Originally posted by GT-Slow Pete:
Originally posted by DefZ:
To GT-Slow Pete: I DO know what I'm talking about, that's why I posted. Your experience may be different, but just because you don't agree doesn't make it so. I will try to dig up some info on this. Give me a little while, though. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But I'll see what I can find. Can you provide some proof as well (beyond anecdotal) that dishsoap is safe?


Your opinion that using dish soap is harmful has no factual basis. I have sporadically seen people on various sites - both car enthusiast and detailing claiming dish soap is harmful. But I have yet to see a single documented incident where dish soap was the cause of any kind of damage.

As I stated before, I use it sparingly and rarely. Only in cases when I need to remove old wax from a customer's car. In most cases the vehicle has not been waxes in many, many months and there is no wax to remove.

My proof is based on my personal experience using dish soap. It has never damaged any part of any vehicle I have ever used dish soap on - period.

I've been around the block several times. Managed a detail shop for 2 yesrs, have been detailing cars for 15 years and used hundreds of different products learning much from trial and error.



Okay, point taken. I will, however, talk to a few industry people and see what I can dig up. I know for sure, that dishsoap is detrimental to certain plastics on cars - it shows up as faded components. For example, on my Evo, the window mouldings at the B-pillar don't respond well to certain alkilinity - it tends to fade and turn the plastic white. It can be fixed (to a certain degree) by polishing it, but it will stain and discolor. Alot of those touch free car washes (the ones that you park under and they move around you) have trouble balancing good cleaning with safety to all vehicle types.
But like I said, I will talk to the people who know and see what I can come up with.

There is most definitely an environmental aspect to driveway washing that shouldn't be overlooked.

Horsepower is more expensive than crack.