Degreaser on paint?

[Riding Backward]

Hi all I"m new to the board and have tried to do a search but have turned up nothing.



I just bought a new used truck back in Sept. and had a guy from the dealer come out and detail it. He didn`t use a carnuba wax but some polymer stuff that he claims lasts much longer, I forgot the name of it.



Anyways I haven`t washed my truck in a few weeks due to a couple back to back ski trips and its been raining for a week straight here in So Cal. My truck is pretty dirty and I was thinking about hitting most of the grime with a little degreaser before washing. Is this bad for the finish?

[dennn]

I talked to a few bodyshop workers about washing cars with degreaser.



They all say that they don`t recommend it. I think they mention something like degreaser would "dry out" the paint. Not just removing wax from it, but drying it. Even the use of bodyshop solvent on paint work is not advisible.



A detailer I know who is popular in the Mazda3 scene says that he ocassionally uses diluted APC on the sideskirts and the front bumper when they are really dirty. He says that the use of APC on paintjobs could dull the paint, which would require machine polishing. I could imagine degreaser having this kind of effect on paint.



Wheels, however, are different. My trusted wheel repair shop uses full strength degreasers and acid to wash wheels. Not advisible, but the adverse effects are not as profound.

[Thomas Dekany]

Normally I`d say that it is ok to use apc on the car (quality apc) but it will remove the protection so don`t do it. Unless you polish and wax afterwards.

[SoCalB6]

If you don`t have a power washer go to the coin-op and blast it with water. Don`t be afraid to get somewhat aggressive with it. Then wash with your normal car wash soap at a lower dilution. If the directions say 1oz per 1 gallon, maybe go 1.5-2oz per gallon. If the detailer did a good job and used a quality sealant, it should come off just fine, especially with the power washing pre-cleaning.

[alloutdetailing]

I use degreaser on some cars. I just cut it back a WHOLE lot and wash it off fast! Just remember it strips wax so you`ll need to redo the panels you degreased.

[Make it shine!]

I wouldn`t use degreaser on the paint at all, there are too many what ifs and variables that can potentially destroy the finish. Like said before I use a dilluted APC (megs APC+) on rocker panels and other highly soiled areas as a pre wash. Sometimes I even mix a little bit with the soap to help strip the wax off before I start polishing.

[Setec Astronomy]

Anyways I haven`t washed my truck in a few weeks due to a couple back to back ski trips and its been raining for a week straight here in So Cal. My truck is pretty dirty and I was thinking about hitting most of the grime with a little degreaser before washing. Is this bad for the finish?

Boy, perspective is everything. Not getting washed for a few weeks and a week of rain calls for degreaser in SoCal :lol . Here in NJ, we call what you`re talking about winter, and we just use car wash. Unless there is some oil-from-the-road effect in CA that I`m not familiar with since it never rains there, I don`t see why you would need to use degreaser. If you really want to do something like that, how about mixing your car wash up regular strength in a spray bottle and pre-soaking your trouble spots?

[melissa809]

Boy, perspective is everything. Not getting washed for a few weeks and a week of rain calls for degreaser in SoCal :lol . Here in NJ, we call what you`re talking about winter, and we just use car wash. Unless there is some oil-from-the-road effect in CA that I`m not familiar with since it never rains there, I don`t see why you would need to use degreaser. If you really want to do something like that, how about mixing your car wash up regular strength in a spray bottle and pre-soaking your trouble spots?

LOL...my thoughts exactly....what is in the rain out there that would warrant a degreaser?....or on the roads...I would think "dirty car" issues are a little more severe out in Nj and here in Ny

[Kean]

LOL...my thoughts exactly....what is in the rain out there that would warrant a degreaser?....or on the roads...I would think "dirty car" issues are a little more severe out in Nj and here in Ny

….in the OP’s defense (and as a fellow So. Californian myself), the rain we had recently was the first one in quite a while. I can relate to what the OP speaks of. The first day of most rain storms we get will coat your car in a nice layer of oily, road grime that doesn’t always wash off so easily. ….I’m sure this is nothing new to anyone. Anyhow, I can understand his idea of using an APC to help loosen some of this film as part of his next wash process.

[Setec Astronomy]

….in the OP’s defense (and as a fellow So. Californian myself), the rain we had recently was the first one in quite a while. I can relate to what the OP speaks of. The first day of most rain storms we get will coat your car in a nice layer of oily, road grime that doesn’t always wash off so easily. ….I’m sure this is nothing new to anyone. Anyhow, I can understand his idea of using an APC to help loosen some of this film as part of his next wash process.

In defense of those of us in the Northeast, that IS new to us (although if you look at my post I did predict it might be some oil-from-the-road effect). We just don`t get that here because we average some sort of precip once a week or so.

[Kean]

In defense of those of us in the Northeast, that IS new to us (although if you look at my post I did predict it might be some oil-from-the-road effect). We just don`t get that here because we average some sort of precip once a week or so.

....I saw that and didn`t intend to come off as though I was :argue . I was just letting Melissa know what the OP is likely facing after last week since I can relate. The intial rain after a few months of no precipitaion is the worst. The roads get very slick and the grime sprayed up by cars in front of you can be pretty nasty at times. ....yuck.

[craigdt]

I have occaisionally used APC+ on my vehicle, but I mix it with some soap and spray it through my foam gun. Then I wash it off pretty quick. I dont think you want it spending much time on the paint.

[percynjpn]

I sometimes use degreaser on paint, and often on wheels, though on paint I usually cut it about 30% with H2O. It does dull the paint a bit, so you have to polish after. I use a spray bottle, and wash and rinse panel-by-panel; it works best with a power washer.



I`ve only used it on paint once per car; it def. wouldn`t be good for the paint if you did it multiple times. I hate claying, and the degreaser often makes that step unnecessary, especially for removing pitch. It`s also excellent for cleaning your tires and floor mats.

[Riding Backward]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I`ll stick to a pressure wash and plain soap. By the way, what`s APC?

[adrock2003]

I add some degreaser to my carwash mix if I`m about to polish and protect a car that is protected by a wax or sealant before I start. If you don`t leave it on long, it doesn`t harm the paint/clearcoat. If you leave it on for a long time...I`m not sure you`d like the outcome. Degreaser is very corrosive and your paint will pay the price for having it on there too long. rest.I use a very light degreaser solution. Something like 15-1 mix ratio. 15 parts car wash to 1 part degreaser and rinse off quickly. If that doesn`t remove all of the wax, then I use an APC to remove the rest.