No Soap?

9

91black5spd

New member
I don't use soap when I wash my cars. I just use a clean microfiber towel and plenty of water. I feel like the wax holds up better without using soap. Anyone else wash their car soapless?
 
I have never done this......the closest i have gotten to this would be using S+W and a microfiber. I would think the wax would hold up better because of the lubricity the soap provides it will get the dirt off the wax and not drag it across it.

Have you noticed any micro-marring in your paint??
 
I haven't noticed any micro-marring. I have to say that I wash my car frequently so it doesn't really get too dirty. If it is very dirty I will use a little meguiars gold car wash.
 
You might want to try a rinseless wash product like DP 4 in 1 or ONR. I would think it would be safer to use and more effective at cleaning off any dirt you might have.

Since you are washing it often and it doesn't get dirty, the best option might be to use PB S&W. I use it often and highly recommend it. I think you will like it better than straight water.
 
Reddwarf said:
You might want to try a rinseless wash product like DP 4 in 1 or ONR. I would think it would be safer to use and more effective at cleaning off any dirt you might have.

Since you are washing it often and it doesn't get dirty, the best option might be to use PB S&W. I use it often and highly recommend it. I think you will like it better than straight water.
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I agree NO way I'm washing my Black vehicles with just water.:eek:
 
The next 4 month will be hard to keep a vehicle looking good but I'm stocked up for it.
I have 2 gallons of car wash soap
2 gallons of DP 4-1
7 gallons of S&W-----:yay----:drool:-----:bigups
 
91black5spd said:
I don't use soap when I wash my cars. I just use a clean microfiber towel and plenty of water. I feel like the wax holds up better without using soap. Anyone else wash their car soapless?
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What color is your car?

The reason for using a car wash soap..not one designed for dishes or laundry..is to loosen up the surface dirt allow it to release from the surface, with minimal amount of surface agitation..this causes the least amount of clear coat marring..without that lubricity on the surface, such as water only. The only way you can remove the dirt is with agitation, meaning dragging your MF towel across the surface..that WILL cause marring...in addition a good car soap is designed to remove dirt and not your wax.

I suspect that your car is a light color and your not seeing the marring that is being created or, you are not recognizing what the marring is...that's my reason for asking the color
 
Years ago Rolls Royce recomended that the paint work on there cars should be washed with plain water.When people years ago had a Blue Coral treatment or a Porcelnize treatment done to there cars it was recomended that they be washed with plain water.I realize that times have changed, but I just wanted to mention what they use to do.
 
While I wouldn't feel comfortable with using only water for washing, I'm pretty sure I have read where at least one car manufacturer recommended using just water to wash the vehicle. It was in the owner's manual, but I don't remember where I read it.
I tried a quick search and found way too many threads to look through.
Personally, I wouldn't wash without soap, but just a few years ago, I wouldn't have considered using a waterless or rinseless wash either. :D

Given the claims for the cleaning ability of Micro Fiber and water with no soap needed, it might clean fine.
Then all you have to worry about is marring the paint. :D
 
blk45 said:
Considering the screen name (91black5spd), I would guess black? :D
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Smarty :D:D:D

I didn't even look at that..in that case you should be able to see all kinds of marring with the water only wash

Also what I see of the OP posts is that he is using water only because he thinks the soap is taking off the wax...maybe he is using dish soap? in that case heck yea...
 
My black car I really don't use much, just sits in the garage and goes to car shows. So it doesnt get enough dirt to cause much of a problem and I usually wax it after each wash. My daily driver Mustang is Red, but I just got it ~3 months ago. Prior to that my car was white so maybe that is why I didn't notice any marring. I used to always use soap, then I had a car painted at a body shop and they recommended only water. For the past ~1-2 years that is what I have ben doing.

After hearing the responses maybe I will go back to using Meguiars gold class soap.
 
91black5spd said:
My black car I really don't use much, just sits in the garage and goes to car shows. So it doesnt get enough dirt to cause much of a problem and I usually wax it after each wash. My daily driver Mustang is Red, but I just got it ~3 months ago. Prior to that my car was white so maybe that is why I didn't notice any marring. I used to always use soap, then I had a car painted at a body shop and they recommended only water. For the past ~1-2 years that is what I have ben doing.

After hearing the responses maybe I will go back to using Meguiars gold class soap.
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The show car would be entirely a different thing.
I have a Black show car and it has not seen any water for two years.
Well technically it has since quick detailer are mostly water but they have chemicals added.
 
in the early 80's ferrari dealership's use to insist that you not use soap. i'm not sure if it stated this in the manual. "manuel: i don't need no stinkin manual" i ignored there instuctions and used a good wash and wax combo. i suffered no ill effects.
 
I saw a guy on ebay a while back selling a booklet on how to wash your car with just water and a mitt, I think. When I saw it last, he had sold 2 booklets in around a year. I guess it didn't spark much interest in the viewing public/cost watchers.
 
I prefer to be safe using soap as a lubricant and to pull up dirt but if a car receives little to no dirt it may be effective but at any time it could induce micro-marring.
 
I have always used car wash soap to clean, Sometimes I may use additional chemicals to brake down stuck on grime and crud. The only other thing I would use to clean as a maintenance step, would be PB's S&W.
 
91black5spd said:
I don't use soap when I wash my cars. I just use a clean microfiber towel and plenty of water. I feel like the wax holds up better without using soap. Anyone else wash their car soapless?
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91black5spd said:
My black car I really don't use much, just sits in the garage and goes to car shows. So it doesnt get enough dirt to cause much of a problem and I usually wax it after each wash. My daily driver Mustang is Red, but I just got it ~3 months ago. Prior to that my car was white so maybe that is why I didn't notice any marring. I used to always use soap, then I had a car painted at a body shop and they recommended only water. For the past ~1-2 years that is what I have ben doing.

After hearing the responses maybe I will go back to using Meguiars gold class soap.
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I know this is old but a wax on a show car is going to last a very long time, granted it is covered and or in a garage. I don't think the risks of marring is worth having the 'wax hold up better' especially when you say you wax after most of the washes.

Wax is a sacrificial barrier to protect the paint - it is easy enough to reapply should a soap remove it (a nice car soap will not, Gold Class is a good choice). However, should you marr or scratch the paint, you would then need to polish the paint to remove it, removing clear coat (or color coat if SS) which you'll never get back ... short of a respray.

If you don't like washing with a bucket and hose then definitely check out Waterless washes and rinseless washes. Just my 2 pennies.
 
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