Can You Use Dish Soap to Wash Your Car?

Dish soap is an abrasive soap. They’re great at cutting through grease and removing food from surfaces. But can you use it on your car? The answer is no. 

Dish soaps contain too many toxic and corrosive chemicals in their formulas. Over time these will eat through the protective wax and damage the bodywork. Let’s look at why dish soap isn’t suitable and what alternatives are better. 

Evite el jabón para platos

Everybody wants to save money and time when they can. That’s why many people prefer to wash their cars at home. However, it’s important to do it the right way so you don’t unintentionally damage your vehicle. Also, don’t be tempted to add dish soap to your bucket of water. 

Marcas como Dawn contienen sustancias químicas corrosivas como metilisotiazolinona (MIT). La UE prohibió el uso de MIT en lociones corporales, desodorantes y otros cosméticos debido al riesgo para la salud de los seres humanos. 

Dish soaps aren’t pH balanced and regular use will damage your vehicle’s paintwork. They are designed to remove grease from pots, pans, and plates. Unfortunately, they’ll remove wax in the same way. It accelerates the oxidation process and can also degrade rubber. 

¿Qué hace un buen jabón para autos? 

Si valora su vehículo, compre un producto especializado para limpiarlo.

They aren’t very expensive and will last for a reasonable amount of time. Car soaps contain more lubricant, which is better for the surface of your vehicle’s exterior. However, if you can’t get your hands on car soap, there are some alternatives. None of these are perfect replacements and should only be used in a pinch.

All-natural detergents are safe to use because they don’t have abrasive ingredients. However, they’re not cheap, so it’s probably not the most cost-effective solution.  Another alternative is shampoo. It’s not as harsh as other types of soap but still isn’t ideal. Don’t use it all the time, and wax your vehicle afterward. 

¿Por qué el jabón para autos es más efectivo? 

Car soaps contain several formulaic ingredients that make them more effective than dish soaps. Let’s take a look at these now –

Tensioactivos equilibrados 

Los agentes de superficie ayudan a eliminar materiales de la superficie de su vehículo. Estas moléculas de dos partes tienen dos componentes principales. Una parte funciona con agua mientras que la otra se siente atraída por la suciedad. 

The surfactants find dirt and seep underneath them. They then suspend them in water. This makes it easier to wipe them away without damaging your paint. Dish soaps don’t contain these surfactants and simply eat into the grease. This is counterproductive when you want to wash your car. 

Lubricantes 

Los lubricantes son otro aditivo clave en los jabones para automóviles. Estos están completamente ausentes en los jabones para lavar platos y son una de las principales razones por las que nunca debe usarlos para lavar su vehículo. 

You don’t want to scratch your car when you’re washing it. Lubricants will help reduce the chance of this happening by surrounding debris and dirt. It’s best to use a microfiber towel when you’re wiping your bodywork. If you use an old t-shirt or rag, you can end up rubbing dust into the paint. 

Fórmula de enjuague fácil

Nobody wants their car to be covered in soapy streaks. Sadly, this is the frustrating reality if you use dish soap. This is because they don’t contain an easy-rinse chemical formula. 

Sin embargo, estas fórmulas son un componente integral de los jabones para automóviles. Facilita la limpieza con manguera de su automóvil sin dejar rastro. Debería poder terminar de limpiar su automóvil en menos de 20 minutos. 

On the other hand, dish soap takes much longer to wipe off. That’s why we fill a sink full of warm water when we use it. Dish soap also leaves water spots and damages painted surfaces through oxidation. 

Cómo lavar tu coche con jabón para platos 

As we’ve already said, washing your car with dish soap is not ideal because it will remove wax. But some people want to do this before applying a fresh coat of wax. Dish soap is still not as effective as specialized wax removers, but you can use it. But don’t use it for consecutive washes because this isn’t safe. 

Follow our step-by-step guide below –

1. Enjuague su automóvil

Use a hose or a sponge and hot water to rinse rough grit and dirt from your car’s vehicle. This will make it easier to deep clean with soapy water. 

2. Lava las ruedas

Llene un balde con agua y jabón fresco. Coge un cepillo y limpia las ruedas del coche primero. Esta es la parte más sucia del coche. Deberá reemplazar el agua después de este paso. 

3. Carrocería

Limpie suavemente un lado de la carrocería con una esponja de microfibra. Quieres eliminar la mayor cantidad de cera posible. Evite frotar excesivamente las mismas áreas porque esto puede causar daños. 

Don’t forget to rinse your sponge because it will collect dirt. Remember to clean in straight lines because circles will cause soapy swirls on the bodywork, 

4. Enjuague de nuevo

Tome su manguera y enjuague el lado que acaba de limpiar antes de lavar el otro lado del vehículo. Después de completar el segundo lado, deberá enjuagar nuevamente. 

5. Seque su vehículo

It’s best to use a microfiber towel to dry your car after washing it. Air drying can cause water spots to appear and result in oxidation. 

6. Depila tu carrocería

Now it’s time to wax your vehicle’s exterior to preserve the integrity of your paintwork. 

Pensamientos finales

Dish soap can be used if you want to remove a coat of wax. However, it’s not ideal for washing your car unless you don’t have a viable alternative. Don’t scrub too hard, and make sure you apply wax as soon as your car is dry again. 

It’s best to use car soap and specialized wax remover because they are designed for these purposes. They’re also healthier to work with because they contain fewer irritants. 

Remember never to use dish soap for successive washes, or you’ll definitely damage your car.