dish soap to clean your ride?

[raginraj]

I've always been told that dish soap (like Dawn) are terrible for washing your car with. The chemicals that disolve grease also slowly disolve the clear coat protecting your paint. Extended use also can increase the chances of "swirling" in your paint, particularly for those of us you park outside in the Sun a lot. Just curious to see how many people use dish soap to wash their cars despite this... or maybe because they didn't know.

 

[aldive]

Dish soap is for dishes.

 

[Ru Dawg]

Nope....no dish soap on my X.
Today, in another post here on the boards, was the first time I heard it damages the clearcoat, but I'm not an expert either.
I have always been told Dawn will remove your wax....
Either way, I'll stick to Meguiar's Gold Class car wash shampoo/conditioner!!!!

 

[j602]

Used to....then realized it was probably doing more damage than good. Then I went and got me a bottle of cheap car wash soap at Wally World. However, I do use it in a mixture on my tires with a brush to get the brake dust off.

 

[4X4 X]

Nope dont use dish soap............ just Mr. Clean Spot Free car wash

 

[old mechanic]

Used dish washing soap for years with no problem. Don't know about clear coat or the newer paints tho but how many different soaps can there be? There probably all the same with 1 millionth of an ounce of additive difference. Now a days car wash is cheaper than dish washing soap so might as well use car wash.
Now you have tar remover, bug remover, spot remover, oil remover, heavy road grime remover bla bla bla and when you get thru using all them you probably only need water to get the rest off. The one with the best story will be the best seller!

 

[jimbo74]

i dont wash my truck

 

[mmsdrummer]

I do a dish soap wash once a year to strip the wax off. I then clay, use a cleaner (sometimes), a polish, and then a wax.

The annual dish soap wash is so that the layers of wax do not build up. Otherwise, I use a car wash soap.

 

[Stic-o]

I will only use it when the truck is really dirty.

Why you ask? It's simple what does dish soap get rid of? Grease!

But it's not good for your paint

 

[rfuree11]

never have...i bought a gallon jug of meguiars soap a few years ago and still have it

 

[rino351]

Nope-- just plain old car wash and some rags.
Which reminds me I need To Wax the ex

 

[DeRocha]

I'll use dish soap on the suspension and undercarriage several times / year to remove grease and road grime. My suspension and undercarriage has been Por-15'd and is impervious to dish soap.

 

[flyboyerau]

I only use Dawn dish soap twice a year because it removes the wax. Then I put fresh wax on it before the start of the winter and summer months.

 

[Blee1099]

I only use it when I intend to wax the truck. Which is very rare only except for shows or when it really looks bad.

 

[LDCExploder]

Dish soap is for dishes.

If you use dish soap you might as welluse jet fuel!

 

[bvioland]

the only thing dish soap is good for is if u want to remove old wax

 

[TSTONE]

I use car wash solution nowadays, but in them olden days you really didn't have a choice. Anyone here old enough to remember the days before armour-all, and having to use floor polish as tire shine?

 

[ExplorerSport77]

i use truck shampoo here...non of that dish soap... :thumbdwn: