Did any old timers do this

[raaizin]

Dont know why I just remembered this while washig my car the other day. My Dad would put a capful of what I think was kerosene into a pail of water and wash his car. He did this until the mid 70's I believe then started using car wash soap.
Dad passed a few years ago so I cant ask him. Am I remembering correctly?

 

[glum]

I'm not quite old enough to have done it, but you are remembering correctly. Kerosene supposedly helps shine up the finish. I think you'd need more than a capful in a 5-gallon bucket, though. I would also be very wary of using it on a modern automotive finish (not to mention the trim).

 

[Dan55]

You are remembering corectly and as I recall they got away from that because of rubber body components.

 

[eljefino]

I've heard of that working on farm equipment. Maybe relates to older paint tech (lacquer?) not BC/CC.

I've used Tide laundry detergent on white cars, yeah it strips wax but the optical brighteners make white look ridiculously clean.

 

[JHZR2]

I remember my father doing this in the early 1980s. Not because it was a routine operation, but rather to degrease/remove road tar that got on the car.

 

[MrBeachcomber]

Not only did we use kerosene in the wash, my Dad had my use mineral spirits as a pre-wash to remove road tar and grime from his Cadillac and bleach on the whitewalls. If the car was really dirty or mud-caked from Georgia red clay, the pre-wash included Tide laundry cleaner.

Given the harsh chemicals and detergents we used, the Cadillac had to be waxed after every cleaning.

 

[demarpaint]

An old German painter I knew did that, he's about 80 years old now. I'm not sure how it would work with clear coat paints.

 

[raaizin]

I wouldnt do this today, just trying to see if this was common practice

 

[Eddie]

The same as bug & tar remover we use today.

 

[tig1]

Yes we did. It would give the paint a nice shine, but wouldn't last long.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Yes we did. It would give the paint a nice shine, but wouldn't last long.


It was also used as a sleazy used car lot trick.

 

[PhillyJoe]

A friend of mine was the prep guy for a Porsche/Audi dealer in the 70's. The cars were coated in a thick, protective wax when they were shipped from Germany for corrosion protection and my friend's job was to give them a kerosene bath before detailing.

 

[Quest]

Yes, that was back in the days of yore where spray-on detailer wax wasn't available yet.

old habits die hard and this is definitely one of them.

Q.

(*my neighbour still does the tide/sunlight trick during car wash, claims that it gives that streeek-free shine that nobody has in the 'hood...guess who gets the UV fading a few years down the road...*grin*)

 

[Spazdog]

I remember reading that it would leave a thin coating of parrafin or some other wax on the finish.

Don't know how true that is but it did shine up the fuel tank on our torpedo type heater when a little Kerosene was spilled.

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: tig1
Yes we did. It would give the paint a nice shine, but wouldn't last long.


It was also used as a sleazy used car lot trick.

I know of a lot that was using Mop'nGlo floor wax on cars.

 

[Torino]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Yes we did. It would give the paint a nice shine, but wouldn't last long.
Well, i'm only 76 but it was a common practice. Worked a bit better with warm water. I have since moved to Meguires #7, black pad (foam) orbital polisher and sealer. Life gets complicated. John--Las Vegas.

 

[SteveSRT8]

yep. I did it.

Also used to wipe down my terribly faded 65 TR-4 with old motor oil on Friday night.

Shined great under the lights for a day or two!

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
yep. I did it.

Also used to wipe down my terribly faded 65 TR-4 with old motor oil on Friday night.

Shined great under the lights for a day or two!

I guess it already was leaking oil from almost everywhere so you didn't notice the smell?