Table of Contents
- View The Best Car Wash Soap Below
- 1. Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash
- 2. Adam’s Car Wash Shampoo
- 3. Turtle Wax ICE Car Wash
- 4. SHINE ARMOR Ultra Concentrated Car Wash Soap
- 5. Chemical Guys Extreme Bodywash & Wax Car Wash Soap
- 6. Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax
- 7. MEGUIAR’S Ultimate Wash & Wax
- 8. Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Super Suds Car Wash Soap
- 9. Griot’s Garage Car Wash
- 10. Rain-X Carnauba Wax Protection
- Car Wash Soap Buyers Guide
We all know that feeling of satisfaction when your car has been cleaned properly with one of the best car wash soaps you can get your hands on. It’s one of those relaxing Saturday morning chores, easing you into the weekend. It’s perfect when there’s nothing else that needs doing, and you can just relax and focus on washing off all the dirt that your car has gathered. There’s nothing better than leaving it looking shiny and new. You can step back and know that you’ve done an excellent job. 62% of car owners agree that how their car looks is important to them.
But did you know that there are many different types of car wash shampoos to choose from? This article will explore ten of the best car wash shampoos available to help you make the best choice possible when it comes to choosing your car wash product.
You’ll notice that each different car wash shampoo comes with a summary at the end of each post. This will help you to analyze the essentials you need to make the right purchase for you. Please read on to the buyer’s guide to get the best information regarding what to look for when purchasing the best car wash soap for your needs.
View The Best Car Wash Soap Below
1. Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash
Of all the different car wash shampoos out there, Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash stands out. The business was formed in 1901 and since then has been making quality products in automotive care. We’ve selected their Gold Class Car Wash in particular, because of its slickness. The mitt feels extra smooth when it’s gliding across the surface of the paint. This shampoo is a 2-in-1 conditioner, saving you time when cleaning your car.
The conditioners contained in the Gold Class car wash are “ultra-rich,” leaving the vehicle with a bright shine when you’ve finished. The Gold Class car wash solution can be used in a foam cannon. It should be diluted in a 5:1 ratio if this is going to be used. And we shouldn’t forget to mention that Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash is brilliant at removing dirt, as you would hope a good car wash soap would be.
Many car wash cleaners protect the paint job with the inclusion of carnauba waxing beads, which “restock” the wax covering of the car. We’ve selected Meguiar’s Gold Class as the best car wash soap partly because of how it protects the existing wax, rather than just adding to the layers.
Meguiar’s has been operating for more than 115 years, offering premium car care products from their trusted brands. Anything bought from Meguiar’s, especially the Gold Class car wash, can be trusted to be effective at what it is intended to do.
Pros:
+ 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, helping to save time and leave an excellent finish
+ Rich conditioners leave the car looking shiny
+ Brilliant at removing dirt from the surface of the car
+ Aids a streak-free wash
Why We Liked It – Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash helps to protect your car’s paint job and leaves probably one of the best surface finishes possible, making it all-around great. For the best possible results, you should wax the paint occasionally too, but that is a small chore in return for a great looking car.
Soap: water ratio: 1oz = 1 gallon
Frequency of use: weekly
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: No, but protects wax – also conditions
What is it especially good at removing?: Tough dirt, road grime, and contaminants
2. Adam’s Car Wash Shampoo
Adam’s Car Wash Shampoo offers brilliant value for money. The new concentrated formula allows for more suds with less product, meaning you’ll need less car wash shampoo to clean your car. The efficient foaming action also helps to make sure that there are fewer swirl marks left behind when you’ve washed your car.
The fact that the pH is neutral means that the shampoo can be used on any surface of the car, without any risk of removing wax coatings or damaging plastic trim. Adam’s also has a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Pros:
+ Safe on all car surfaces
+ Streak-free
+ Concentrated formula to produce more suds with a good foaming action
Why We Liked It – We liked Adam’s Car Wash Shampoo because its 100% satisfaction guarantee makes it unique in the world of car detailing products. It’s efficient at removing all sorts of dirt, leaving a brilliant finish.
Soap:water ratio: (Unofficially) 1oz = 2 gallons
Frequency of use: Weekly
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: No
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt, grime, debris, pollen, and contaminants
3. Turtle Wax ICE Car Wash
Turtle Wax is a brand that has always been synonymous with high-quality car care. Turtle Wax claims that their ICE car wash is one of the most advanced that money can buy. The polymers from the car wash shampoo interlock and form a protective barrier against the elements, while also ensuring the shine level is as high as possible. It’s also, of course, very good at simply removing dirt and leaving the car looking streak-free. It should be used whenever your car looks like it needs a wash, rather than all the time or never at all.
