Which soap is best?

[cvd6262]

I just bought a satelite 2004 Vibe base, auto (love the OD) w/power package. I don't intend on spending too much time keeping this car looking good, but when I do wash it, what are the best products to use?Here's what I've gleaned so far from this forum:1. Use Armourall on plastic cladding and dash2. Use a chamois cloth to dryBut, what soap should I use? We have hard water up here, so I would prefer something that could a) get off water deposits, and b) would rinse off very easily.Also, how big/ how many chomois cloths do you guys take to dry your Vibe? And what do you use to get bird crap and other such things (like huge bugs) off your car?

[Mr. Poopypants]

I wouldn't admit that you are not going to keep your vibe clean. You may get some flak, we almost confiscated a car for lack of care. JK I never wash my own car, so the carwash is out of my hands. Get a bug sponge to get rid of bugs and bird crap. It's a sponge with mesh around it, it will get those bugs off real easily. You should only need one chamois to get rid of the water, just keep it free of dirt and wring it out often. WELCOME TO GENVIBE!!!

[cvd6262]

LOLYeah, one of the reasons we went with the Vibe over the Matrix was because we felt the gray two-tone would last longer between washings. BTW, edmunds.com likes the Vibe's styling over the Matrix's too.

[Mr. Poopypants]

Quote, originally posted by cvd6262 »LOLBTW, edmunds.com likes the Vibe's styling over the Matrix's too.Me too.

[Winky43402]

*best* soap?Well, my vote for best soap goes for Simple Green. It's super-duper-mulit purpose. I'm pretty sure you could use it to clean just about everything in, on, and around you Vibe. It's REALLY concentrated, so dilute it well or you'll strip your paint. Actually that's why I like it. When I wash my car at my Mom's I wax it. (the rest of the car washes Winky gets are from those "put in some quarters and buy a car wash type things"). Simple Green does a great job of getting the car very clean before waxing. Does pretty well with bugs and light tar too.Simple Green is good for cleaning everything, and it smells like root beer.

[JohnC]

Soap-- a product made for washing cars, not dishwashing detergent or other "soaps" or cleaners, unless you want to remove the wax.Rinsing-- Just use the hose WITHOUT a nozle, do not spray the car, just run the water over the surface, the soap will carry the dirt right off.Bumper Bugs-- Soak the bugs while you wash the rest of the car. They will come off real easy after you have rehydrated their poor splatted guts. Wax the front of the car every time you wash it, it only takes a minute and it really helps when you wash it.There are some very good books on auto detailing, that have the detailers secrets in them. Well worth reading. Just remember...almost everything you do scratches the clearcoat, so the cleaner you keep the wash mit and drying towel/chamois the less scratches. My father restores/paints clasic cars, so I have been indoctrinated by a fanatic my first eighteen years.

[Stang2Vibe]

Some excellent suggestions there from JohnC. But I only wish that the bugs that get baked on my car in the sun came off as easily. If you do keep a good coat of wax on there, they do come off much easier. My stepdad recently tried some bug and tar wipes that I think were made by Armor All. Like the glass wipes and dash wipes, but made to remove tar and splattered bugs. He loves them and said that they worked great on his car.As for washing with Simple Green, I wouldn't use it as my regular wash soap. It's much too harsh for that, but as suggested earlier, makes for a good wash detergent when you are going to start a full detail of the car. Many people also like to use it on the areas under the hood to clean off the engine and other parts there.