Do you really need to use Dawn?

D

dchu1975

New member
I wanted to do a full detail on my car this weekend. My plan is to do the following:



1. Wash with Dawn

2. Clay

3. Wash

4. SSR2.5 w/ PC

5. SSR1 w/ PC

6. AIO

7. HGSG



My question is do I need to really do the wash with Dawn? Won't claying the car remove any wax/sealant already on there? Even if it doesn't, won't the SSR products remove them? Thanks.
 
No need to use dawn. Yes, the SSRs will remove everything on the paint for a nice clean surface to play with. Have fun.
 
After I wrote this, I read that it is good to have the LSP stripped BEFORE polishing as it may be difficult to remove the polish residue with an LSP on there. With that said, what can I use to strip the LSP? I heard Dawn is very overatted and not effective. Any suggestions?
 
If you really want to make sure it's gone just mix some rubbing alcohol with some water 50:50 and spray a section then wipe it off. That should take any LSP you have on there off. To make sure do the finger smudge test - rub your finger across the paint, if it makes a squeaky noise, the LSP is probably gone.



That said I've polished right over LSPs and haven't had problems removing polish residue. But that's just me.
 
Vinegar will remove it. Use a spray bottle. Your car will smell like a pickled car :LOLOL
 
Uhhh clay is going to remove your LSP I would think .

If you want to make sure it's 100% removed used something like Transtar grease , wax and silicone remover or Prep-SOL before claying
 
I'm anti Dawn, but I'll add that when I was first starting out doing this stuff, I hosed my car down and squirted the Dawn right onto the paint. Then I swirled it around with my wash mitts and hosed it off. Last I looked the paint was still there.





Tom
 
dchu1975 said:
After I wrote this, I read that it is good to have the LSP stripped BEFORE polishing as it may be difficult to remove the polish residue with an LSP on there. With that said, what can I use to strip the LSP? I heard Dawn is very overatted and not effective. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...



Someone is feeding you a huge pile of BS. Look at it like this, if 2.5 is going to remove swirls, do you really think wax is going to stand up to it?



I highly doubt you really need to wash after claying either.
 
In my experience:



Dawn doesn't strip many LSPs, the alcohol mix (or another solvent) is much better.



Proper (very gentle) claying doesn't fully strip LSPs either, unless they're on their last legs.



Only real trouble I've had polishing through LSPs is when cutting through something pretty substantial, such as layered KSG or Collinite wax. Then I'll sometimes get excessive caking on the pads and hard to remove polish residue stuck to the paint. Neither one is a huge deal, the pads clean up and the residue comes off with AIO. But the alcohol wipe is easy if you're really concerned about it ;) Don't use solvents often/unnecessarily on single stage paint though.
 
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