Pros:
+ protects the car’s paint against the weather with advanced synthetic polymers
+ brings out the shine
Why We Liked It – What makes this car wash product is how it protects the car against the elements. Turtle Wax’s “Smart Shield” technology shows years and years of research and development. It provides a welcome relief to problems caused by things like rain and sun rays.
Soap:water ratio: 1oz = 1 gallon
Frequency of use: Whenever the car looks dirty
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: Yes – synthetic
What is it especially good at removing?: Unspecified
4. SHINE ARMOR Ultra Concentrated Car Wash Soap
Shine Armor claim that their car wash products will not only remove any existing wax but also, at the same time, enhance the shine of the car being cleaned, all the while effectively removing all dirt, including bugs and tar, easily. The layer left on the car after the wash is a hydrophobic (water-repelling) polish, which will help to protect the paintwork from rain or drips.
Pros:
+ doesn’t remove existing wax from the car’s paint
+ enhances shine
+ high concentration
Why we Liked It – SHINE ARMOR provides a good car wash soap for if you spend a lot of time driving on highways, and attract bugs and tar to your car’s paint. This car wash is effective at removing these things, while also leaving the car with decent protection from water.
Soap:water ratio: 1oz = 2 gallons
Frequency of use: Not specified
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: No, but hydrophobic polish
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt, grime, bugs, and tar
5. Chemical Guys Extreme Bodywash & Wax Car Wash Soap
This Chemical Guys car wash soap is adept at removing all sorts of dirt, from grime to brake dust. Chemical Guys’ synthetic wax formula leaves the car protected from things such as dust, dirt, and water, meaning that it will stay cleaner for a long time after you wash it. This Chemical Guys product has been specially made to create an optimal amount of suds for cleaning your car and is perfect for use in a foam cannon. As well as this, it’s pH balanced and safe to use, even in direct sunlight.
Chemical Guys have ensured that this product won’t leave any streaks or water spots once washing is complete, and it can also be used on any metal, plastic, glass, or undercarriage parts without causing any damage. Chemical Guys Extreme Bodywash and Wax Car Wash Soap may be a mouthful, but it’s the perfect product if you’re an enthusiastic car detailer, if you wash your car multiple times a week, or if you’re working with numerous cars in a commercial car wash.
Pros:
+ high gloss
+ added wax for extra protection for the car after washing
+ combined types of wax (carnauba waxing and synthetic)
Why We Liked It – The added protection makes this shampoo from Chemical Guys very good value for money if you’re washing your car(s) multiple times a week, whether that’s for a hobby or business.
Soap:water ratio: 2oz = 1 gallon
Frequency of use: Multiple times in a week
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: Yes. Carnauba waxing and synthetic
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt, grime, road film, brake dust, and grease
6. Mothers California Gold Carnauba Wash & Wax
With their California Gold serum, Mothers have developed a biodegradable shampoo, which adds a protective layer of wax after you’ve used it. The formula in Mothers California Gold makes is so that a quick rinse is all you need to leave the car looking spot-free and shiny. This shampoo is directed towards those without much time on their hands but who are still looking to be able to wash their car nicely. The California Gold should be used between regular waxing for the best results.
Pros:
+ Carnauba waxing for a protected, shining finish
+ spot free finish
Why We Liked It – Mothers California Gold is another example of a fine car soap for a quick wash. It’s perfect if you don’t have much time on your hands, but it still leaves a high-quality finish.
Soap: water ratio: Unknown
Frequency of use: In between regular waxing (weekly/bi-weekly)
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: Yes – carnauba
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt and road grime
7. MEGUIAR’S Ultimate Wash & Wax
Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax is another car soap that you should use in between regular waxing. It’s formulated to easily create suds that remove dirt from the surfaces of your car when you wash it. Like all of these car wash products, it’s pH neutral, meaning it’s safe to use on your paint, as well as other surfaces. The carnauba wax is also mixed with a synthetic polymer. This leaves a protective coating on the car after washing has been completed.
Meguiar’s is a well-known premium brand, trusted by many. Other products, such as mirror glaze, can be used to keep the car looking nice. Their brand is often used at automotive shows, such as Pebble Beach.
Pros:
+ efficiently produces soap suds
+ carnauba waxing, as well as a synthetic addition, to leave the surface of the car protected
+ large containers (1 gallon) available
Why We Liked It – We like this product because it’s best for small businesses or people who like to wash their cars daily, as it’s safe to use. Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax leaves an almost unparalleled quality finish, due to the wax and polymers which get left on the surface after you’ve finished washing. This product will give you total car care.
