So, should you use Simple Green to wash car? Simple Green is a well-known all-purpose cleanser on the market. It is also among the most versatile cleaning tools (such as when you need to know how to get bugs off your car and how to remove bugs from car), removing dirt from various surfaces, including automobile paint.
But does Simple Green harm paint on automobiles? Yes, Simple Green is suitable for use in automotive paint. But to protect your paint, it’s critical to use it properly. Use a soft cloth or sponge and dilute Simple Green with water before applying it to automobile paint.
Never scrape vigorously or with full force because doing so could harm the paint. Simple Green is an excellent choice if you want to clean your car’s paint without harming it. Clear coatings and other paint types can be used safely with this all-purpose cleaning. It’s soft enough to use frequently and won’t remove wax or sealants.
- What is Simple Green?
- Simple Green Ingredients
- Effect on Car’s Exterior
- Simple Green on the Interior
- Is it Safe for Paint?
- Effective as an Engine Cleaner?
- How to use it?
- Best Household Soap?
- Best way to Wash your Car?
- FAQs
Simple Green
Simple Green Car Wash is specially formulated to remove difficult dirt and grime and make automobile surfaces shine, making it ideal for the automotive professional or enthusiast.
The Simple Green concentration is soft enough to clean delicate automobile surfaces while also being a powerful cleaner. When you’re washing a car, Simple Green Car Wash creates a rich, thick lather of Simple Green foam that easily pulls off road grime without dulling or removing wax. Additionally, it is clean and streak-free rinses.
- Only a little scrubbing to clean tires, hubs, wheels, and rims.
- The spray head produces a clinging foam for better cleaning.
- Surfaces won’t be scratched with mild alkaline cleanser without abrasives.
Simple Green Ingredients
The Simple Green ingredients include Water, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Cocamide MIPA, Carnuba Wax Mixture, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Colorants, Fragrances, Contains fragrance allergen(s): Coumarin.
Simple Green On The Car’s Exterior
You can clean the exterior of your vehicle using Simple Green. It’s actually beneficial to the paint. The paint won’t suffer any harm. Simple Green all-purpose cleaner’s primary component is secure and non-corrosive. It is an excellent cleanser for cleaning practically anything. To wash your car (refer to our guide on how to wash a motorcycle to learn more), though, you must first dissolve the detergent.
Not every car wash soap is created equally. Some are designed to clean windows and other surfaces, while others are meant to remove oil and grime from cars. If you pour the mixture directly onto your car without first dissolving it, it can lead to bad results.
Some reactive compounds it may contain could chip away at the paint. One of the biggest factors contributing to vehicle paint damage is car washes. Your paint becomes dull and brittle as a result of them removing all the oils and waxes that preserve it.
Simple Green On Car Interior
Generally speaking, oversaturating your car’s interior, especially the seats, is not advised (whether leather or fabric). Many vehicle owners claim that Simple Green is ineffective for cleaning the inside of vehicles. The explanation is rather straightforward: Simple Green cleaner is a degreaser, which means that it “degreases” any surface to which it is applied.
You should be aware that using Simple Green to clean your leather seat can cause the oil to dry out. Leather requires oil. As a result, when a Simple Green engine degreaser removes all of the oil in your car seat’s leather, the appearance will alter. Unless… You figure out how to clean your car seats.
The company, Simple Green, has updated the formula for creating their all-purpose cleaner throughout the years. However, the concerns about Simple Green not being a safe solution for cleaning automobile interiors (especially leather seats) were made many years ago.
Despite the controversy surrounding using Simple Green cleaner on leather car seats. The product can typically serve as a useful substitute for regular car wash soaps for cleaning the exterior of a vehicle. Additionally, you may use the Simple Green cleaner on various types of vehicles, such as trucks and motorcycles.
Is Simple Green Safe For Paint
The residual water from a vehicle wash apparently leaves a mark on the paint that is exceedingly difficult to remove if you leave your car in the wash for even a little length of time. This may occasionally cause the region to rust. Additionally, since rust cannot be simply removed, your only options are to repaint the area or scrap it.
Simple Green will make your car look clean and new, but it should only be used when a car wash is necessary or when the car is scuffed up and unclean. Using it improperly could result in minor to significant harm to your car. Simple Green can make water safe to use on your vehicle, but you should never let the water that drains from your car after you wash it with plain water dry on it.
It will leave an oily residue that is exceedingly challenging to wash off. To prevent the water from evaporating too quickly due to the sun. It is advisable to wash your vehicle in the shade. This will guarantee the highest level of wax efficacy.
