Dawn Soap Wash

[Mike Burke]

What concentration of Dawn to water do you use ?

Is it the thing to use on a car that is getting detailed for the first time ?

Or is there another strong wash that I should use ?


Thanks
Mike

 

[93fox]

i feel more comfortable using an actual car soap that has the cleaning ability to strip and prep the surface prior to detailing. i use chemical guys citrus wash and gloss concentrated. diluting it at 1oz to 1 gallon of water is perfect for prep. some people add 1 or 2 oz of APC to their soap to also prep the surface.

 

[Ted S.]

I use about 1.5 oz. of Dawn to 3 gallons of water. I usually slip in a half ounce of WG auto bathe as well to soften the water. The Dawn will remove most grim and grease, and better than any dedicated carwash I have used, but Dawn is only good for the initial detail before claying and a paint cleanser or cleaner wax/sealant. For adhesion purposes, IME a paint cleanser or cleaner wax/sealant (I use KAIO) is a crucial step after claying to help wax/sealants adhere to the paint better.

I have never used the chemical guys wash, so I cannot make any comparison. But many members here recommend it as an initial wash.
This is the process I use for the paint in an initial detail::autowash:
1. Wash with Dawn, and then dry.
2. Clay the paint from top down, wiping excess clay lube (I use ONR) from the paint to help against spotting.
3. Use Klasse all it one. This is a cleaner sealant, and it shines up the paint a little bit. You have to work the KAIO into to paint a bit to remove environmental contaminates and leftover wax/sealant that was too strong for the Dawn to remove.
4. Sealant.
5. Carnauba if desired after the sealant has cured.

Now I would never risk washing a vehicle with Dawn after applying any wax; sealant or not. This is where good dedicated carwashes are best. When your vehicle’s paint has proper protection (sealant/wax), a regular wash with a good boutique wash (like WG auto bathe; my personal favorite. Others are XMT, Pinnacle, DP, etc.) has immeasurable advantages over a Dawn wash. The boutique carwashes have great lubricants that help prevent marring and make washing a well protected car much easier and more rewarding. When I have used these washes on a waxed car, bugs seem to wash off so much easier (which may actually be a combination of the wax and the wash). I have even noticed more “pop” from a paint job after washing with them. The boutique washed even claim to recondition the existing wax on the vehicle, which may very well be the reason the paint has some extra “pop” after use. In theory, regular washing should help waxes/sealant last longer.:dblthumb2:

Of course, this is all my opinion and experience. Im the MAN

 

[Matt]

i feel more comfortable using an actual car soap that has the cleaning ability to strip and prep the surface prior to detailing. i use chemical guys citrus wash and gloss concentrated. diluting it at 1oz to 1 gallon of water is perfect for prep. some people add 1 or 2 oz of APC to their soap to also prep the surface.

:iagree:

Even if I'm trying to strip LSP, I never let a dish wash soap touch my car. I generally use a higher concentration of a car shampoo that is known to strip wax.

 

[SeaJay's]

I will use a squirt of dawn in my foam cannon when I'm stripping a car. Usually mix 2 oz DP Xtreme Foam (or other car soap), a squirt of dawn (prob about 1 oz).

I have also used APC before as well but doesn't seem to strip as well as dawn. I have plans to try out Opti power clean as my stripping agent next time around. Since everyone seems to have really good results with that.

 

[HeavyMetal]

I will use a squirt of dawn in my foam cannon when I'm stripping a car. Usually mix 2 oz DP Xtreme Foam (or other car soap), a squirt of dawn (prob about 1 oz).

I have also used APC before as well but doesn't seem to strip as well as dawn. I have plans to try out Opti power clean as my stripping agent next time around. Since everyone seems to have really good results with that.

Hey SeaJay,

Which Dawn do you use? My wife has the green Dawn Antibacterial and it barely touches Menz PL/Souv. I have much better success using Megs APC.

 

[SeaJay's]

Hey SeaJay,

Which Dawn do you use? My wife has the green Dawn Antibacterial and it barely touches Menz PL/Souv. I have much better success using Megs APC.

I've been using the blue one. Don't know the exact name. My gf picked up a huge bottle of it for me last time she went grocery shopping. I just asked for the plain dawn.

