Dawn Pre wash

[MrWaxer]

I see alot of people on here use Dawn Pre wash, Is this Dawn the dish soap? I know that will strip wax.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I know that a lot of folks on other detailing sites like to use it, but it seems to run counter-intuitive to common logic. Dawn soap is harsh, designed to strip grease which also has the effect of removing natural lubricants from automotive paint.

[fe91]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

i think people only use it if theyre going to be doing a full detail to their car
just to start off with a clean surface

they wouldnt wash their car a week later after they waxed it with dawn soap, they would use regular car soap

[MrWaxer]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

Thats what I thought. I know It strips wax

[Tuck91]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I wouldnt use it on any car, its harsh on just about every surface of your vechile.

If your looking to remove a previous coating of wax, stick to a good claying or light paint cleaner such as DC1

[john m.]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I was also somewhat currious as to people using this as I always thought it was bad.


in for more details!

[MyFirstES300]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

Well, as far as MOL is concerned, the use of Dawn is a no-no and not many users on here endorse the use of it.

I know on other forums I read, they love the Dawn concept.

[Tuck91]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

Well, as far as MOL is concerned, the use of Dawn is a no-no and not many users on here endorse the use of it.

I know on other forums I read, they love the Dawn concept.

I just dont get why anyone would use it when they could just clay the paint, or since they are polishing out the car anyways then that will remove whatever coat of wax is present on the paint.



Well, dish soap never has, and never will touch my trucks paint.

[MyFirstES300]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I just dont get why anyone would use it when they could just clay the paint, or since they are polishing out the car anyways then that will remove whatever coat of wax is present on the paint.



Well, dish soap never has, and never will touch my trucks paint.

None of my cars either. Here is Mike Phillips position on Dawn, for your benefit:

"Dawn is somewhat famous for it's strong detergent cleaning action enabling it to remove grease from dishes and pans. The idea being if it will remove grease, food and things like cooking oils from your dishes, it will be strong enough to do a stellar job of cleaning your paint before you begin a detailing session.

There is also a certain camp of people that recommend with a zeal, the use of Dawn to wash your car before the application of some paint protectants to insure some company's polymers will be able to bond to the finish.

The problem with using strong detergents to wash your car is that not only do high alkaline, strong detergent soaps like Dawn dull your car's paint and strip off wax/polymer protectants, it also dries out all of the non-paint components such as vinyl, rubber and plastic.

Meguiar's car washes clean effectively, and more importantly, safely, so you don't have to resort to antiquated and harsh methods of cleaning your car, truck or s.u.v.

The finish on this neglected Mercedes-Benz could have been harmed even more than it already was had a strong detergent wash been used on it in it's starting or Before condition. "

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1895&highlight=dawn

[Tuck91]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

None of my cars either. Here is Mike Phillips position on Dawn, for your benefit:

"Dawn is somewhat famous for it's strong detergent cleaning action enabling it to remove grease from dishes and pans. The idea being if it will remove grease, food and things like cooking oils from your dishes, it will be strong enough to do a stellar job of cleaning your paint before you begin a detailing session.

There is also a certain camp of people that recommend with a zeal, the use of Dawn to wash your car before the application of some paint protectants to insure some company's polymers will be able to bond to the finish.

The problem with using strong detergents to wash your car is that not only do high alkaline, strong detergent soaps like Dawn dull your car's paint and strip off wax/polymer protectants, it also dries out all of the non-paint components such as vinyl, rubber and plastic.

Meguiar's car washes clean effectively, and more importantly, safely, so you don't have to resort to antiquated and harsh methods of cleaning your car, truck or s.u.v.

The finish on this neglected Mercedes-Benz could have been harmed even more than it already was had a strong detergent wash been used on it in it's starting or Before condition. "
http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/sho...highlight=dawn

good post

[Bounty]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

Ok, time for me to go against the tide as usual...

Let's start with the facts. Yes, Dawn or other dishwashing soaps are high alkaline products designed to cut kitchen/household grease, oil, and biological material. Yes, they are designed to do so with little agitation as the cleaning power comes from the strong solvents in the soap...similar to a "touchless carwash." Yes, Dawn will thoroughly remove sealants, waxes, glazes, polishes, fillers, and other above-surface film layers from the paint. Yes, with repeated or extensive use it may damage or fade exterior plastics, vinyl, and rubber.

And that's the key...repeated or extensive use. I would never recommend utilizing Dawn as your everyday wash solution. I would not recommend using Dawn multiple times on the same vehicle. But as a detailer who has many cars brought to me without an extensive vehicle history and sometimes directly from other detailers it has a purpose. Few products clear away a 10-step Zaino application or multiple layers of Meg's # 7 from a car like Dawn.

Could I remove all this with a clay bar? Possibly. Would my polishing steps get off any that remained after clay? Of course. Do I want to wait that long to get an accurate assessment of the virgin surface and paint condition? No. I like to have an eyes-on view of the true paint condition before, during, and after my work. Hence the wash after clay and the IPA wpedowns in between polishing steps. It also prevents any possible contamination on my clay bar or polishing pads and let's both of those do their jobs more effectively.

Dawn used as a pre-wash soak or initial wash will not make the paint fall off, instantly fade all trim, or magically make the car disappear. It's not some evil product designed to trip up the uninitiated detailer. It has a spot in your arsenal like every other tool but has a time and place where it is applicable and daily washing is not it. Using it all the time will excessively dry paint, remove applied protectant, and fade trim. It is to be used only to remove film layers prior to a full correction where polishing will take place to remove layers of clear and lubricants/oils redistributed through glazes, paint cleansers, paintwork enhancers, waxes, etc.

But don't ever tell anyone I told you that...

[cardriver]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I see alot of people on here use Dawn Pre wash, Is this Dawn the dish soap? I know that will strip wax.

That is precisely the purpose!

For my weekly washes, I use NXT wash. Awesome stuff, and safe on existing wax.

But when I do a full detail session every couple months or so, I use Dawn to strip everything clean and start anew. I don't care for remnants and hot-spots or weak-spots of old wax on my paint when I'm detailing. I want a clean, wax-free surface with which to apply new, uniform coatings of fresh product . That's the theory, anyway.

[Brian09RT]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

Once a year I wash with Dawn make sure its the original brand, then clay bar then wash with the Megurar's wash followed by waxing.

Cheers
Brian

[Desertdawg]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

NO DAWN !

If you really want to get your paint clean, use steel wool.


just kidding

[3Fitty]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I wonder what is more harsh on paint, Dawn or an IPA wipedown? I think Bounty's post above is a good one and makes sense to me, in terms of not using Dawn repeatedly but here is my question...

Some people say they do a dawn wash once or twice a year based on starting with a fresh canvas for a full detail... so I'm thinking 2 Dawn washes per year + a few IPA wipedowns (some guys do it non-diluted), isn't this starting to push the envelope in terms of harshness to the paint?

Maybe it isn't, maybe it is, really I don't know. It just seems that you might get into a habit of, lets say 2 dawn washes + 4 IPA wipedowns per year. That seems like an awful lot, no?

What would be the cumulative effect of such practices, after 4-5 years?