First Bath

I'm of the school that it really doesn't matter what kind of soap you use as long as it isn't dish soap or laundry soap and it really is a car wash soap. For awhile, I was following the advice of Meguiar's to put the soap in the bucket *after* filling it with warm water rather than putting the soap in first. The reason was that putting it in first just makes suds and that's what can leave a soap film on the car. If you add it in last, you get the same detergent cleaning action but without the thick suds.

Then what did Meguiar's go and do but bring out a new car wash that was extra-sudsy, so the suds would carry away the grit! [shrug] Whaddya gonna do?

Dave
'04 Tideland Pearl #7

P.S. What I'm really curious about now is that Mr. Clean system that you can get for $19.95 at K-Marts, even some grocery store auto sections (though I didn't see it at Auto Zone)...it's got it's own soap and a spray gun...but the big deal seems to be a de-ionizer or something that treats the rinse water so that it just sheets off the car and (supposedly) you never have to dry it.

 

I've read the advice "never use dishwashing soap" etcetera, and always wondered why not? Anyway, I've always used a squirt of dawn in a warm soapy bucket, sprayed the car vigorously first, washed, and flooded the soap off. I then hand dry it in the garage.

Since I wash it whenever it's dirty, which can be every day in the winter, it can sometimes get a bit tiresome

Its especially dicey when its under 20 degrees, and/or windy! :silly:

Peace

 

The reason why you shouldn't use dish soap is that it is too harsh. All that grease-cutting power will strip the wax job you worked so hard to apply.

 

Is there any reason I shouldn't go to a coin-operated place? For a dollar you get 3 minutes. On the first buck I give it the high-pressure soap spray quickly and the soapy brush all over (you can keep with the brush even after it stops spewing soap if you've gotten plenty on it already). The second buck is enough to give it the high-pressure rinse all over. I know I need to be careful not to blow the rear wiper off.

I never wash it in winter. What's the point? It'll be dirty again in 5 minutes.

 

I don't *know* for sure that there's any reason you shouldn't -- and I'll confess to using one once in awhile. I used them a lot more up in the northeast when the confined streets and on-street parking make hose-and-bucket washing impractical if not impossible. But they are not my first choice. I don't know how you can tell but some of the automated car washes -- both the do-it-yourself and the pull-throughs -- use recirculated water...and I've never been thrilled with the idea of that much recycled grit being sprayed on my car.

When I lived in the Boston area, I might not have washed it as often as I do here in Florida, but I did wash it. My concern was that all that road film -- containing salts and who-knew-what -- could not be good for either the paint or the undercarriage.

Dave
'04 Tideland Pearl #7

 

The exception would be if you want to switch to a different wax formulation and completely get rid of the old stuff. The Zaino car wax/polish guys suggest using a dish-soap wash once when you're first preparing the car to remove all the old wax before starting an entirely new wax job.

Dave

 

Do you have to be careful to turn off the car when washing it, so that it doesn't explode like happened last night on "David Letterman"?

(Before this turns into another urban legend, I should point out that this was a special-effects visual gag, and that the car they showed wasn't even really a hybrid, let alone a Prius.)

 

When I washed it for the first time, I locked the car. Then as water went inside the door handle, it unlocked. So now, I don't lock it.

 

Brian,
If you lock it, just make sure to take the fob out of your pocket and move it away from the car. (Like 15 feet or so.) Then it won't unlock when the water hits the door handle.

 

Ya, I tried that, but I like keeping it in my pocket.

 

if you spend time washing and waxing etc in close proximity to the car, you should disable se/ss, the transponders will continuously query the keyless remote, and it will continuously respond. this will decrease your keyless remote battery, and cause the interior lights to come on/stay on, and that could deplete your 12v battery

sid

 

I'd be a little careful about using their soapy brush. I've been in coinop washes and seen people using the brush to scrap mud, dirt, and debris out of the back of their pickup truck.

Some of that debris could get lodged in the bristles of the brush and cut up your paint job something nasty. I wouldn't want to even risk it.

Best bet would be to spray on the soap, then fill a bucket when your time is about to run out, then use your own wash mit to wash the car. Then you just need to rinse it off and you're done.

Dave.

 

I've never heard of a car washing soap with wax, but it doesn't sound like something I'd use. Definitely stay away from strong soaps like dishwashing soap as they will certainly take the wax off, I've done this and regrettted it.

My favorite car washing soap is made by Malm's. I've used it in my exotics for many years and it works very well. It cleans well and doesn't remove the wax. Just a little bit goes a long way, just like their wax which I also really like - so they are both very economical in the long run.

The synthetic chamois from Target is actually the original "synthetic shammy" and is quite good. I now use it on all my cars. Its called The Absorber, and the price is excellent.

As for the coin-op washes, I find that the soap they use is a bit stronger than I like, and I also agree that the brush is usually quite dirty and they are always synthetic. The last thing that you want is a dirty syntetic brush on your car because it will drag the dirt particles across your paint and give you fine scratches (sometimes AKA haze marks). Stick to a 100% natural brush (preferrably wild boar hair) which won't scratch the car.

Enjoy,
Bob

Malm's Soap, Wax and paint cleaning clay
http://www.malms.com

Wild Boar Har Brush and lots of other cool car maintenance stuff
http://www.griotsgarage.com

 

Now there's a job I wouldn't want -- extracting the hair of wild boars for brushes. :mrgreen:

 

If you want a more reasonable washing experience--not a weekend-long event of exotic concoctions and animal skins--just use a reasonable car wash soap in a bucket, a good hose, and a sponge. Wash it. Dry it. Park it in the shade and apply Nu-Finish. Maybe Rain-X the windows if you're so inclined. Easyeasyeasy, and the car looks great. Don't spend longer washing your car than you have to, unless you just LOVE doing it.

I washed mine this morning in about an hour, after mowing the grass.

 

That's what I used today. Actually, I used Meguiar's 3-step product but I didn't see much of a difference until the third step (wax). I think the first two didn't do much of anything other than remove a little excess dirt (based on the appearance of the towels). Anyway, it did a decent job, particularly for the price.

 

I washed and waxed last weekend and the car looks great... but be careful around the emblems... It took me forever to get all the was off of the "Hybrid Synergy Drive" logo.

 

Yeah! And I don't care what they say, an entire can of paste wax just seems like too darn much.



:_>