If you want to keep your car’s paintjob in good condition over the years, you need to wash it regularly. Some people use dish soap to wash their car, but is it really a good idea? It is important that you learn about this before making any decisions. This information will help you preserve the sleek and flawless appearance of your vehicle.

Using Dish Soap to Wash Your Car

The fact is that dish soaps like Dawn are not good for your car’s paint. While it may be true that Dawn is soap, it is far too abrasive to be used on a vehicle. It can remove the gorgeous sheen of your paintjob within a fairly short period of time. This soap will eat away at the paint itself as well as any protective coatings on your car. You might not notice its damage effects right away, but you will over time.

If you are going to use Dawn or any other dish soap to clean your car, you should not do so regularly. This could lead to very noticeable damage to the paint that is expensive to have fixed. You also need to make sure that you dilute it fairly heavily, so as to minimize its abrasive effects on your vehicle.

Tips for Buying a Car Wash Soap

If you wash your own car by hand, you’ll only want to use soap products that are designed for this specific use. There are actually a number of things that you will want to keep in mind before deciding which soap to get. These factors are worth considering when you are weighing your options.

Look for pH balanced Products

One of the most important things to look for in a car wash soap is a balanced pH formula. If the soap you use has a pH that is higher or lower than seven, it could damage your car’s paint. Many of the cheaper soaps on the market are far too acidic, and they can take the sealant right off. Make sure that you look for this before buying anything in particular. This will go a long way towards helping you keep your car looking great over the years.

Make sure it Really Foams up

The more your car wash soap foams up, the better it is at cleaning. You should therefore look for a soap that is heavy foaming. This can help get all sorts of things off your car’s paint that can do a lot of damage. It loosens up the grime, dirt and everything else that you are trying to remove. This isn’t something that even occurs to most people when looking for car wash soap, but it makes a big difference.

Don’t Buy Two-in-One Soap Products

You’ll definitely want to avoid buying any two-in-one soap products that also claim to give your car a nice waxing. An overwhelming majority of these products are absolute garbage, and they can actually harm your paintjob. You should also never buy any soap that says “waterless” on the label. These are all just gimmicky products that have nothing of substance to offer car owners.

Look for a Reputable Brand

There are certain brands that are more well-known and trusted than others when it comes to buying car wash soap. Meguiar is one of the best manufacturers of these soap products, so you’ll need to keep that in mind.

Read the Reviews Before Buying

It is also imperative that you take the time to read reviews for at least a few soap products before buying one. These reviews can provide you with some valuable insight into what you can expect from each product. It’s always a good idea to stay away from products that are plagued with tons of negative reviews. This is a huge indication that there is something seriously wrong with them.

Don’t get the Cheapest Soap

You might be tempted to buy the cheapest car wash soap on the shelves to save money, but this is a huge mistake. You tend to get what you pay for when it comes to these products. You don’t have to buy the most expensive one in the store, but you shouldn’t go too cheap. The most inexpensive soaps are usually very abrasive or just don’t work very well.

What to Remember When Washing Your Car

When you are going about washing your car, you will need to keep a few things in mind. These tips will help you to make it sparkle without doing any damage whatsoever.

Give it a good Rinse

You always want to thoroughly rinse all of the soap off the car so there are no traces of it left. Leaving soap on your paint can damage it, so you need to make a point of rinsing until it is completely gone.

Make sure that you have two buckets—one with soapy water and another that is just for rinsing the cloth. This will ensure that the cloth stays completely clean at all times. You don’t want to keep putting it into the same bucket without rinsing it off first. This is a big rookie mistake that will end in a lot of regret later on down the line.

Keep Your Cloths Clean

It’s also important to keep the clothes you have for washing and drying your car totally clean. You don’t want to put them on the ground, as they could pick up a number of contaminants, which will then transfer to your vehicle. This is a crucial tip to follow when it comes to keeping your car looking its best.

Final Thoughts

You’ll need to remember that using any dish soap to clean your car comes with a certain amount of risk. While using it one time won’t strip of all the paint, it is not a good idea to make a habit of this. The fact is that dish soaps are just too harsh for automotive paint, and it can wear it away within just a couple of months or so.