Dawn Pre wash

[MyFirstES300]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

3Fitty, good point. That was what I was thinking as well.

[Bounty]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

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?

In my usage it's more like a Dawn pre-soak or initial wash once or twice in the car's lifetime, not per year. If you totally correct the finish properly, there really is no need for a Dawn wash again. Gentle, ph-balanced car shampoos (like Gold Class) should be used to maintain the vehicle.

When I do a complete multi-step polish on a vehicle I know exactly what is on the surface and after correction it'll only need a light polish (M205, Menz FP, etc) to maintain on a yearly or bi-yearly basis.

As for the IPA wipedowns, I use a diluted mixture of 2:1 with de-ionized water. Relatively mild yet effective enough to remove oils and fillers from the surface. Again, this is used between polishing steps during the initial heavy correction phase. Since I move to a one-step polish for maintenance afterwards there's no more need for the harsher cleansing steps...

[Blueline]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

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..

My Dad has a 2000 LeSabre and has never used anything but dish soap (Dawn or some other) to wash his car, and has never waxed it. It still looks shinny and new and according to him, that is what a clear coat does. As a retired chemical enginer, he scoffs at the mention of dish soap removing the "oils" in chemical cured automobile paint and clear coat, or damaging non metalic parts. As he states, if it was that damaging, millions of women would have no skin on their hands from washing dishes. He is much ammused at me with my clay, my buckets, sheep mitts, waxes, etc. Frankly, if his nine year old car with 176,000 miles on it, with the way he has taken care of it, looks as good as it does, maybe he is on to something.

[3Fitty]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

My Dad has a 2000 LeSabre and has never used anything but dish soap (Dawn or some other) to wash his car, and has never waxed it. It still looks shinny and new and according to him, that is what a clear coat does. As a retired chemical enginer, he scoffs at the mention of dish soap removing the "oils" in chemical cured automobile paint and clear coat, or damaging non metalic parts. As he states, if it was that damaging, millions of women would have no skin on their hands from washing dishes. He is much ammused at me with my clay, my buckets, sheep mitts, waxes, etc. Frankly, if his nine year old car with 176,000 miles on it, with the way he has taken care of it, looks as good as it does, maybe he is on to something.

Maybe he is on to something, but then again, maybe he's just lucky.

A part of me actually believes what he is saying, but then there is another part of me that wonders.

Everytime I see a car with clear coat failure I wonder to myself... was this a case of dish soap, too much sun exposure, lack of washing/waxing, too much washing waxing, etc...

Frankly, I've been into car care for about 18 years, although not with the same zeal I have today, but I've never owned a car long enough to find out how my car pans out long term.

You have a good example of a car who has been (by our standards) neglected, yet still in great shape, whereas I'm sure there are many who take great care of their cars and have had them for many years and they are in perfect condition, so who is right?

[3Fitty]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

One last thing about your Dad and his dish soap... one of the best arguments AGAINST dish soap (to older fellas) is that car wash soap is actually cheaper, so it makes sense for a variety of reasons.

[ClearlyCoated]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

My Dad has a 2000 LeSabre and has never used anything but dish soap (Dawn or some other) to wash his car, and has never waxed it. It still looks shinny and new and according to him, that is what a clear coat does. As a retired chemical enginer, he scoffs at the mention of dish soap removing the "oils" in chemical cured automobile paint and clear coat, or damaging non metalic parts. As he states, if it was that damaging, millions of women would have no skin on their hands from washing dishes. He is much ammused at me with my clay, my buckets, sheep mitts, waxes, etc. Frankly, if his nine year old car with 176,000 miles on it, with the way he has taken care of it, looks as good as it does, maybe he is on to something.

LOL Your dad is da MAN! Reminds me of that scene in "Pearl Harbor" where during the attack on the air bases, Ben Affleck is driving a convertible coupe as he and his buddies are fleeing a squadron of Japanese Zeroes. One of the Zeroes strafes the coupe, but the coupe kept going. Plus nobody got hurt, despite the fact there was no hard top!

[Kornercarver]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

I don't know............I've never used Dawn and I really don't see the need. I clay my car about once a year and wax it about every 3 or 4 weeks. It stays shiny.....................

[MrCLRider]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

what about all of the other products that are out there to help strip wax, that have the chemical makeup to not harm the paint and other surfaces as some state that Dawn does. The first product that comes to mind is CG Wash and Clear.

[Bounty]

Re: Dawn Pre wash

As a retired chemical enginer, he scoffs at the mention of dish soap removing the "oils" in chemical cured automobile paint and clear coat, or damaging non metalic parts.

Unfortunately clear coat and paint are porous...we know this both from the paint manufacturer's and the fact that we remove embedded particles from the surface.

As he states, if it was that damaging, millions of women would have no skin on their hands from washing dishes.

From a chemist's point of view this probably makes since. From a biological point of view it doesn't as obviously people's skin is constantly replenished with essential nutrients and oils fom inside the body, whereas paint is not. Skin is constantly being damaged and new skin cells are continuously replacing them...so the analogy to skin is more than tenuous at best.

If harsh chemicals and high alkaline solvents do not damage or at least dry out paint and non-painted exterior products than acid rain, degreaser, bird droppings, etc wouldn't harm it either but we know otherwise.

To each his own...if it works for him and he's happy then more power to him.