Does All-Purpose Cleaner Damage Car Paint?
3 Answers
All-purpose cleaner, after all, contains chemical substances that can cause certain damage to car paint and interiors. More details are as follows: Definition of All-Purpose Cleaner: All-purpose cleaner, also known as multi-purpose cleaner, is categorized into heavy-duty and light-duty types, containing various composite chemical ingredients. Generally, car wash shops use large industrial packaging of these cleaners, which can be diluted and applied to areas like wheel rims and tires. Although the cleaning power of all-purpose cleaner is outstanding, its corrosiveness is also very strong. Even diluted solutions with low concentrations can cause irreversible damage to paint surfaces and interiors with long-term use. Pros and Cons of All-Purpose Cleaner: All-purpose cleaner is mainly used for cleaning interiors and has strong stain-removing capabilities, which is why many car wash shops use it. However, it should be noted that many all-purpose cleaners on the market today are alkaline and of inferior quality, with relatively low prices. Because they are alkaline, their stain-removing effect is good, but they can harm the interior. Safe products for cleaning interiors need to be neutral, but since neutral products are more expensive, many service shops rarely use them to save costs.
As an experienced driver who often washes my own car, I believe using all-purpose cleaners for car washing requires extra caution. These multi-purpose cleaners generally have high alkalinity, and spraying them directly on the car paint can gradually corrode the clear coat layer, causing the paint to become dull over time. Once when I was lazy and used an all-purpose cleaner on the hood, I noticed countless swirl marks under sunlight. For removing bird droppings or tree sap, remember to dilute it with water by at least 10 times, rinse immediately after spraying, and it's best to apply wax monthly for paint protection. Car wash technicians say they've seen too many cars with damaged paint from using all-purpose cleaners, and the repairs can be very costly.
We car detailers dread nothing more than customers using all-purpose cleaners for car washing. Last week, a BMW that had been washed for six months at a roadside stall with all-purpose cleaner looked hazy from afar as if covered in a veil, and upon closer inspection, it was covered in nail-sized corrosion spots. The sodium hydroxide in such cleaners decomposes automotive paint polymers, especially noticeable on black paint. It's advisable to keep dedicated car shampoo at home—only pH-neutral formulas are safe. If you must use it in emergencies, dilute it 1:30 and don't let it dwell for more than 30 seconds. When rinsing, keep the pressure washer nozzle perpendicular to the paint surface to prevent alkaline residue from eating into the clear coat.
