(First, I have NEVER done this)

This is really strange but I know a guy I know swears by washing his car by adding about a 1/2 cup of Kerosene to a bucket of water and carwash. He says it helps take any tar off the paint and helps make the car shine. He is originally from Lebanon and says they do it all the time over there. I have never heard of this and never even thought of trying it. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Will it harm the wax or paint?

 

Seems to me that WILL harm the wax - probably remove the wax. So maybe this makes sense if you're planning to wax it after you wash it. I've used some cleaners that smell kinda like kerosene, but that was specifically to remove the wax in order to do touch-up paint.

 

I don't think I would wash it with that either..besides the smell some one might come by and throw a match at you just to see if you catch on fire..

WheelBrokerAng

 

Hate to naysay everyone but he's right. We do it in the garage all the time. We use stuff called Super-Sol (trade name, actual chemical is xylene, similar stuff chemically) to spot spray grime off of a car. Once in a while if we have to detail a really bad car we will pour some stuff into the wash bucket and do the whole car with it. It works pretty well, but industrial degreaser works even better. Just be sure to rinse it all off!

 

So I guess it sounds like it will take everything off including the wax. Looks like if anyone does this, they will get a really clean car but they will need to wax it afterward.

 

The use of Kerosene to clean the car is in my family "tradition as well"... I remember my old grandpa cleaning his dark green Morris with such a mixture...it works and won't harm the paint or the wax...

 

It is an acceptable practice, though far less common place these days with so many higher quality products that do the same job, without the chance of damage. I personally wouldn't do it. There are more effective, less chancy ways to do it.

 

WD40 will have the same effect, I use it all the time to get road junk off the rocker panels.

 

I just hate the smell of that so I say not for me..I still use Wet Paint Cleaner for every thing on the car except for carpeting..

WheelBrokerAng