Dawn Dish Washing Detergent As A Strip Wash

[DFB5.0]

Using dishwashing detergent to "strip" or remove wax has been a pet hate of mine for a long time. Those that do use it, usually do so along the lines of "I don't need to buy some fancy soap to strip wax when I can just use some cheap dish washing detergent".

This video explains why using dish wash as a stripping agent is flawed -

(From 6.25min)



So, instead of removing the wax, the detergent is actually coating it with something else, disguising the wax or sealant still remaining underneath.

This becomes an issue if you intend to apply a fresh coat of wax directly after the wash, as it will prevent the product from bonding properly with the paint. If you go on to polish the paint before reapplication, that detergent residue has the ability to impede the effectiveness of the polish compound and pad.

On the flipside, if you use a clay bar after the wash, that may remove some of the residue, likewise an IPA wipe down prior to polishing/waxing will knock some of the residue back too.

But the whole use of dish washing liquid really is counter intuitive. The whole point of the exercise is to strip or remove paint contamination and waxes. Except, you end up doing the complete opposite as dish wash by nature is designed to leave something behind. So, you end up wasting your time.

Effective Strip Washing -

Most detailing brands offer specific products for this role. Typically, these are high pH alkaline soaps, although some are on the acidic side like Carpro Descale. The concept is the same though, using a higher or lower pH increases the cleaning ability, cutting through old waxes and sealants in the process. The acidic ones can also help remove or diminish water spots.

Alkaline Soaps -

Carpro Lift -
https://www.waxit.com.au/products/carpro-lift?variant=32379093680217

NV Snow+ -
https://www.waxit.com.au/products/nv-snow-intensified-foaming-wash?variant=17821163396

Obsessed Garage Decontamination Soap -
https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...ontamination-soap?_pos=3&_sid=fba722a53&_ss=r

Bilt Hamber Touch-Less -
https://detailingshed.com.au/products/bilt-hamber-touch-less-5-liter-snow-foam-pre-wash-touch-less

Adam’s Strip Wash -
https://adamspolishes.com.au/collections/exterior-liquids/products/adam-s-strip-wash-16-oz

Bowden's Mega Snow Job (mild alkaline) -
https://www.bowdensown.com.au/mega-snow-job

Alkaline Soaps can also be created by boosting your regular pH neutral soap with an All-Purpose-Cleaner, in fact Koch Chemie recommend this method by adding Green Star to GSF. The only drawback here is that you create some variability in your mixture.

Acidic Soaps -

Carpro Descale -
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections/car-wash/products/carpro-descale?variant=40057466191961

Gyeon Restart -
https://detailingshed.com.au/products/gyeon-q2m-restart-reset

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[IPOGT]

It’s all fun and games folks until the fully loaded dump truck one car ahead of you hits a bump.

 

[lizardrko]

If Dawn was meant for cars, it would say so on the bottle. Car paint =/= dishware.

 

[The Demon]

Using dishwashing detergent to "strip" or remove wax has been a pet hate of mine for a long time. Those that do use it, usually do so along the lines of "I don't need to buy some fancy soap to strip wax when I can just use some cheap dish washing detergent".

This video explains why using dish wash as a stripping agent is flawed -

(From 6.25min)



So, instead of removing the wax, the detergent is actually coating it with something else, disguising the wax or sealant still remaining underneath.

This becomes an issue if you intend to apply a fresh coat of wax directly after the wash, as it will prevent the product from bonding properly with the paint. If you go on to polish the paint before reapplication, that detergent residue has the ability to impede the effectiveness of the polish compound and pad.

On the flipside, if you use a clay bar after the wash, that may remove some of the residue, likewise an IPA wipe down prior to polishing/waxing will knock some of the residue back too.

But the whole use of dish washing liquid really is counter intuitive. The whole point of the exercise is to strip or remove paint contamination and waxes. Except, you end up doing the complete opposite as dish wash by nature is designed to leave something behind. So, you end up wasting your time.

Effective Strip Washing -

Most detailing brands offer specific products for this role. Typically, these are high pH alkaline soaps, although some are on the acidic side like Carpro Descale. The concept is the same though, using a higher or lower pH increases the cleaning ability, cutting through old waxes and sealants in the process. The acidic ones can also help remove or diminish water spots.