In other words, unless it is allowed to remain on the paint for an extended amount of time, and this has to happen multiple times before the paint becomes chipped or otherwise damaged, plain green doesn’t affect the color of the paint.
Is Simple Green An Effective Engine Cleaner
Simple Green concentrate is non-corrosive and a safer alternative to harsh chemicals for cleaning chrome, aluminum, stainless steel, and other metals. The basic green engine degreaser is perfect due to the engine-safe formula’s ability to break down difficult grease, oil, road filth, and other vehicle fluids.
How Can You Use Simple Green For Car Washing
In this part, we’ll explain to you how to apply Simple Green safely on automotive paint.
Simple Green Bucket Wash Instructions
- Rinse the exterior of the entire car.
- Use your hands to froth some Simple Green cleaning chemicals in a bucket of clean, soft water.
- Soak your cleaning towel in the bucket before beginning to wash.
- Pay close attention to one component at a time. After washing one portion, fully rinse it before moving on to the next.
- Dry the surface with a microfiber cloth.
Utilizing Simple Green is similar to using any other vehicle wash soap. The emphasis is mainly on rapidly rinsing each area after washing and diluting the soap, though.
Simple Green In Pressure Washer
- Select a suitable nozzle.
- Rinse the automobile using the pressure washer and normal water.
- In a foam cannon, dilute the mixture so that there are roughly ten parts water and one part cleanser.
- Utilize the pressure washer to apply the cleaning agent to the car’s surface. Use a vehicle brush to remove grit after allowing it to settle for two to three minutes.
- Use the pressure washer to give everything a thorough rinse.
A component vulnerable to water exposure damage should be avoided if you intend to power wash your engine bed.
Best Household Soap To Wash Car
Simple Green To Wash Car, Alternatives #1: Fortify Shine Armor
Shine Armor Fortify is by far the best household soap to wash car. The solution not only effectively removes filth, dust, and dirt from your automobile but it also gives it a gorgeous shine by covering the finish with a tough ceramic coating. This will provide your automobile with long-lasting protection, and a glossier finish than even the majority of wax solutions can provide.
It functions as a three-in-one solution for cleaning, polishing, and protecting. Even better, you can spray it on and then wipe it off of your car with a typical microfiber cloth. It’s a great substitute for normal car wash soap, especially given how much time it may save you overall while detailing your car.
Simple Green To Wash Car, Alternatives #2: Dish Soap
Car soap can be substituted with dish soap, an old-fashioned domestic necessity. That’s because the majority of dish soap formulations (to learn more, do check our guide on can I use dish soap to wash my car) are made to successfully cut through oil.
This is fantastic news for your dishes, but it also implies that standard dish soap can replace car soap in some situations. Particularly if you need to remove grease or oil marks from your automobile.
But bear in mind that you ought to dilute your dish soap with a lot of water.
Hopefully, this will stop the dish soap from damaging your car by removing the paint. If your car has a wax or ceramic coating layer on it, the risk is slightly reduced, but it’s still a possibility.
Additionally, normal dish soap can leave a residue that may require polish or additional scrubbing to remove. Using standard dish soap will probably need more work than regular car soap or a different car soap substitute.
Simple Green To Wash Car, Alternatives #3: Hand Soap
Additionally, you might think about using hand soap, albeit doing so might be challenging, given that most hand soap containers don’t initially contain much liquid. Hand soap is also far less efficient than typical vehicle wash soap. But if you have nothing else, it’s better than nothing.
If your hand soap recipe foams a lot, as opposed to soaps that are more liquid-like, you will have a better experience.
This is so that the foam can lift away dirt and grime that has been rubbed into the paintwork or finish of your car so that it may be washed off. Another major benefit is that most hand soap products have pleasant scents. So your car will continue to smell good after being washed.
Regular soap shouldn’t need to be diluted as much as dish soap or laundry detergent. But as with any substitute for car soap, pay close attention to what happens as you wash your car in stages. If you notice that the paint is starting to come off, stop.
Best Way To Wash Car Without Scratching
1. Use The Appropriate Products
Using household cleaners to remove stains and filth from your car’s finish is one of the worst things you can do. These solutions aren’t made to safely remove dirt and stains from your automobile. Most of the time, their abrasive chemical compositions will do far more damage to whatever wax you may have on your car than good.
Washcloths, bath towels, and shower sponges should also be avoided. Although these cleaning tools are excellent for exfoliating your skin, they are too harsh to use on a car. Additionally, the thick fibers of the majority of cotton fabrics don’t effectively trap soils and grime.
