What else, instead of Dawn?

Mosca,



For easy-to-find OTC stuff, I'd recommend isopropyl or denatured alcohol. If there's an automotive paint supplier near you, then you might see if they have a "prep-solvent". The prep-solvent I've used not only works well for de-waxing and de-greasing, but also for tar and sap removal, and for removing stubborn polish residue.



Tort
 
Mosca,



It depends on what your are trying to accomplish. Dawn (or any other dish detergent) will not take off a sealant that's been applied recently. Sealants are made to bond very strong to the paint so a simple dish detergent wash will not strip it effectively. A fresh coat of wax properly applied may even take 2 or 3 washes to get rid of the wax completely. Washing with a dish detergent to remove sap will still take some effort. However, if you simply want to remove some loose wax etc, then it will work. Sal from Zaino recommends it as a FINAL step before the sealant (after you have completely prepped your car as a final step to ensure most of the oils are removed).



If you're looking for something to start with your prep rather a final step in preparation. Prep-sol or a APC+ diluted to the proper concentration is probably best.



If you're looking for something to remove polish fillers during swirl removal, I'd suggest an 50/50 IPA/Water spritz or a APC+ diluted to 1/3 or 1/2 of what is required for wax removal.



As a note: Dawn may not even be the most effective dish detergent. It's gotten soo much hype partially due to Sal's recommendation. Ivory / Sunlight may be even more effective than Dawn. Basically, any dish detergent without moisturizers, added perfumes (florals etc.) will work just as well. Granted, Blue Dawn is pretty inexpensive.



I myself, won't use dish detergent on my car any longer. I have used in the past but I just don't see that it does that much more cleaning that regular car wash to justify it's use (which could potentially damage the clear if you use it to repeatedly). For Autopians, it's most likely a none issue. But for the everyday Joe, it's definitely an issue if they don't understand the proper use of a dish detergent.



Paco
 
I'm looking towards giving Crystal Guard a fair and complete test. I want to completely strip all product, polish with FP, then wash with Crystal Guard Wash and apply the product. It sounds like Prep Sol or APC is the ticket, don't you think? The FP works better after stripping product, rather than as a product stripper itself.



Tom
 
Tom, the citrus based cleaners (p21S Total Auto wash, for example) are quite effective at removing wax, perhaps better than the dishwashing liquids.



Also, most of the polishes we routinely use will have some mechanical action to clean (remove wax) the surface prior to application of your new wax/sealant.
 
Hmmm....that could probably be just solvent residue. There is no wax in it, and no oils that I can tell. I could be wrong though. Maybe Forrest can chime in here.
 
On the note of using dawn to stip off the wax (sorry if this is thread jacking) can you clay with the dawn step, using the dawn as a lubricant? Or would you recoment using some GC soap with the clay. Also, is there any need to wash after AIO before SG, or just go straight to it? Thanks
 
I wouldn't leave Dawn on there for such a long time because of its alkaline nature, but that's my personal preference. If I do use Dawn, I rinse it off really well, and then make up a fresh solution with carwash soap to clay with, and then quickly wash those areas off with the carsoap afterwards.



No need to wash after AIO. SG was designed to with AIO, so SG actually works best on top of AIO.
 
BlueRanger- I've clayed while Dawn washing. Works OK, but some clays (like Griot's) sorta dissolve in the Dawn mix (also in ANY soap mix, but not as bad). But as 2wheelsx2 said, I dunno if you oughta leave the Dawn on your car that long, or even use it at all. *I* don't think it will hurt modern basecoat/clears *IN GOOD CONDITION*, if used infrequently. It seems milder than AutoInt's "A" wash, which I use to prep (brand) new cars. But it CAN be tough on rubber moldings, etc. and *I* would NEVER use a product like Dawn on something like single stage. In fact, I haven't used Dawn on any of MY cars in ages.
 
I looked for the heck of it in my 1996 Honda Civic DX owner's manual under car care. It indicates to wash with dish soap!



I'll get it later and write the exact sentence.



With all the talk of Dawn being bad for the paint, I got a good chuckle at seeing that it was recommended to be used frequently.
 
Quote: Tom, the citrus based cleaners (p21S Total Auto wash, for example) are quite effective at removing wax, perhaps better than the dishwashing liquids.



Also, most of the polishes we routinely use will have some mechanical action to clean (remove wax) the surface prior to application of your new wax/sealant.



~One man’s opinion~

I’m in agreement with the use of a citrus based product like P21S Total Auto Wash (as apposed to a dish washing liquid detergent)I usually follow with P21S Paintwork Cleanser



Experience unshared; is knowledge wasted…/



justadumbarchitect
 
claying will remove the sealant or wax layer, and a prewax cleaner(aio) will remove your sealant or wax layer. If anything, why not just make a bigger dose of car wash instead of dawn? And if your polishing at all, then that will remove the sealant. "Dawn is for dishes".
 
Mosca said:
I'm looking towards giving Crystal Guard a fair and complete test. I want to completely strip all product, polish with FP, then wash with Crystal Guard Wash and apply the product. It sounds like Prep Sol or APC is the ticket, don't you think? The FP works better after stripping product, rather than as a product stripper itself.



Tom
Click to expand...



Did you call CG for their recommendations?



Eric
 
BlueRanger said:
So if AIO is goint to remove wax, what is the point of claying? sorry if this sounds stupid, still dealin with a noob here
Click to expand...



Well, in MY experience, claying does NOT remove an appreciable amount of wax or sealant. I spot-clay with every wash and it works fine, even on the cars I don't reseal/rewax for months. Been doing this for years. The spots I clay don't look/feel/bead any differently from the spots I haven't clayed, even after I've done it MANY times. A lot of it is HOW you clay, I'm talking about VERY gentle claying with lots of lube. If you rub hard you very well MIGHT cut through your protection. Note that this is a moot point if you're gonna polish/use AIO/etc. anyhow and that the efffects of clay on protection seem to vary between different people.



Clay pulls stuff out of the paint (think "removing splinters from your skin"). AIO dissolves/softens contaminants via chemical action and/or removes them by mechanical action (think "washing your skin with strong soap and a washcloth"). Although they sometimes achieve the same goal (like when cleaning off tar and/or bugs), they are two different processes. Clay first, THEN use paint cleaners/polishes. That way the clay removes potentially abrasive contamination before it gets ground in by polishing actions, possibly causing marring.
 
How does this sound for a decent prep setup:



-Wash car+clay



-slightly more strict cleaner like p21s total auto wash or AIO or say pinnacle's paintwork prewax cleanser



-cleaner+polish like p21s GEPC



non cleaning:

-follow by a glaze and wax.
 
I am no expert but what works for me when prepping for detail overhaul is the following:



1. thorough wash job - use water blade to get excess water off and quick dry with a waffle weave MF.

2. Blue Magic Clay with QD as lube and wiping off any residual with MF towel as I go.

3. Apply and remove AIO.



Now ready for any sealant or wax that I choose from my growing arsenal.



I can do all three of these steps in 60 minutes if I hurry and and in about 90 minutes if I take it slow and easy on my Accord. For the winter it is another 30 minutes for a layer of SG the Bill North way and I am good to go. Next time I wash I can add more SG until i have enough layers. After two or three SG's I may go with some EX..... or maybe some Collinite MDE......oh, I will probably just go with the old S100 favorite.....then again I may have something new by then to try.......does this quest ever end?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top