Cleaning old cars...?
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Many people are saying use Dawn Dish Soap as that will help cut off build up of grease, grime, dirt with a soft brush.... Don't oil the wheels as the oil will attract more dirt that you will have to clean off....
What I do is wash the Cars with Dish Soap shake dry then go outside and use my air compressor to blow the water off and out of the Car. It works well, just do not get close to the car while blowing it dry as you can peel paint if the compressor is set too high in pressure. Just use common sense and have fun as you may discover a gem underneath all that dirt.
What I do is wash the Cars with Dish Soap shake dry then go outside and use my air compressor to blow the water off and out of the Car. It works well, just do not get close to the car while blowing it dry as you can peel paint if the compressor is set too high in pressure. Just use common sense and have fun as you may discover a gem underneath all that dirt.
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If it's just dust and grime I'll blow them down with my air compressor then use an amonia free window cleaner and paper towel or soft brush to clean the crannies. What ever you use on your car would probably serve just as well. Its just the window cleaner doesn't streak or leave a film. I've nat had any adverse effects from using it.
remember guys isopropyl alcohol softens paint and can make it more likely to chip as it is a solvent, it may look like it evaporates fast but it remains in the paint film for a little longer then you think(most window cleaners that dont contain amonia contain IPA). if its just light dirt and grime from being played with you dont need any strong cleaners. i don't like to use dawn on painted surfaces unless needed(real cars or diecast) as it can do to your paint as it does to your hands and that is dry it out which you don't want as again can lead to more chipping. of course me being an ocd detailer i do about the same process to a diecast that i do for 350$ on a real car LOL minus clay bar. yes i am ocd with paint condition! like i suggested you shouldnt need to use anything other then hand or car wash soap to clean them up. if its that bad and its not valuable in that chipped condition, just strip and paint it factory color. when i dust my collection i have a bottle of quick detailer that has some wax in it spray it on one of those microfiber dusters dust cars off then dry with my nice soft microfiber...
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After reading opie_7afe's post on alcohol products I HAD to test it. About an hour after reading it I dumped the back end of a cut up motorcycle in some Windex. It stayed there until just a few minutes ago. When removed, it showed no ill effects from being emersed around 21 hours. I couldn't scrape the tampo nor the paint off with my fingernail nor was the plastic wheel effected. So far I can see no issues with using Windex on the paint or plastic. Granted I don't wash my castings every week...Or every month...Well maybe once a year....Maybe. But I've only had one paint job turn and it was a white that turned cream color. I don't think I ever washed it with anything. Maybe I should try something with a bleach in it.
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OPIE... I need you to live by me I hate cleaning up my real cars... I can spend 2 years building one from the frame up, and when it comes to the last clean up it can take me a month just to get started on it
I clean all my Hot Wheels with air craft stripper, cleans them well but very hard on the paint... Ha Ha
I clean all my Hot Wheels with air craft stripper, cleans them well but very hard on the paint... Ha Ha
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After "washing" them with a mild dish soap, lightly spray a little automotive detailer on the car. Wipe off with a micro fiber towel and a cotton swab. Safe on the surface and will bring out a little luster.
alcohol wont remove the paint unless its crap paint. it can soften it over time...and if your using it on factory painted cars you are usually OK, if its a repainted car that was not baked i would not use it...i just always use the most gentle method to clean my real car or my diecast, dont need no heavy duty cleaner at all. as pontiecast said as well an automotive quick detailer and have a good coating of paint sealant or wax(i prefer paint sealant as it dont collect dust as easily) and helps keep them clean, most of the time i just dry dust em off....lol gene if i did live near ya i would have no problem cleaning your rides. i love to detail cars lol....my car may have some deeper scratches i cant remove due to depth but there are no swirl marks! and my paint is as glossy as a brand new car.
not a problem....i just go off on a tangent some times when it comes to stuff im passionate about! LOL im trying to find a way to get specialized polishing pad made up for when people do repaints but yeah reason why i said no alcohol is due to the missing paint...so as we said mild soap and a microfiber towel or a soft boars hair brush be perfect.
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It's all cool. 20 years from now, I will be posting "How do I get the grime off my 2012 issue hot Wheels Zo6 and restore the shine" and I will already know.
Appreciated all the info.
Appreciated all the info.
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359 Posts
Early Chevy Big block
I like using 409, Cut dirt well, If it dulls the paint, I just buff back out
I like using 409, Cut dirt well, If it dulls the paint, I just buff back out
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