I haven't attempted to strip Menz PL yet (never got around to it on my old truck). Typically I'm stripping cars that have a cleaner wax of some sort on them so not too strong. I get a lot of daily drivers, the worst I've come across for a customer would be Collinite 845 which I had applied. That stripped pretty good. Then followed by clay.

 

[Mike Burke]

Interesting...........see a lot of you mention useing dawn as an initial wash....

I know not to use it after detailing

higher concentration of a car shampoo that is known to strip wax.

And what are some of these shampoos ?

Thanks

 

[Setec Astronomy]

i feel more comfortable using an actual car soap that has the cleaning ability to strip and prep the surface prior to detailing.

:iagree:

Even if I'm trying to strip LSP, I never let a dish wash soap touch my car. I generally use a higher concentration of a car shampoo that is known to strip wax.

Oh here we go again, a soap that millions of people stick their hands in every day to wash dishes, and thousands of penguins and pelicans use in the bathtub to clean oil spills off themselves, is somehow going to damage your car. I guess this myth got started when someone washed the greasy kid stuff trim dressing off their faded trim and decided the Dawn had turned it gray. If this stuff was so deadly to paint/trim/glass/whatever don't you think there would be millions of homes with faded dishes, cracked plastic glassware, and sick occupants from ingesting Dawn residue.

What concentration of Dawn to water do you use ? Is it the thing to use on a car that is getting detailed for the first time ? Or is there another strong wash that I should use ?

Use as much Dawn as you need to get the dirt/grease off...I guarantee it won't hurt anything on your car. Optimum Power Clean has been suggested as a good way to strip.

 

[HeavyMetal]

Oh here we go again, a soap that millions of people stick their hands in every day to wash dishes, and thousands of penguins and pelicans use in the bathtub to clean oil spills off themselves, is somehow going to damage your car. I guess this myth got started when someone washed the greasy kid stuff trim dressing of their faded trim and decided the Dawn had turned it gray. If this stuff was so deadly to paint/trim/glass/whatever don't you think there would be millions of homes with faded dishes, cracked plastic glassware, and sick occupants from ingesting Dawn residue.



Use as much Dawn as you need to get the dirt/grease off...I guarantee it won't hurt anything on your car. Optimum Power Clean has been suggested as a good way to strip.

:iagree:

Bingo. First time I read about Dawn breaking down seals and plastic trim I thought the same thing. If this stuff is so deadly, how come all of our plastic handled utensils, water bottles, and plastic cookout plates haven't dissolved to nothingness? Come on guys, it ain't radioactive napalm. It's soap.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Bingo. First time I read about Dawn breaking down seals and plastic trim I thought the same thing. If this stuff is so deadly, how come all of our plastic handled utensils, water bottles, and plastic cookout plates haven't dissolved to nothingness? Come on guys, it ain't radioactive napalm. It's soap.

I guess the funniest part is people saying "OMG, not...DAWN!!!" and then on the other side of the forum are people saying sure, put that Iron-X, and the caustics and acids in the decon kits on your car, no problem! And "the clearcoat on your wheels is basically the same as on your car, and right behind that painted wheel is a brake system which you need to save your life, so go ahead and spray some hydroflouric acid wheel cleaner on them...just as long as you don't use any DAWN".

But then as Flash has been saying...those flood waters from the Mississippi are just about to reach either coast...

 

[CEE DOG]

If this stuff was so deadly to paint/trim/glass/whatever don't you think there would be millions of homes with faded dishes, cracked plastic glassware.

You have a point... I have to admit I am guilty of possibly being ignorant on this. I was about to to reply about how Dawn is not for me on cars but you may have opened my eyes to some ignorance of my own I hadn't really thought through... Hmmm....

How about dishes never see the sun while rubber trim stays in the sun and the residue left by the Dawn soaked into the rubber with the UV might dry the rubber? I just came up with that trying to think of an answer to your comment...

