Regarding the dawn detergent wash: I DO NOT recommend it! Dawn is a high alkaline detergent soap specifically to cut grease from dirty dishes, pots and pans. It should remain in the kitchen!

Because of its alkaline properties, you will end up doing more than just stripping wax and polish. You run the risk of drying out all rubber trim and seals. It also will dry out your paint over time.

As an alternative, I advise you to clay your car instead. You'll get the same results.

Others may disagree for different reasons, but Dawn is way too powerful to be using as a stripper for your car.

 

What's S202?

Toyota/Lexus Black Onyx paint code is 202. No S.

 

You don't need Super IP for Lexus/Acura paint that is pretty soft and easy to fix/correct. SIP was made more for harder ceramic clearcoats used in Mercedes and Audi's and other makes. Save your money and get Menzerna IP as it is more then enough to correct soft Lexus paint.

 

The Toyota Paint book at the shop which does cars for Corp Toyota(so its all proprietary and not 3rd party papers) call the pre mid 00's S202..

 

Its fine to use dawn if one does wax it after; however some waxes do not come off even by the use of Dawn

 

General code is 202, as printed on the vin plate info on all Toyotas manufactured since the mid 1980s.

 

MyfirstES is correct. Dawn is not pH balanced for automotive finishes. Most aftermarket paint manufacturers including aftermarket detailing manufacturers also do not recommend the use of Dawn or other dishwashing detergents to clean paint surfaces. Many good body shops and professional licensed detailers would tell you the same thing. Leave the Dawn for cleaning your dishes. Not your cars.

 

You don't need to be pH balanced 100% of the time...; Infact 85% of Citrus based soaps aren't pH balanced.

Every time you do polish a car you need to strip off the prior waxes on the paint; Either by using a solvent, or alkaline (higher than normal) based soap...Aka dawn..(before he starts polishing).....

I probably have tried and used more soaps here than 95% of the members here.(yes well over $200 in soaps)....99% of Carwashes which are automated do not have pH balanced soaps..(Any Carwash that uses Meg's/ Automagic/ Blue Coral/ Black Magic) based products = which are a majority of them as you can get higher quantities for less.

 

Use a good cleaner/polish instead. Dawn is the cheap and lazy method. Any good experienced detailer whether professional or novice knows better.

Over $200 bucks in soaps? That's a lot of money in experimental washing. I don't think many of our members who care about their Lexus brings their car through any kind of automated wash. All automated including coin-op car washes are designed for the mainstream consumer looking to just get their car clean. They aren't the ones who are necessarily spending hours to apply the traditional cleaner/polish/wax. For a business to use expensive ph balanced soaps, it's not going to be cost effective which is pretty much common sense. They will use the cheapest method possible to get the job done.

 

Then I'll be Mr. Cheap and Lazy according to you Ryan, even with $200 in soap that's what I use before a mid-full on correction.
Even Dealer carwashes use the non pH balanced soap

 

Dealers like commercial car washes will use the cheapest stuff available especially if it's a free complimentary wash. I don't let the dealer touch my cars when bringing them into service. I'm pretty sure most CLers who take care of their own cars don't either.

 

Stop bickering you two. The OP must be super confused by now because of the conflicting information

-------------------
OP, to easily strip the protection, here are the options I can come up with right now that are relatively safe IME:

Option 1: a small dab of Dawn along with your normal ratio of maintenance soap will work, HOWEVER, if you are afraid due to the above statements, I recommend a healthy dose of Chemical Guys CitrusWASHclear soap to your bucket (I tend to use 2-3oz per 5gal bucket for a strong stripping wash). Its supposedly pH balanced and works just as well in my experience.

Option 2: Wash your car normally with any brand car soap you can find OTC. After washing, just clay your car. That should take off most, if not all the limited protection left on your car.


Hope this helps

 

alright ladies back to your corners... everyone is entitled to their own opinions. and its clear who believes what. i agree with isaac in using CWC in stripping old layers of wax. it seems to just kill any wax/protective layer no matter how "durable" it may be. ive used CWC at recommended dilution for maintenance through a foam gun and there was no trace of LSP leftover. they also recommend a stronger dilution for "cleaning" the paint which i see no use for since at a weaker dilution it does its job.

as for the dawn, zaino recommends using dawn to strip off wax. there are many zaino-ites out there which has led to all the overhype about zaino. with that said there are probably a lot of people out there who will then tell you to use dawn.

and to ppl like jay, isaac, and myself who buy ridiculously crazy amounts of products to test, why not? yes it is a lot of money in the long run, but how would you know what works or not? yes you can follow the hype over products that you can read about being the "best" but how will you know what is the "best" for yourself if you dont try it. everyone has their own opinions about products and the majority of people will jump on a bandwagon.

so to the OP just try both. even if dawn is "harmful" or not, im sure one time using it will not kill you. do what you feel is right for yourself. there are many different products out there to satisfy everyone's needs. i mean take for example where you have products like an all in one, or products that are specific to their own purposes. so figure out what you need on your personal preference or time willing to dedicate to your car and go by that.

 

Edwin clean up your inbox111!!111 ...

 

You guys are too baller.

I agree the only way to know what you like best is to try different things since everyone has different expectations.