Instead, they spread these impurities across the finish, leaving behind microscopic dings and swirls that lessen the clarity of the clear coat. You may prevent a lot of the harm that is brought on by dirt and other impurities by using high-quality car wash soap and a wash mitt.
All the car wash soap, sponges, and microfiber towels that Turtle Wax sells are suitable for automobile use. To stop stubborn dirt from grinding into the clear coat. We advise using a high-foaming, lubricating car wash detergent.
2. First Clean The Wheels
The heavier soils and road filth that your wheels collect could travel to the body of your car and scratch or harm the paint. To prevent cross-contamination, you should wash your wheels with different cleaning equipment before washing the rest of your car.
To clean brake dust from your wheels and tires, we advise using Simple Green All Wheel & Tire Cleaner in conjunction with a special wheel cleaning tool. Make sure to hit the rims, spokes, wheels facing, brake calipers, and even the brake rotors on all of your wheels
3. Frequently Dip The Mitt
Before going on to the next panel as you work your way around your automobile. Dip the wash mitt into your cleaning solution at least once. This cleans the mitt of any abrasive soils you might have picked up off your car’s surface and saturates it with additional foam to serve as a lubricant.
You may need to dip the mitt more frequently depending on how dirty your automobile is to avoid soil accumulation that could otherwise scratch the clear finish.
When washing a really unclean automobile, you might even need to discard your cleaning solution halfway through and refill your bucket. This is especially true if you notice that the water is beginning to become brownish. When refilling your bucket, use the right amount of vehicle wash soap.
4. Dry The Car
Your chances of damaging your automobile’s paint during a car wash increase as you contact it more frequently. Although a wash cannot be fully frictionless and effective, utilizing a blower to dry your car can nevertheless minimize your contact with the paint. Even a leaf blower can be used for this phase.
Before using a blower, ensure the concrete or pavement around your automobile is clean and moist. By doing this, you’ll be able to keep your freshly cleaned automobile clean by avoiding kicking up dirt and other impurities off the pavement.
5. Apply Spray Wax On A Car
Applying a fresh coat of wax to a spotless paint surface is undoubtedly one of the finest ways to shield your car from dings and swirls. While doing this won’t prevent scratches from occurring during this particular car wash.
It will lower the likelihood of scratches during your subsequent wash and make it simpler for the rinse water to flow off your car, encouraging water beading for a quicker drying time. Additionally, automobile wax has many additional advantages, such as UV protection, chemical resistance, and a gloss that resembles wetness.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re still curious to learn more about Simple Green to wash car, our FAQs here might help…
How To Wash A Car
Spray the car’s wheels with water from a hose fitted with a powerful nozzle. Clean the wheels first because they have the most filth and debris on them. Next, use water to thoroughly wet your car and remove any remaining dirt on the surface. Ensure you coat the entire car, paying close attention to any gaps or crevices. After washing each area of the automobile, take the nozzle off the hose and use the water that is currently flowing to rinse the car. Once more, start at the top and work your way down, being careful not to leave any soap behind.
What Can I Use To Wash My Car
Water hose, sponge, two buckets, stiff brush, car wash (shampoo can be used if you don’t have any; avoid using dishwashing liquid as it’s too abrasive), glass cleaner, wash gloves, and microfiber towel are among the tools you can use.
What Soap To Use To Wash A Car
Getting rid of accumulated filth and grime from your car safely and effectively on a budget can be done by using shampoo. The shampoo is a good substitute for store-bought chemicals if it is properly diluted. However, avoid letting the soap dry on your car’s paint because it could harm it. Use a light laundry detergent that isn’t too powerful to avoid having your paint stripped off. On your car, mild laundry detergent may remove practically any mud or filth.
How To Use A Car Wash
Drive up to the vehicle wash’s entrance. Search for any arrows or signs that point to where you should stop your car. The functions of automated car washes differ. To move their automobile through the wash, most car washes require drivers to move forwards until the front tires of their car are in line with a track system. You’ll be alerted by lights and arrows when you successfully drive your car into this track. If your car has an automatic gearbox, put it in the park; if it has a manual transmission, put it in neutral. Put the brakes to the side. The track system will propel your car forwards as soon as the car wash starts.