Soap:water ratio: 1oz = 1 gallon
Frequency of use: Several cars per week
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: Yes – carnauba + synthetic polymer
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt and grime
8. Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Super Suds Car Wash Soap
This product is perfect for regular weekly washes. It’s also pH neutral and slick, meaning it’s safe to use on the paint. It rinses off completely without leaving any residue behind. Mr. Pink has utilized a synthetic polymer that helps to remove dirt and guide it gently off the car.
Also, it has good foaming action, meaning you can use a foam cannon for your washes. It’s good for removing contaminants and pollutants that you often find in the city from the car, such as pollution-based debris. It can be used for weekly car washes.
Pros:
+ lots of suds, high concentration
+ good for removing grime, build-up, and dirt from the car
+ doesn’t remove existing wax from the car
Why We Liked It – We liked it because the high concentration means that this car wash soap goes a long way. It’s not likely to damage your paint in any way while you’re washing.
Soap:water ratio (oz:gal): 1oz = 5 gallons
Frequency of use: Weekly
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: No
What is it especially good at removing?: Grime, build-up, and dirt
9. Griot’s Garage Car Wash
Griot’s Garage Car Wash is another very good car soap. It’s safe to use on all different sorts of paints and wax coatings and is made up of a pH-balanced formula to prevent any damage to any part of the car when cleaning. Streak-free results are guaranteed if you use the product correctly.
Brighteners within the soap help make the color appear more vibrant than many car wash soaps. It also comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee – if the product has defects in any way, return in exchange for either a replacement or your purchase price being credited.
Pros:
+ premium ingredients
+ streak-free finish to the car’s paint
+ 100% satisfaction guarantee against defects
+ waxes with carnauba while washing
Why We Liked It – Griot’s has produced a high-quality car wash product that’s as good as it says. The carnauba wash wax will save you waxing your car often and separately in the future. The 100% satisfaction guarantee is also a good unique selling point of this soap.
Soap:water ratio: 1oz = 1 gallon
Frequency of use: Weekly
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: Yes
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt and grime
10. Rain-X Carnauba Wax Protection
This car wash soap comes from world-renowned Rain-X. Like many of the other car wash soaps on this list, it contains beads of carnauba to protect the paintwork from the elements, ensuring a longer-lasting shine. This particular version of the product also comes in a 64oz bottle.
The deep cleaning foam dissolves and washes off the dirt from the car, leaving a radiant shine. It’s pH balanced and biodegradable. Rain-X is a trusted brand for visibility in wet weather and has been operating for over 40 years. You can be confident of a good quality finish from all of their products.
Pros:
+ carnauba for extra protection for the car from the elements, saving an extra waxing session
+ deep cleaning foam
+ trusted brand
Why We Liked It – This is one of the best car wash soaps available because it will last a long time due to the high soap to water ratios. Like many other premium soaps, it adds a protective layer of carnauba waxing to the car. Also, the foam is deep cleaning and easy to wash off.
Soap:water ratio: 1oz = ~3-5 gallons
Frequency of use: (Unofficial) – weekly
pH balanced?: Yes
Wash and wax?: Yes – carnauba wax
What is it especially good at removing?: Dirt, debris, and grime
Car Wash Soap Buyers Guide
When looking at what soap to purchase, you must first think about what you want from the car wash products you are after. How often do you wash your car? Do you wax the car? What sort of level of paint protection do you want when you wash?
Do you often clean the entire car, including the wheels and potentially parts of the undercarriage, or just the bodywork and glass? What methods and equipment do you use to wash your car? Is protecting the environment important to you when you are car washing? Do you want a waterless car wash? All these factors affect which product you should buy.
How often do you plan on washing your car? Is waxing influential to this? How much protection should there be for the paintwork?
When it comes to car care, some people wash their car up to several times per week, but for some, just once a month is sufficient. It’s a good idea to wash the car often if you want the car always to look radiant, new, and cared for. Or, maybe a bigger concern for you would be the protection of the paintwork from the elements.
How often you plan on washing your car will make a difference to which product you should purchase – some soaps are designed for regular washes, whereas some soaps are designed to protect the car’s exterior for a longer time. These soaps and shampoos will often include waxing, usually either a carnauba one, a synthetic one, or a mix of the two.
The purpose of these waxes is for protecting the car and keeping the paint job looking shiny and bright for a longer period after the wash. Some of the car wash products on this list, however, do not contain wax. These should be used more often than soaps with waxes in them, as they offer less protection to the car. For optimal results to the paint job, you should purchase an additional wax product and regularly use this when the car is clean and dry.
