Car wash liquid

Any high quality brand car soap will do ...stay away with anything that has wax or something else

Meguairs gold is a good choice

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You will get plenty of great advice in this section on car washing

 

I've been using diluted Dawn for decades. It's safe, effective and environmentally friendly.

 

That maybe a little harsh on wax

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Diluted... Doesn't take much to remove bugs and grime.

 

I've experienced great results using P21S Bodywork Shampoo. I also love Optimum No Rinse (ONR) Wash and Shine. The ONR also works great as a traditional car wash if you choose that method of washing instead of the rinseless wash method.

Personally, I would NOT use any dish soap on a car that I cared about. Not only will it remove wax, it will also remove the essential oils that are found in automotive paints and dry the paint out over time.

 

I use this.
I get it from Costco.
So far, so good.
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I use this and think it's great: https://www.meguiars.com/automotive/products/meguiars-gold-class-car-wash-shampoo-conditioner-g7164-64-oz-liquid

 

I never tried any Meguiar's products on any of my sports/exotic cars. I've always thought of them as a second- or third-rate brand (like Turtle Wax, Armor All, etc.). I'm sure Meguiar's makes some quality products but I'll stick with what I consider to be top-shelf brands (P21S, Griot's, Sonax, Pinnacle, etc,) as I've experienced years of excellent results using these brands. If it is sitting on the shelf at Walmart then I'll pass...HAHA

 

Fair Point. I hear ya. But I really think you would never know the difference. I sure don't and I've been detailing these cars since the EARLY 80's. Actually, The products have only gotten better.

 

I use Griots and I love it. It works great in the soap cannon too.

 

I'm glad to hear you get great results from Meguiar's...I'm sure your cars look great. Do you use a separate wax/sealant along with the Meguiar's Carnauba Wash & Wax?

You may be right that I wouldn't notice the difference between Meguiar's or one of my pricier favorites. It would be interesting to do a blind "taste" test comparing big-box retailers car washes and waxes to their high-end counterparts. I can hear the commercial now: "This unsuspecting Ferrari owner has had his regular high-end car wash and wax secretly replaced with Meguiar's....let's see if he notices the difference..."

 

Dawn will ruin the clear coat and cause micro abrasions. All the positive things that get your dishes and pans clean will ruin a car's finish.

Don't just believe me ... Ask Dr. Google .....

 

LOTS of potential answers. Here are some of my thoughts. If you are a car detailing kind of guy, meaning 1.) you keep your car polished and waxed, and 2.) your car is barely dirty, then a Meguiar’s-level soap is not bad. Use a fairly small amount of soap (enough to to lube the paint and lift the dust) to keep your wax and RainEx in tact. Do NOT use soap with wax since it will get on your windshield and rubber (where you don’t want wax residue).

For a genuinely dirty car, I use Griot’s. I trust it enough to put enough soap in the bucket to clean a and lube and eventually rinse nicely. If my car gets really dirty and requires that type of wash, I will almost always do at least a wax or wax-like wet wipe.

A non-car wash soap (like Dawn) will have harsher chemicals that strip the wax or etch the clearcoat, or many not be pH balanced (requiring another opposite pH spray to neutralize). The car wash brands add a touch of surfactant or flow modifier to help the drying/wiping properties, which likely not present in non-car wash soaps.

I have seen YouTube videos of guys using all kinds of odd, harsh soapy stuff to “wash” their cars, but most use them for a specific purpose (cut through wax/grease, strip contaminants, etc.) and/or use some sort of secondary product/chemical to counter-act the first product.

Most “average” car wash soaps will be fine if you lightly wash a protected/wax car.


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You can’t go wrong with Griot’s or Mothers. I’ve used both on some very expensive and delicate paint finishes after trying nearly all the other products out there. Superior results from both.


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Going in the opposite direction here- I worked at a northeast US auto parts chain in the early 1980's. I recall selling a lot of Dupont powdered car wash to old timers. When it was in the bucket with water the grit did not completely dissolve. That could not have been good for paint, but someone washing a general purpose 1970's daily driver probably did not care. I see it is still made, Dupont #7 car wash concentrate.

 

Clear coat wasn't prevalent in the 80's to much degree. Also... If it didn't dissolve they used to much for the amount of water.
You can test this with salt or sugar.....