I really need as many people to help come up with ideas for this one. Soap seems to be the hardest thing to test and I'd like to be able to put together a decent soap test. I'll be having a lot of free time in a few weeks so I'll be able to do it but need some info from you all. I wanna have everything setup so I can do the test in a few days.

First, what do you look for in a soap? So far I know you want lots of sud action. You want it to clean bird droppings, bugs, and other road grim off but leave wax. You want it to be slippery so it helps the dirt slide off and not scratch your paint. Anything else?

So, I'd like to be able to test how well it lubricates the surface, How well it suds, and how well it cleans w/o taking off wax.

Now, the lubricating part. This seems hard. I will have to do a test where I just feel it with my hands but there has to be a better way. I was thinking I might get some small pieces of metal and paint them. Then I'll use some sand and filtering out the big stuff so I just get that very light dust. Then I'll put that on a piece, wash it off, then inspect under bright lights. I'd have the piece polished to perfection first though. I'd have to redo it for every piece though... Any other ideas?

Cleaning ability is hard since it needs to take dirt off without removing wax. Maybe the ablility to remove dirt isn't a factor. Maybe if the soap lubricates better, then the friction from your wash mitt will be enough to pull stuff off the paint. Then the slipperyness of the soap will protect your paint? What do you think?

Someone recomended using grease on a plate of glass. Now, car soap shouldn't remove the grease should it? Only a detergent would remove the grease and if the soap is removing the grease then it would also remove wax? Right? Since a detergent treats wax like grease. So maybe I can use grease to check to see if the product would remove wax? Correct? If the soap doesn't take the grease off, then soap won't take wax off.

Now, does anyone see any flaws in testing ideas so far? Have any other ideas? Anything else that needs to be tested?

 

Perhaps some technical info concerning the surfactants used in the various soaps would be a good place to start. That should allow you to weed out some of the products.
Suds are not an active part of a soap..... they are only there to make us think they are doing their job. Surfactants in soaps have cloud points where they will "foam". Also some are ionic and others are non-ionic. Surfactants have varying properties and most do their job regardless of the suds and their success should not be linked to their amount or lack of suds.
Most raw chemical suppliers will have surfactant info/data sheets and usually can tell you which surfactant are used in most of the soap products.
I would think that you'd want a surfactant with "lifting" properties that will emulsify the dirt or foreign bodies. In other words, lift and suspend without re-depositing. Most do this anyway but some will have more lifting power.
Good luck with your test and we look forward to your view of the results.

 

You may be able to request an MSDS sheet from the manufacture of various soaps. MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet I beleive. It will tell you the exact chemical make up of each soap.

 

Yhea, I know I can get them from Prowax and was planning on getting them. I'll need to check with the other compaines.

 

BTW: while most companies will give you an MSDS... most will not point out the particular surfactant used in their mix. Chemical compounders do not have to disclose some of the products used in proprietary solutions. Even so, a knowledgeable raw material company or salesman MAY be able to tell you what surfactants are in the major products. Any of this info would be a great place to start.

As a matter of fact, I will look through my stuff and try to find some surfactant info for you.

Yes, I was in the chemical industry for several years......

 

Companies are required, by law, to report what's in their products however, if it's a proprietary mix (99.99% of the chemicals out there are), they will list generic names (aka:2 molar Hydrochloric Acid from Joe's Chemical will be listed - HCl). You won't get specifics. Trademark laws come into play here.

Don't get me wrong, you'll get some good data off the sheets in case you ingest the stuff or get some in your eyes but, as far as hardcore specifics on the chemicals--you'll need to keep looking.

RP

 

MSDS is mostly for Factory use to inform emplyees the dangers of the chemicals they use each day.

 

MSDS are only required to show the hazardous ingredients in a product. Typically car wash soaps don't contain any hazardous materials so it will be hard to determine the make up of the product. I wouldn't be all that concerned with a car wash soap. Just stick with one of the better manufacuterers soap and go with one that provides an adequate amount of suds. I personally use Meguiars most of the time, but have also used other brands and they all seem to work adequate.