Carnauba is made from palm tree leaves in Brazil. It’s usually combined with other oils and waxes, such as beeswax or turpentine. When you wash your car, the carnauba is deposited on the paint and hardens, forming a heat-resistant protective layer. It’s globally thought of as the best wax for car detailing but rarely stays on the paintwork for more than a few weeks before it washes off.
Synthetic wax works differently. It’s a paint sealant that has polymers that bond to the paint, rather than simply an extra layer of a different material. Synthetic waxes last much longer on the car’s paint than even the best, purest carnauba, but they do not produce the same level of shine.
Many car detailers will apply a coat of synthetic wax, and follow it with a coat of carnauba.
How much of the car do you clean?
Every soap on the above list is pH balanced. This means that every product can be used to clean bodywork, plastic, glass, and the undercarriage, without damaging any of it. These products can also be used to clean wheels, although for better results, it would be a good idea to purchase a specialist wheel cleaner and brush. Don’t use these soaps to clean the inside of the car. There are products available for this, which will be much more effective and less messy.
In what way do you wash cars?
In our experience, most people who wash cars at home use the basic techniques – either one or two buckets and a hose, or a third bucket, to rinse off all the suds. Many car washing businesses, however, are likely to use something like a foam cannon or a foam gun. These are used for spreading as many suds as possible over the car in as short a period of time as possible. There are, of course, exceptions to both of these. You may use whatever method suits you and your circumstances best. All of the above soaps will work in both buckets and foam cannons.
Do you wash and wax your car separately? Or do you prefer to do it in one go, as many of these soaps incorporate? When deciding what product to buy, bear this in mind.
Environmental protection?
Protecting the environment is becoming more and more talked about, as the seriousness of our planet’s situation is becoming more and more recognized. Every little helps, and you might want to do your bit to help protect the planet and the ecosystems which live in nature around us.
All car wash soaps sold in Europe must conform to the European (EC) Regulation 648/2004. This lays out the minimum requirements for a car wash soap to be considered biodegradable and prevents products that are not from being sold. You can, therefore, be confident that, as a minimum, the car wash soap that you want to buy will adhere to this regulation. It’s always worth a check, though.
Before the first environmental detergent regulations (set out in 1973 by the European Commission’s Council Directive 73/404/EEC), most detergents were made of alkylbenzene sulfonates (or ABS), which are poorly biodegradable, yet much better at washing than traditional soap, particularly in hard water. Research led to ABSs, being replaced with linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), which are much more biodegradable and can easily be removed in water treatment.
It’s also worth noting that most car waxes have a carnauba wax base. Palm oil is currently one of the world’s most used products, being used in everything from food to toiletries. You may like to see if you can check whether or not the company you’re purchasing your car wash soap from sources their carnauba wax from sustainable palm farms, or if they’re depleting the forests to get what they need.
What are the main contaminants and dirt which get on your car?
Bird droppings? Dust? Mud? Tree sap? Flies? Tar? Salt? Exposure to the elements when parked up? The ideal car wash soaps should be easy to remove whatever affects you the most. Use this to help you narrow down your selection.
How To Wash A Car
First, a couple of important facts:
· 95% of scratches, water spots, and swirl marks are caused by improper washing.
· Washing your car can save small amounts of fuel. Removing dirt and other debris helps to reduce the car’s weight and drag. But yes, it must be said, incredibly minimally.
· Clean cars are worth more money than dirty cars. This is quite simply because more people want to purchase a clean looking car than a dirty one. According to some data, a clean car of good appearance can be worth well over $1,000 more than an equal car, which has not been regularly cleaned and looked after.
· Cleaning the inside of your car (which isn’t covered in this article) helps to keep you healthy. We all know the importance of having a hygienic home, but have you ever considered how much time you spend in the car every day, breathing in whatever germs you’re gathering in there?
· Wash your wheels and tires first. Washing them last will cause dirt, dust, and grease from some of the dirtiest areas on your car to splash onto the areas you’ve just cleaned.
· Always wash your car from the top down. The reason for this is because gravity means that the dirty water from the area you’ve just cleaned will drip down the car. If you’re to start washing at the bottom and work your way up, the dirty water from the top will drip back down onto the area you have just cleaned.
Before you start:
· Use a wash mitt over an old sponge. These are most efficient at washing and the least likely to cause any damage to the paint job. Sponges will still work, be careful when using them.
