Bunky
Well-known member
- Jun 20, 2007
- 6,407
- 137
I was doing my fall detail and decided to try Chem Guys Clean Slate to see if it would strip old waxes and sealants as advertised. I actually was not expecting complete removal but looking to see if it was a "strong wash" to clean better than the average soap. I prefer stronger cleaning since I often retop the LSP often anyway.
The directions state 1 ounce to 5 gallons but I have never believed the dilutions on the bottle based upon prior experience with CG soaps so I used 2 oz to 4 gallons.
The car had about a 3 to 4 week coat of Pinnacle XMT 360 Spray Wax so it still shed water fairly fast. As a note, since I was prepping the car for a refresh, I also cleaned all the emblems with P21s Total Auto Wash using a brush BEFORE I washed it.
Observations
Scent: citrus
Color: green
Suds: Decent suds with my well water (ph 7, 5 to 7 grains hardness so hard water) - I have had it tested 3 times so far in prep for a water softener installed.
Lubricity: Very good
Basic Cleaning: No complaints but car was that dirty for a true test
Water spotting: Minimal
Rinsing: Easy
Wax/Sealant stripping: Nothing noticed
Conclusions
I did not notice really anything negative during the wash (foam, cleaning, easy to rinse). When rinsing I did not see any change in the sheeting characteristics except I will state the areas cleaned by P21s TAW sheeted very slowly compared to all other areas of the paint indicating a change in surface behavior. Had the Chem Guys soap left anything on the paint, I would have expected uniform sheeting on all areas and the wash should have removed any residue of P21s TAW if there was any. Based upon this, Clean Slate did not have any obvious affect on the LSP.
I also had some bug remnants on the front facia and they were not removed during the wash process and used PB`s Bug Squash to remove those after I dried it.
In saying this, of all Chem Guys soaps I have used (Mr. Pink, CW&G, Synthetic Body Wash, Honeydew, Maxi Suds) this was the best balanced Chem Guys soap I have used. I did not use it in a foam gun or cannon and will save that for a later review.
I know there has been a lot of discussion about stripping soaps but until I see warnings on product labels similar to APC such as use gloves, do not let dry on paint, work in small sections, etc. I cannot believe these soaps are that potent.
I did get a sample of Adam`s Paint Stripper and did a quick sniff test. The Adam`s has a much stronger chem smell and may try some side by side later.
In summary, if we ignore the claims about stripping, in my first use (usually takes 3 to 4 washes in different conditions to develop full opinion), it was one of the better Chem Guys soaps. I just cannot state how well it really cleans (versus stripping) until I did a better challenge.
The directions state 1 ounce to 5 gallons but I have never believed the dilutions on the bottle based upon prior experience with CG soaps so I used 2 oz to 4 gallons.
The car had about a 3 to 4 week coat of Pinnacle XMT 360 Spray Wax so it still shed water fairly fast. As a note, since I was prepping the car for a refresh, I also cleaned all the emblems with P21s Total Auto Wash using a brush BEFORE I washed it.
Observations
Scent: citrus
Color: green
Suds: Decent suds with my well water (ph 7, 5 to 7 grains hardness so hard water) - I have had it tested 3 times so far in prep for a water softener installed.
Lubricity: Very good
Basic Cleaning: No complaints but car was that dirty for a true test
Water spotting: Minimal
Rinsing: Easy
Wax/Sealant stripping: Nothing noticed
Conclusions
I did not notice really anything negative during the wash (foam, cleaning, easy to rinse). When rinsing I did not see any change in the sheeting characteristics except I will state the areas cleaned by P21s TAW sheeted very slowly compared to all other areas of the paint indicating a change in surface behavior. Had the Chem Guys soap left anything on the paint, I would have expected uniform sheeting on all areas and the wash should have removed any residue of P21s TAW if there was any. Based upon this, Clean Slate did not have any obvious affect on the LSP.
I also had some bug remnants on the front facia and they were not removed during the wash process and used PB`s Bug Squash to remove those after I dried it.
In saying this, of all Chem Guys soaps I have used (Mr. Pink, CW&G, Synthetic Body Wash, Honeydew, Maxi Suds) this was the best balanced Chem Guys soap I have used. I did not use it in a foam gun or cannon and will save that for a later review.
I know there has been a lot of discussion about stripping soaps but until I see warnings on product labels similar to APC such as use gloves, do not let dry on paint, work in small sections, etc. I cannot believe these soaps are that potent.
I did get a sample of Adam`s Paint Stripper and did a quick sniff test. The Adam`s has a much stronger chem smell and may try some side by side later.
In summary, if we ignore the claims about stripping, in my first use (usually takes 3 to 4 washes in different conditions to develop full opinion), it was one of the better Chem Guys soaps. I just cannot state how well it really cleans (versus stripping) until I did a better challenge.