Alkaline Soaps -

Carpro Lift -
https://www.waxit.com.au/products/carpro-lift?variant=32379093680217

NV Snow+ -
https://www.waxit.com.au/products/nv-snow-intensified-foaming-wash?variant=17821163396

Obsessed Garage Decontamination Soap -
https://detailingshed.com.au/produc...ontamination-soap?_pos=3&_sid=fba722a53&_ss=r

Bilt Hamber Touch-Less -
https://detailingshed.com.au/products/bilt-hamber-touch-less-5-liter-snow-foam-pre-wash-touch-less

Adam’s Strip Wash -
https://adamspolishes.com.au/collections/exterior-liquids/products/adam-s-strip-wash-16-oz

Bowden's Mega Snow Job (mild alkaline) -
https://www.bowdensown.com.au/mega-snow-job

Alkaline Soaps can also be created by boosting your regular pH neutral soap with an All-Purpose-Cleaner, in fact Koch Chemie recommend this method by adding Green Star to GSF. The only drawback here is that you create some variability in your mixture.

Acidic Soaps -

Carpro Descale -
https://www.waxit.com.au/collections/car-wash/products/carpro-descale?variant=40057466191961

Gyeon Restart -
https://detailingshed.com.au/products/gyeon-q2m-restart-reset

Can any or all of these be used on the black trim under the doors that may have been hit accidentally?

 

[DFB5.0]

Can any or all of these be used on the black trim under the doors that may have been hit accidentally?

Sorry I missed this question, can you clarify what product you want to use of black trim?

 

[codemanstang]

If you polish you should be doing clay bar then a ipa wipe down. I can promise any "residue" (lol) left from a cleaner only soap will be gone by then. This post is on every car forum for the past 20 years and even still today no one's car has come out bad from it. I do prefer the strip wash cause it does work better but have used soap in a squeeze with no affects whatsoever.
The thing with car detailing is the whole industry is over thought and over marketed to sell you products.

 

[DFB5.0]

If you polish you should be doing clay bar then a ipa wipe down. I can promise any "residue" (lol) left from a cleaner only soap will be gone by then. This post is on every car forum for the past 20 years and even still today no one's car has come out bad from it. I do prefer the strip wash cause it does work better but have used soap in a squeeze with no affects whatsoever.
The thing with car detailing is the whole industry is over thought and over marketed to sell you products.

What! You mean I don't need all of this?

 

[codemanstang]

What! You mean I don't need all of this?

haha nice setup. It's addictive yup got a cabinet myself.Lol!

 

[DFB5.0]

haha nice setup. It's addictive yup got a cabinet myself.Lol!

Half the fun is the hunt for something better, something new, something different.

Do I need 23 different soaps or 16 different tire dressings? No, not really. Those numbers are real by the way!

Opening those cabinets and choosing what to use for any given detail is just the most satisfying thing in my world for me.

 

[kilobravo]

And I say, Rock On, D! Do what you love doing, that's what makes getting up in the morning worthwhile.

 

[The Demon]

Sorry I missed this question, can you clarify what product you want to use of black trim?

I’m not sure which one that I want to use. I’m just asking if there was one that would work on the black trim which one would you recommend.

 

[DFB5.0]

I’m not sure which one that I want to use. I’m just asking if there was one that would work on the black trim which one would you recommend.

All soaps mentioned would be fine to use here, I would favour Carpro Lift if you are trying to remove polish or wax residue from those trims.

 

[The Demon]

Done. Thanks for the tip. It’s been bugging the hell out of me that I accidentally did that on the driver side. Time to come off.

 

[DFB5.0]

Done. Thanks for the tip. It’s been bugging the hell out of me that I accidentally did that on the driver side. Time to come off.

The better product for polish residue removal is Meguiar's M39 (if you can still find some) or Nexzett Plastic Deep Cleaner -

Meguiar's M39 Mirror Glaze Heavy Duty Vinyl Cleaner - 16 oz. 6521515449947 | eBay
nextzett Plastic Deep Cleaner - Plastic car interior cleaner (nextzettusa.com)

 

[kilobravo]

You ALWAYS come up with an interesting product D and of course I have to listen. :-) Gave M39 a search and while it is readily available in the US, there is now an M40 with the same name. Same stuff or not if you know (and of course, you do.) :-)

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