Baby shampoo for car washing

[Don]

When I showed my ex-boss the results I got from the Klasse twins, he decided to share a `secret` with me. He was attending a car show and got to talking to one of the entrants. The discussion turned to car care and the car guy admitted to using baby shampoo to wash his car(s) when they were only lightly dirty - but too much for a QD.

He would mix a couple of capfuls of baby shampoo per gallon of water and wash the car. Said it was so mild it didn`t affect the wax, but was more than strong enough for the light dirt.

I decided to try it after the using Klasse. It`s not much for suds, but it feels VERY slippery running over the surface of the car, not a hint of drag at all. The soap rinsed off easily and the car`s finish looked like I had just waxed it (it had been a week prior and it had sat through a week of heavy rainstorms) and then sprayed it down with water. The beading/sheeting action of the Klasse was strong and didn`t appear diminished in any way.

I used a mf towel to dry the car and even where the water had dried before I had a chance to wipe it off, there was only light water spotting that wiped off easily with the damp mf. The end result was the car looked like I had just put a fresh coat of sealant on it, no streaking or water spotting to be found.

It doesn`t have to be name-brand baby shampoo, the generic will work just as well.

I thought the results were interesting enough to share.

[Mr. Gloss]

A shine comes from the oils in the shampoo.

Just read the label on Johnson`s.

essential oils
coconut oils
vegetable oils
sunflower oils
glycerin

[TroyScherer]

At least there are no tears if he gets some wash solution splashed in his eyes...

[SayNoToPistons]

I would wonder if there would be any negative reactions to sealants, waxes, and dressing though.

[Larry A]

Somewhere I red that Duragloss car wash was hair shampoo at one time.

[PiPUK]

I have pointed out elsewhere that the differences between shampoos are limited. The biggest coup of all time for automotive brands has been convincing the high end public that non auto specific surfactant shampoos strip wax. They don`t but try telling that to all the detailing fanatics and you will find just how thoroughly they rely on marketing from their brands!

[Bunky]

They don`t but try telling that to all the detailing fanatics and you will find just how thoroughly they rely on marketing from their brands!

This is not different than marketing of any product (detailing to bottled water). It is what makes people want to buy one product over another. Most everything today is about marketing which is intended to create an emotional attachment. A lot has to create a brand and get brand loyalty. It can be said the same about beers. Many have the same alcohol content but the consumption of it is more subjected. The people who make the sale are the ones who find and connect with potential others. Then, others just live off the ones doing the true demand generation work without doing the marketing work.

[Mr. Gloss]

I don`t object to marketing. It`s a requirement.

I do object to dishonest marketing, false claims, exaggerations, etc., that misleads the buyer.

Unfortunately most buyers don`t pay enough attention to catch false advertising.

There are many imposters out there; (not implicating anyone) Private labels on mass produced products.

Companies like CG market to various markets. Their Smartwax products market the GREEN industry patrons. For those who don`t care about using petroleum products, the CG line is fine for them. Many buyers don`t realize that Smartwax is a CG product.

[Todd@RUPES]

I would wonder if there would be any negative reactions to sealants, waxes, and dressing though.

I would think the biggest negative reaction would be that the oils (and whatever residue) would not rinse away completely which could coat over and temporally inhibit the beading characteristics.

Most auto shampoos are made with some level of wax or polymers that will reinforce the existing protection on the paint, as well as provide enough cleaning power/lubricity to remove dirt without scratching/marring the finish. I am also not sure how these shampoos will cut through grease/road film/etc.

If somebody wants to use baby shampoo to clean their car and they like the results more power to them, but I doubt that a baby shampoo is going outperform an auto shampoo on any level.

[PiPUK]

This is not different than marketing of any product (detailing to bottled water). It is what makes people want to buy one product over another. Most everything today is about marketing which is intended to create an emotional attachment.

My point was that the marketing is often misleading and inaccurate. It gets to the point that a brand can sometimes contradict scientific fact and get away with it because they have such fanatical followings.

I would think the biggest negative reaction would be that the oils (and whatever residue) would not rinse away completely which could coat over and temporally inhibit the beading characteristics.

Quite right but, then again, what do you think happens with all these super slick auto shampoos? Slick feeling = surfactant/oils sticking to the surface and minimising friction. If you want a really pure shampoo which leaves the minimal amount of residues, it won`t be winning the slickness award.