The only difference I can come up with is that the car materials are under intense UV strain every day and the materials are a little different. I'm not arguing your point because I lean a little more towards your point than I do my own post right here. But I'll tell you one thing... I'm still never putting Dawn on Skybaby! :laughing:

 

[Setec Astronomy]

You have a point... I have to admit I am guilty of possibly being ignorant on this. I was about to to reply about how Dawn is not for me on cars but you may have opened my eyes to some ignorance of my own I hadn't really thought through... Hmmm

Hey, I'm not saying it's a good car wash, and some people have questioned its lubricity, but it's certainly not going to hurt anything. It's simply a mild detergent, the pH is 9 or something, so a typical alkaline detergent. It would probably make a great foaming car wash soap if you put some glossing or sheeting agents in it...in fact I'm sure it's not very different from most car wash soaps aside from it's missing a few ingredients and maybe has a couple that the car wash doesn't need.

A number of years ago a ChemE on another forum compared the MSDS on the car soaps and Dawn and concluded not much difference. As I'm sure you know, engineering is the art of compromise...they just compromise a little differently with Dawn vs. car wash.

 

[LegacyGT]

I found on my latest detail, using normal car soap and washing the car, followed by spraying the whole car down with OPC 3:1 and briefly working it in was effective.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

How about dishes never see the sun while rubber trim stays in the sun and the residue left by the Dawn soaked into the rubber with the UV might dry the rubber?

Aww, come on man! You know as well as I do that rubber trim doesn't need any help from Dawn to undergo UV oxidation. You must be an ME or EE...if you were a ChemE you'd know that most of the cost of chemicals is MARKETING. Just look at the guys here who use Zep from Home Depot instead of boutique APC's. My father taught me a hundred years ago that for instance, in the cosmetics industry, most of the cost is in the packaging, not the contents...just look at a lipstick (at least in the old days before everything was injection molded).

Most of the detailing chemicals we use are more alike than different, and the price difference is in the marketing and the value-added services like forums or phone support. Just look at the CG's controversy, etc. The only guy who really seems like he sells his products on chemistry and not marketing is Dr. G. Ask him next time how different Dawn is from most car washes.

EDIT: Hey, I'll make you a deal, meet me in the AutopiaForums.com chat next Wednesday at 8...Dr. G is the guest and we'll ask him.

 

[David Fermani]

How about dishes never see the sun while rubber trim stays in the sun and the residue left by the Dawn soaked into the rubber with the UV might dry the rubber? I just came up with that trying to think of an answer to your comment...

Dawn will not dry out seals. I use Dawn on my own car and on all my details. And do so in full sun on a boiling hot vehicle When I do I leave it on and it dries on the entire vehicle. It's actually better to let it dry rather than constantly rinsing and worring about water spots. There is nothing in Dawn that will attack the plasticizers in paint or plastic. It's 100% safe. This wives' tale needs to be put to rest.

 

[Y2KSVT]

If the question is whether to use Dawn to strip wax before performing a full detail, won't the clay bar actually strip any wax/sealant on the paint? If you're going to clay the car anyway and you're worried about Dawn, then don't use it because the clay bar will strip any LSP you have on the paint. Am I incorrect in this thinking?

Mark

 

[David Fermani]

If the question is whether to use Dawn to strip wax before performing a full detail, won't the clay bar actually strip any wax/sealant on the paint? If you're going to clay the car anyway and you're worried about Dawn, then don't use it because the clay bar will strip any LSP you have on the paint. Am I incorrect in this thinking?

Mark

I don't think you can assimilate a clay bar to what Dawn can do in regards to stripping oils and wax off the surface. 2 totally different products/processes IMHO and each has their place.

 

[HeavyMetal]

How about dishes never see the sun while rubber trim stays in the sun and the residue left by the Dawn soaked into the rubber with the UV might dry the rubber?

Corey, I'll echo Setec and David on this one. You drive down the hiway with cars spewing out CO, hydrocarbons, nitrogen and sulfur compounds not to mention what leaks from trucks and is in the atmosphere from mfg plants, you let your car sit in broiling sun, and you're worried about what a little soap residue will do to the rubber? I'm not sure who started the "OMG - Dawn" thing, but that person was a complete freaking idiot.

 

[Meghan]

Seems we cannot conduct ourselves properly in this thread without bashing each other so I will close it.