i have heard that dawn is bad for a car because it eats at the clear coat (not instantly...but eventually if you keep using it)... but Zaino reccommends washing with dawn. So does it really mess up the clear coat?

 

You only use Dawn one time. That's the first time. Dawn gets rid of any conventional waxes/polishes. The reason being is that Zaino needs as clean of a paint surface as possible to bond effectively. Dawn will not remove Zaino after Zaino has "cured" on the car. However, Dawn will remove conventional waxes/polishes. I'm not aware of Dawn actually doing harm to the paint. What may be happening is that people are washing away the wax/polish that was on the car, thereby allowing the sun and other things to damage the paint.

 

Yup, with Zaino you only use Dawn the very first time as part of the surface prep.

 

Dawn similar products WILL eat into the clearcoat. better to you a pain cleaner. will do the same thing (although it takes longer) and is much better for the car.

This is referenced quite a bit in serveral mainstream car polish sites.

 

Dawn is simply a high alkaline soap that is good at stripping oils (grease) from any surface, I have used it 1000's of times to wash my dishes and the skin on my hands has not fell off, LOL

It will not hurt your paint at all, it simply strips the paint of existing waxes and polishes and gets it down to bare paint, as Zaino CAN ONLY stick and adhere to bare paint, Zaino will not and can not bond to other waxes, paint cleaner, polishes, or compunds.

Many body shops will wash a car they are beginning work on with Dawn or other dish soap as to strip off silicone from cheap car waxes and not to bring silicone into their painting areas.

 

dawn is fine and is like cleaning grease off dishes much the same way as oil from wax on the car.

 

I found Dawn to not be strong enough so I would recommend Joy.