Basic car wash good enough?

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If I just want to wash my car and I'm not a serious detailer, is the $2.77 Walmart "no spot no streak" soap significantly worse than the $10+ dollar stuff? I was reading and staring while at Walmart today and went cheap.
 
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Any car wash soap will do the job, just stay away from dish soap.
cheers3.gif
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Uh ....


Well, if Super Tech is good oil the house brand car wash soap should be fine, right?
 
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by PimTac
Uh ....


Well, if Super Tech is good oil the house brand car wash soap should be fine, right?


Yup!
cheers3.gif
 
I've not used it but I can't see how it would be horrible is used properly. With that I mean a quality mitt, lots of suds, and a light touch.
 
Originally Posted by RTexasF
I've not used it but I can't see how it would be horrible is used properly. With that I mean a quality mitt, lots of suds, and a light touch.


Yes, a quality mitt is probably much more important. As long as its clear coat safe I say go for it.
 
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by PimTac
Uh ....


Well, if Super Tech is good oil the house brand car wash soap should be fine, right?



I don't use motor oil to wash cars with. Ask your clones what they use.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
Originally Posted by PimTac
Uh ....


Well, if Super Tech is good oil the house brand car wash soap should be fine, right?



I don't use motor oil to wash cars with. Ask your clones what they use.


It leaves an amazing shine and has magnificent corrosion protection properties. My clones have spoken. The only dissenting opinion, possibly, was an "uh..." I'm still working to translate.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
Technique is more important.

I'd still spend literally just a couple dollars more to get a better soap but this is 100% right. It's technique above all else which is going to keep you from introducing swirls.
 
Originally Posted by HowAboutThis
If I just want to wash my car and I'm not a serious detailer, is the $2.77 Walmart "no spot no streak" soap significantly worse than the $10+ dollar stuff? I was reading and staring while at Walmart today and went cheap.


Sure, but spend the money on a proper wash mitt, maybe use the 2-bucket system....

and no karate kid wax on-wax off motions. Straight lines and rinse the wash mitt often and resoap to prevent scratching of the paint by crap the mitt picked up.

The "no spot" isn't really from the soap, it's from the water and condition you wash the car.

A nice sunny day while great for instant gratification, makes it challenging to wash the car without the soap and water drying on the paint, causing the water spots.

A cloudy day or evening wash is better, as you're not fighting the sun and hot sheetmetal.

Then dry the car properly before the large water droplets can evaporate causing the water spots.
 
Basically, you're asking, what damages the car paint? We need to know cause and effect in order to make better decisions. Here's what damages car and car paint:

1. Sun - this bad boy causes fading. It also causes parts to expand due to heat, which knocks off the tolerances of parts as it contracts.
2. Washing. - this bad boy instills scratches. The smallest speck of debri caught in a microfiber towel is more than enough to leave visible marring.
3. Water. - this bad boy is the most powerful solvent in the world. Its slowly dissolving all the screws and damaging electronics.
4. Freeze Thaw cycles - this causes parts to contract, knocking off tolerances.

In the case of soap, washing will instill scratches, no matter how careful you are. The more you wash, the more scratches you instill, the duller the car becomes. A clear wrap is the only way to prevent scratches.

So is car soap good enough? Yes.
 
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Originally Posted by TheLawnRanger
You can get Megs Gold Class car wash for $5.97. It will last for years.

+1 I just use a dollop and it does last for years! I personally use a minimum as I have a theory that even premium car shampoo removes a bit of my carnuaba wax layer every time I wash.
 
Originally Posted by theory
Basically, you're asking, what damages the car paint? We need to know cause and effect in order to make better decisions. Here's what damages car and car paint:

1. Sun - this bad boy causes fading. It also causes parts to expand due to heat, which knocks off the tolerances of parts as it contracts.
2. Washing. - this bad boy instills scratches. The smallest speck of debri caught in a microfiber towel is more than enough to leave visible marring.
3. Water. - this bad boy is the most powerful solvent in the world. Its slowly dissolving all the screws and damaging electronics.
4. Freeze Thaw cycles - this causes parts to contract, knocking off tolerances.

In the case of soap, washing will instill scratches, no matter how careful you are. The more you wash, the more scratches you instill, the duller the car becomes. A clear wrap is the only way to prevent scratches.

So is car soap good enough? Yes.


My car has scratches. I do a mediocre job with touch-up paint. It's covered in bugs and pollen from May-September. I was just curious if the cheap soap was infinitely worse than the stuff that's 5 times more expensive. I want to keep my car nice, but I get groceries in it and drive down gravel roads.
 
You won't see much difference in the products in it's ability to prevent damage/scratches. Its branding/marketing that differentiate the product, but they all work on the same principles. The only way to prevent scratches - ive already gave the cause. Its up to you to decide how far you want to go with it with your car.
 
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It's fine. Buy a collander/strainer at Dollar Tree, flip it upside down in a bucket and along with a good mit or sponge you've got yourself a good system.
 
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