· It’s best to clean your car when it’s cool and in the shade. This is because direct sunlight might dry off the soap suds solution before you can rinse it, causing swirl marks and water spots. Many products claim to work in direct sunlight, but they will be much more efficient in the shade or indoors.
· Before washing, rinse the car with plain water and get rid of as much obvious dirt as you possibly can. This will mean that your car wash soap can be best utilized for cleaning off the stubborn bits of dirt and grease that water by itself will struggle to remove.
When selecting what the best car wash soap to use is, it’s vital that you at least use a product that’s been specially designed for washing vehicles. Some would choose to use dish soap or things similar to this. This is a bad idea. The reason for this is that dish soap contains detergents that break down and remove greases.
When you’re doing the washing up at home, that’s perfect – it keeps residue from food and drinks off of your kitchen equipment. But when washing your car, not so much. These degreasing properties will strip away the protective layers of wax from the car and begin to cause oxidation (rust).
Car wash soaps, by contrast, are pH balanced, and will not remove the wax from the car. This will clean the car and enhance the shine, while also adding to the wax protection without stripping it. Although dish soaps may seem to be a nice cheap alternative, the side effects will include a faster degradation of the car, decreasing its value. Rust is always something to be avoided at all costs.
Before using the car wash soap on the body, it’s best to wash the wheels and tires using appropriate equipment and cleaning agents.
Washing Methods
Two Bucket Method
The Two Bucket Method is generally used when washing cars to produce the best swirl and streak-free finish. It’s called the Two Bucket Method because, perhaps obviously, you will need two buckets. One of these buckets will contain the wash solution, made up of the car wash soap, and the corresponding amount of water, with the second bucket, will be filled with plain water – it will simply be used as a rinse for the wash mitt.
To use the Two Bucket Method, first, fill the buckets with the product (following the required ratio for the optimal amount of suds) and fill the other with plain water. Begin cleaning an area of the car, remembering to start at the top. After this, dunk the mitt into the bucket of plain water.
This will remove any loose debris, dirt, or grease that it may have picked up. Make sure that there are no obvious signs of grit in the mitt before continuing to wash the car, as this will cause scratches. After this, rinse and dry the section you’ve just cleaned, and dunk the mitt back into the soap suds solution and wash the next section of the car.
The main benefit of cleaning the car with two buckets, rather than one, is that the cleaning solution does not become contaminated with anything which the mitt picks up, meaning that you are always washing the car with clean, sudsy water.
Foam Gun/Cannon
The foam gun/cannon is could perhaps be thought of as one of the most satisfying ways to clean, depending on what floats your boat. In short, you would put some of the car wash soap into the cannon, along with water. This resulting foam mixture is then sprayed onto the car. After doing this, proceed with the Two Bucket Method, before rinsing and drying, as explained below.
The main advantages of using a foam cannon are:
· It gives the gentlest wash possible
· It will get foamy suds into cracks and crevices, which is a struggle if only using a wash mitt
· Using a foam cannon means that there is a reduced risk of scratches or any other paint damage. It also ensures an even wash and finish on the car’s exterior.
It’s important to note that, when using a foam cannon, you’ll have to use the car wash soap in a much higher proportion to water than when just using buckets. Most manufacturers recommend approximately a 1:5 ratio of soap to water (compared to at least 1:128 when washing with a bucket).
Foam cannons and foam guns can also be purchased on Amazon if you don’t have one.
Rinsing & Drying
After having washed each area of the car, rinse it down with clean water. For best results, use a hose or jet wash, but – importantly! – make sure that the nozzle is set to a light spray/gentle stream setting. Concentrated jets of water can cut through the paint job and do some serious damage to the car, which might cost you a big chunk to repair. If you cannot get your hands on a hosepipe, a few good bucketloads of water will also do the trick. Try to rinse the suds off as quickly as possible after you’ve finished washing, giving the solution less time to dry off on the car.
To dry the car, use a microfiber drying cloth or 100% cotton terry towel. Microfiber cloths have almost no friction, so they will not damage the paintwork, yet are also very absorbent, removing as much water as possible. With drying cloths, the bigger, the better, as more of the car can be dried off without having the ring out the cloth. Always dry the area you’ve washed and rinsed as quickly as possible, before beginning to wash the next section.
Conclusion
So, what is the best car wash soap for you? Well, it depends on your circumstances. When picking a car wash soap, think about what you need it for, what you’ll want it to be able to do, and how often you’re going to use it. All this information, when put together, should help you make an informed decision from our above list of some of the finest examples of car wash soaps out there.
We hope this guide has been useful for you, and that you enjoy washing your car, whatever soap you choose to use.
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