heavy duty car soap

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gofastman

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whats the best soap, other than an APC or dish soap for very dirty vehicles?
 
Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss does a job for me when my vehicles are pretty dirty.
 
How dirty the vehicle was didn't change my choice of shampoo, but it did change my method.
I washed the vehicle twice and might possibly change the wash solution during the first wash. I tried to use lots of water and very little pressure. The second wash allowed me to get any dirt remaining from the first wash.
Personal opinion, but I think a lot of the "wash" induced marring is caused during the drying process because there is still dirt on the car. If your drying towel gets dirty, then you didn't get your car clean when you washed it.
 
Buy a box of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It will cost you about $4.99, but it is worth every penny.
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nissanz350 said:
Buy a box of Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. It will cost you about $4.99, but it is worth every penny.
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for the paint!? are you high? :eek: :D
Ill take a look at the CWG. how about NXT? does it fit the bill? I always use ONR for my stuff but when I work on other peoples vehicles I like to use a traditional wash for the initial cleaning.
 
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If its really bad look at P21S Total Auto Wash All Purpose Degreaser
 
+2 for ##, I got wash and CLEAR though. Definitely not a luxurious feeling shampoo like I've heard about Pinnacle, but your paint will feel like you just clayed, IME. :cheers:
 
Citrus Wash & Gloss and Citrus Wash & Clear will serve as strong wash soaps for dirty cars. Diluted at 2oz per gallon of water, they will both strip away existing paint protection. Diluted at .5oz per gallon of water, they will serve as a strong wash soap. Citrus Wash & Gloss leaves some glossy water-beading protection behind.

But both of those wash soaps are not as aggressive as Chemical Guys say it is...I am not even sure if Citrus Wash & Gloss has the cleaning power to remove durable sealants and waxes....it's hard to tell since CW&G always leaves some protection behind.

Maybe try P21S Total Auto Wash...a lot of detailers use it with their foam cannons as a strong pre-wash paint cleanser. No clue how much to dilute in a bucket of water though if you want to wash the vehicle completely with P21S TAW.
 
There are a bunch of good ones. For the really dirty ones you probably want lots of lube to the wash. DG #101 and PB SS&S fit that bill without removing LSP. You can add a capful of your ONR to amp up the surfacants (lift dirt off paint) and act like a water softener. P21S TAW is a good spot treat for the really bad areas. So is Surf City Grime Destroyer.
 
A4 1.8tqm said:
+2 for ##, I got wash and CLEAR though. Definitely not a luxurious feeling shampoo like I've heard about Pinnacle, but your paint will feel like you just clayed, IME. :cheers:
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Have you tried using it as a paint cleanser to strip your wax and/or sealant? I can't tell when I use Wash & Gloss because it leaves protection behind anyways.
 
I ONLY use wash and clear as a paint cleanser. First time i used it, it felt so... I don't know... sticky? (I use LC Blue Grout Sponge) I didn't like the feeling, but when I finished washing and drying, like I said above, was like I just clayed. Nearly all beading was gone, water just stuck to the surface.

I am yet to try a good shampoo like Pinnacle or P21s, brands I have been happy with other products from. A side by side comparision of wash and clear vs Pinnacle, one in each hand, just to feel the difference of cleanser to luxury WILL happen :D

:cheers:

Forgot to mention that I was very happy with how well w&c removed tuff dirt like on the license plate etc.
 
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gofastman said:
whats the best soap, other than an APC or dish soap for very dirty vehicles?
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Add a couple squirts of Poorboys Bug Squash into the wash or consider presoaking with P21S Total Wash.
 
When I deal with really dirty cars I do 3 things:

1. Pre-spray all the lower panels and wheels with Surf City Grime Destroyer. This stuff breaks up dirt and grime like nothing I've ever seen.

2. Add a bit of the SCGD to the pre-soak solution. I use a hose end sprayer so I put my soap and anything else in there. Some use a bit of APC which is ok too I guess. Let that dwell on the car for a few minutes then rinse down.

3. Use a slick car soap like PB SS&S with some ONR/DPR in the water to float any remaining dirt off.

I've had tremendous success with these steps and recommend them. Really no different than what other people are saying.
 
Meguiars NXT and Chemical Guys Citrus are good for real dirty cars to strip wax.

FOr nonstrippers, duragloss, DP, PB Suds are some favorites.
 
I use Chemical Guys Citrus Wash & Gloss for tires and Wheels. I use Meg's Gold Class for Painted Surfaces.
 
I second the Meg's Gold Class. Works like a charm in my autogeek foam gun!
 
I use Megs Shampoo Plus or Gold Class. Super lubricity and thick foam combined with cleaning power.

As Charles says, a method change is important when a car is very dirty.

I learned to wash a car this year. Before, I would apply pressure to the wash mitt. Now I know the soap and mitt will lift away the dirt with no pressure applied, limiting swirls and scratches.

I use two buckets and rinse twice. (on a dirty car)

If a person buys the most expensive soap, yet washes incorrectly, it's wasted money and damaged paint.
 
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