Car wash soap - what works best?

[wetherburner]

Just curious to know the general consensus for what you guys typically use as car wash soap and what works best.

Nothing I hate more than washing my car and within a day it's got a visible film of road dust on it. The second it rains or gets damp from morning dew, it looks filthy again (a dark grey car doesn't help mind you, and I'm sure it would be worse with a black one).

Does a wash exist with Teflon or anything to repel dust, similar to water repelling off a windshield treated with Rain-X?

I end up washing my car again when theoretically it's clean (but dusty) - and my neighbours all joke that one day I'll actually wash the paint right off the car...

[TRD VVTi]

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/f101

[scjrod]

If you put on a good wax. You can go for some time without washing. I'd say 3 weeks. I live in miami right next to a busy street so my car is also getting dust but usually even just rain washes most of the visible dust away. Just need to spray the car with water to get the dust off. You could also use quick detailer after getting the majority of the dust off with water.

btw, I use turtle wax wash to help keep a minor film of wax on top of my good wax meguiars nxt cause I got a good deal at walmart. It works fine for me.

[ScrooYoo]

try meguiar's

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

Originally Posted by ScrooYoo

try meguiar's

+1

and Gold Class wax by them aswell. I wash my car once every week..or twice but i always keep an eye on the weather..if it's going to rain i don't bother, until after.

[nike23spoon]

i guess you normally park your car outside?
do you wax your car after wash?
normally i wax my car after wash, it does keep the dust and dirt from sticking on to the car. and i always keep one of those long dusters in the trunk
my frd told me the chicken feather dusters tends to work best, i guess u can try look for them in walmart for something similar. then just use the duster everyday, when it starts raining then i don't bother dusting and just wait till it gets sunny again then wash and wax

[canddmeyer]

Mostly I use a touchless carwash at a gas station, but when I'm doing it myself I use Armor All Car Wash. As for road dust, you're not going to escape it no matter what you use. If you got good clean water (not hard water), then just rinse the vehicle.

[islandboy57]

I keep a bottle of quick detailer in the trunk with a microfiber towel for bird crap and/or a fast cleaning of the hood/roof/trunk if necessary because of dust. My area is dusty so I usually just let it go. I wash/wax my car every weekend and have started to wash it midweek.

My neighbors always see me and joke around about me being "Mr. Clean" and what not. Doesn't help that I'm washing TWO Camrys and they probably can't tell the difference between the two!

[lamson]

I use Turtle Wax's new car wash call ICE. Its cheaper at Costco, $6.99 for one gallon. Everywhere else $7 bucks for half the size. Good stuff higher end soap.

[lammydi]

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

+1

and Gold Class wax by them aswell. I wash my car once every week..or twice but i always keep an eye on the weather..if it's going to rain i don't bother, until after.

Wash 1 or twice a week? lol, I don't remember that last time I wash my car.
I had the "Glare" paint sealant on. I dust my car off every day using a dust mop. I spray the "quick detailer" at least once a week. When it rain, I dried my car as soon as I get home. If it rain more than 2 days continously (rarely happens in San Diego) that make my car really dirty then I just hose it off my a water hose then dry them. The "Glare" paint sealant works for me the last 5 years. I just applied them once a year.

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

Originally Posted by lammydi

Wash 1 or twice a week? lol, I don't remember that last time I wash my car.
I had the "Glare" paint sealant on. I dust my car off every day using a dust mop. I spray the "quick detailer" at least once a week. When it rain, I dried my car as soon as I get home. If it rain more than 2 days continously (rarely happens in San Diego) that make my car really dirty then I just hose it off my a water hose then dry them. The "Glare" paint sealant works for me the last 5 years. I just applied them once a year.

That's neglect..i'm calling CPS (Car Protective Services) on you...Can't remember when you washed it last

I'm coming to take your car away and give it a REAL loving CLEAN home....

[akira751]

Originally Posted by Punks_Not_Dead5

That's neglect..i'm calling CPS (Car Protective Services) on you...Can't remember when you washed it last

I'm coming to take your car away and give it a REAL loving CLEAN home....

[Alloy]

I like using meguiar's gold class soap. I have same issue with road dust as well. First thing that I always notice is the brown film of dust on the hood and the dust on the tinted glass. I like to keep a piece of Swiffer cloth/paper in my coins drawer and it cleans the interior as well as the exterior well.

[thoots]

Originally Posted by Alloy

I like using meguiar's gold class soup.

I just use old-fashioned Campbell's Chicken Noodle condensed soup.
Then I rinse the car, then I use Pantene's "Daily Moisture Renewal" conditioner for the final step.

Works great!

[Punks_Not_Dead5]

Originally Posted by Alloy

I like using meguiar's gold class soup. .

how does it taste? does it need salt?

Originally Posted by thoots

I just use old-fashioned Campbell's Chicken Noodle condensed soup.
Then I rinse the car, then I use Pantene's "Daily Moisture Renewal" conditioner for the final step.

Works great!