: OC Calif
St. Jude Donor '10
I avoid the dish stuff, takes all the wax off or so I'm told. I use a regular car wash soap (darned if I can recall which brand) from the local parts place, then follow with Ibiz.
There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are forum members - your mileage may vary.
There are probably as many opinions on this topic as there are forum members - your mileage may vary.
LMAO!
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Use Dawn dish soap only if you want to remove the wax from your car - for instance, if you're going to clay bar or polish it. For regular washing, either use just plain water or a soap made for car washing. Use 2 buckets (one for clean water and one to rinse your dirty wash mitt in), or get a grit guard if you only have one bucket. I have had the best luck with microfiber mitts and towels, as far as being easy on the finish. Microfiber wash mitts with the long fingers, i.e. chenille, are good. A lot of folks use a leaf blower to blow most of the water off of the car, and they're good for forcing the water out of all the nooks and crannies. Be prepared for strange looks from your neighbors, though.
Ever look at an MSDS sheet on Dawn soap vs. Meguiars? All soaps use various types and amounts of 'surfactants' which, like all soaps, makes water 'wetter'. 'Wetter' the water, the more dirt it can remove, coupled with more suds, the more it can scoop up dirt particles, lifting it away from the surface for your sponge/mit to grab.
and remember, Car Wash soap manufacturers also sell wax, so if you think their soaps don't remove wax, your mistaken.
Dawn: Look at section 3
http://www.pg.com/productsafety/msds...Ultra_Dawn.pdf
Mequiars: Section 3
http://www.meguiars.com/msds/G104.PDF
Had to pull one of these ingredients seperatly to see how harsh it is
http://www.trade-chem.com/products/MSDS/SLES.pdf
Granted, they only have to list chemicals if they exceed a certain percentage used, but even at 5-10%, this appears to be a pretty strong chemical in by itself.
Bottom line, Use Dawn, it won't remove your wax unless you're using Farmer John Bacon Grease for car wax, anymore than any car wash soap.
Last edited by socalman; Aug 10, 2010 at 02:05 PM.