Washing Car

littletiger

Does it matter what detergent I use to wash my car. Will washing up liquid do?

Atlantic Dawn

Washing up liquid contains salt, it will corrode your paint and bodywork. Go to a motor factors and purchase car shampoo.

coylemj

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Washing up liquid contains salt, it will corrode your paint and bodywork. Go to a motor factors and purchase car shampoo.

The paint and bodywork? Do you mean the washing-up liquid will permeate the paint and wreck the body underneath? Do you wash the dishes with sulphuric acid?

The last time I checked I read my Volvo owner's manual and it said that washing-up detergent was ok, I normally use a cheap washing-up liquid.

I had a Fiat Bravo for five years from 96 to 01, washed it regularly with washing-up liquid and the paintwork after five years was as good as the day I bought it. I currently drive a 2007 grey VW Golf and also wash it with cheap washing-up liquid, the paintwork most definitely shows no sign of corrosion.

andyseadog

i always thought that washing up liquid was bad for your paintwork too, but i read a thread on detailing world where they 'mythbusted' it and it turned out that the 'harmful' content was minimal and not likely to do any real damage.

a lot of them actually use it to wash their cars if they next intend to polish or clay, so it must have some slight stripping qualities to it, so i wouldnt be using it too regularly.

having said that, in tesco you can get simoniz/ turtle wax detergent in sachets for less than a euro or liter bottles (which last for ages) for around a fiver, so i'd still prefer that.

Nonoperational

I'd go down to the motor factors and buy a bottle of car wash/wax for around €5 for the piece of mind.

dr.fuzzenstein

And queue the storm of "you should only use car shampoo made out of gnat's bollocks with honey, applied with a feather, polished with spider's web from the shadow side of an oak tree and dried with the cough of a dragonfly";)
I do use car shampoo myself and even splashed out on some wax.

andyseadog

to add, i think you would be better using washing up liquid than some garage forecourt carwash set-ups.

the man who owned my car before me worked for crosbies, the car transport firm and although he kept the engine in tip top manner with shed loads of receipts and the interior hoovered and cleaned, he washed it every week with TFR... my good jaysus when i bought my car, if you rubbed the paint hard enough with your hand, the colour would transfer onto your fingers, it really had taken its toll, the headlights had tarnished and the alloy wheels were corroding at the edges presumably from it too.

the brand name correct products are so cheap and readily available, theres very few excuses not to use it.