How To Wash Car At Home
Spray the automobile down with a pressure washer or a hose and spray nozzle. Rinse away any stray dirt by saturating the whole surface of the car, including the underside and the wheel wells. During the primary wash, this will aid in preventing scratches. Spray wheel cleanser on a microfiber cloth, microfiber mitt, or wheel brush reserved especially for your wheels, and then rub the surfaces of the wheel with it. Rewash the vehicle after finishing the wheels. Degreaser is sometimes used at this phase to clean areas with bugs or other road films, but it’s not usually essential. Add your soap directly to your microfibre mitt or into one of the two buckets with dirt traps at the bottom. Wipe the dirt on the door jambs, bottom edges, and sills inside the car with a damp microfiber cloth as soon as possible.
What Is Simple Green Used For
Heavy filth, grease, food residue, and stains can be eliminated using Simple Green from any washable surface, including tile, carpet, flooring, upholstery, and worktops.
How To Wash Car Without Hose
One wash bucket should be filled with soapy water, while the other should be filled with plain water. Each of your buckets should contain a grit guard. It keeps your soapy water bucket and hands clean by preventing dirt from sticking to your mitt and being transferred back onto your car, which would otherwise harm the paint. Prepare some high-quality microfiber wash mitts and fold them twice to create eight surfaces that can be used. Start cleaning. After cleaning, apply wax or polish to the outside of the car to protect it for longer, requiring fewer washes down the road.
Is Simple Green Safe
The Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is excellent for cleaning your car’s interior, including the carpet, dashboards, upholstery, and other surfaces. It is safe for interior surfaces and car paint because it doesn’t include any harsh or abrasive ingredients.
How To Clean Car Exterior
Always start with the wheels is a great piece of advice. Once the loose muck and debris have been rinsed away, it’s time to start scrubbing. A good rinse will help to remove the majority of it. Your paintwork should appear a little better after a good scrub. Use a specific window cleaning solution to get your car’s windows looking clear and glossy because washing your car without being careful can leave them looking streaky.
How To Wash A Car With A Pressure Washer
While cleaning your car, you should choose a pressure washer with a setting between 1200 and 1900 PSI. PSI and GPM stand for pounds per square inch and gallons per minute, respectively. You won’t need to be concerned about harming your car’s paint because it is safe to use on autos. Before using any cleaner on your automobile, make sure to rinse it out and spray off any mud or other debris that may have become stuck to the surface. Professionals advise using a pressure washer with 1.4 to 1.6 GPM. It’s wise to start 4-5 feet away from your automobile and then get closer once you’ve tested the pressure washer.
Does Simple Green Need To Be Rinsed
After cleaning, you should always rinse thoroughly, paying close attention to any residue left by Simple Green products in the cracks and crevices. Ammonia is absent from Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner.
Can You Wash Car With Dawn
While regular Dawn liquid dish soap won’t harm a car’s clear coat. It’s not the best choice for routine maintenance washing because it will remove wax, leaving your car vulnerable. Yes, it can scratch if you use dish soap with any abrasives in it.
How To Wash And Wax A Car
Cleaning off impurities beforehand will help avoid scratches when washing with a wash mitt. Spray the wax on the paintwork one part at a time. Rinse and dry the car with a microfiber towel. Using straight lines, evenly spread the wax over the surface. Dampen a microfiber towel. Flip over the microfiber towel you used to rub in the wax and use it to spread it evenly around the area you sprayed it upon. The waxed area can then be removed using that side. Spray waxing can be done as often as necessary.
Can You Use Windex On Car Paint
Windex shouldn’t be used on automotive paint. Windex is far too abrasive for use on your car’s paint, and it might seriously harm the finish. You’ll note that when you use Windex to clean glass, it practically removes the surface of any filth, smudges, or streaks.
Is Simple Green Safe For Car Paint
If you let Simple Green dry into your automobile’s paint when washing, it could result in paint damage, especially if you let it happen regularly. Simple green can be used on your automobile after being dissolved in water, but you shouldn’t let the foamy, soiled water dry on your car. It is, therefore, preferable to wash your automobile in a covered area to prevent the sun’s rays from hastening the drying of the muddy water.
Simple Green To Wash Car: In Conclusion…
Automobile owners can safely clean their vehicles with Simple Green, an all-purpose cleanser. Because Simple Green is made to be used on all surfaces, you may use it to clean both the inside and outside of your automobile. It is Simple to use Simple Green to wash car; you only need to dilute it with water before you begin.
In addition to selling an all-purpose cleanser, Simple Green also offers a product called Simple Green Wash & Wax. We hope you found this article to be helpful in learning everything you need to know about cleaning your car with Simple Green.
