Alexandra Ramirez
Best Car Wash Soap
Car wash soaps are very important for cars. They keep the paint looking vibrant and new. Using the right car wash soap on your car would keep your car looking sparkling new. There are thousands of car soaps out there and each one says they are the best. Which one should you buy and why? Our editors took to the stores to find and test the top car wash soaps on the market in other to help you choose the most suitable one to fill your needs.
Introduction
Washing a car is a daily ritual for some and weekly for others. There is a lot of pleasure when you see your baby sparkling clean. It makes you feel pride when riding your vehicle. The aesthetics become sparkles, the interiors also get cleaned which is directly related to the life span of the paint and finish.
For car owners who have neglected their car’s paint for years, the paint damage might be irreparable and this is why frequent car washes are recommended. It is one of the best ways to maintain the car’s finish and make it look new.
To keep a car in top condition, washing it with the right car wash soap is a must. Your vehicle must be washed frequently with weekly cleaning being the standard recommended as regards to frequency.
Some car owners think they don’t have to wash their cars during winter months but nothing can be further away from the truth as it is in periods like these that the paint job on your vehicle gets the most beating due to the salt and road treatments used on the snow and ice in most cities.
If not properly washed, this could damage the paint job or dull the shine, if allowed to sit in the vehicle for long. A frequent cleaning using the right wash soap would ensure this is removed as quick as possible before damage is done.
We have gotten emails from readers who wash their vehicles with dish soap, as they think it is harmless. This is quite harmful to the paint job and it can damage the coated finish on your car as well. It would also remove the wax and sealants slowly.
These two are used on car paint for protecting it from outside elements. Think of it as the anti-bodies. In other to ensure that your vehicle looks fabulous each day and keeps its shine, selecting the right soap formula specifically designed for vehicles is a must. This is the only way to ensure your vehicle looks its best each day.
Our editors have pored over reviews and carried out research on different brands in order to come up with a top 10 recommendation that you can gloss over. We have also narrowed this list to a chosen top 4 based on consistent performance that keeps the car paint refreshed and renewed.
At the end of our list, you would find a buyer’s guide that would help you decide on the features and qualities that are more important for you in your search for car wash soap. Our goal is to provide you with as much information as possible in the search for the perfect car wash soap to meet your needs. With top quality wash soap, you don’t even have to wax your car frequently.
Top 10 Car Wash Soaps & Shampoos
1st Place Review – Adam’s Polishes Car Shampoo
Adam’s Car Shampoo has a large number of users who rave about its performance. It contains a formula that is safe on cars and it provides a ton of foam to wash away dirt. Adam’s Polishes Car Shampoo is made in America. It comes in a range of sizes and we advise you order it by the gallon to save cash and also to have a large amount that could last you for a while.
Adam’s Polishes Car Shampoo formula is pH neutral. It won’t harm your vehicle’s paint. The liquid is slick and it won’t leave swirl marks either on the paint job of your vehicle. We ran a test under the sun and there were no visible swirl marks on the vehicle.
This shampoo is made for detailing cars and they also have some other equipment that makes the car wash easy and effective.
BUY ON AMAZON
2nd Place Review – Meguiars G7164 Class Shampoo Conditioner
The Meguiars G7164 Class Shampoo Conditioner is a top-performing formula that cleans as well as conditions the paint in one swoop. The formula is pH neutral. It won’t strip the wax that is protecting the vehicle. It can clean all the dirt and debris on the car at the same time. Meguiars G7164 Class Shampoo Conditioner is quite versatile and efficient in how and what it cleans.
The soap formula is quite strong to lift all contaminants and grime that gest on your car during the course of the week. The shampoo cleans the dirt while the conditioner leaves the paint looking radiant without the need for a car wax.
The G7164 Class Shampoo Conditioner comes in a 64 ounces keg. The recommended concentration is 1 ounce to one gallon of water which is about four capfuls. You would be able to produce 64 gallons of soap to clean your car per keg and this can last you for a year if you wash your car weekly. One gallon of recommendation concentration can be used to clean a car.
The formula foams nicely to produce suds to lubricate the vehicle. Suds are used to remove dirt from the paint making it easier to clean. The shampoo is non-detergent and pH balanced. It is quite strong and effective in getting off the toughest grime off your car without impacting the coated finish.
The Meguiars G7164 Class Shampoo Conditioner can be used either in a bucket for washing manually or with a power washer, depending on your preference. If you decide to use a power washer, you should select a low pressure setting so as not to damage the paint on your car. The conditioner would leave your car with a shiny finish.
Current customers rave about how easy it is to use this shampoo and that it does not damage the wax on your vehicle, which is an important consideration for most owners when choosing car wash soap. The soap suds from the Meguiars G7164 lasts for the entire time you wash the car and it can be used to wash both small and large vehicles especially SUVs.
3. 3rd Place Review – Griots Garage 10866 Brilliant Finish
The Griots Garage 10866 Brilliant Finish is our third pick and it makes the top 3 lists due to its pH balanced formula which cleans your car effectively without damaging the wax. The pH balance in a car wash soap is very important because this is how vehicles get residues or acidic surface which comes with wash soap with harsher formula.
The Griots Garage 10866 Brilliant Finish is made up of formula that is safe and biodegradable which is quite friendly to the environment as the water used to wash goes into the soil thereby lessening the impact on the environment.
The Griots soap is quite sudsy and the foam maintains its thickness for a stretch in time for you to wash your vehicle thoroughly. Sudsy formula gives the vehicle more lubrication and ability to lift dirt and grime that might have been attached to your car during the course of the week.
This saves you on time and effort as the suds breaks down the contaminants that could be on the vehicle. This formula has a very pleasant smell that is quite appealing.
The formula is thick and it doesn’t require much water to wash your car effectively. A container of 64 ounces can last more than 6 months on a weekly washing schedule. It is recommended to use 1 ounce (four capfuls) of concentration to one gallon to water. This can wash both small sizes and larger SUVs effectively.
Griots Garage 10866 Brilliant Finish is made from high-quality ingredients that would keep your car shiny and spotless. The formula would preserve the finish on your vehicle and it is quite efficient as 1 ounce of concentration can wash your car irrespective of its size. This formula is also good for cleaning decks as long as you have a power washer to go along with it.
4. 4th Place Review – Chemical guys CWS301 Citrus Concentrated
The Chemical guys CWS301 Citrus Concentrated is included in our top pick as it contains concentration that is biodegradable with a very appealing citrus based scent.
This formula is highly concentrated and it doesn’t contain any harmful chemical that could damage the wax or finish of your car. This soap wash has a cleanser and shampoo that makes your car sparkle after each wash.
The concentration has a citrus scent to it and it provides a large amount of suds that can lubricate the dirt and grime that comes with your vehicle from daily use. The suds can lift any dirt and grime off any vehicle irrespective of the size. It produces the highest level of foam and it saves you from having to scrub your car too much.
The Chemical guys CWS301 Citrus Concentrated is highly concentrated. One capful of formula would be used with 5 gallons of water, unlike the other car wash soaps reviewed above that requires just one capful to 1 gallon of water.
The Chemical guys CWS301 is an all-natural formula and it doesn’t contain any harmful or artificial thickener that might be harmful to the paint job of your vehicle.
The citrus formula also works as a glossing agent that leaves the car paint shinning and sparkling new after the wash. This formula is used by professional retailers and car lovers all across America. It can be used with a pressure washer or manually by hand.
This citrus concentration is safe on any vehicle color. It gets foamy quickly and the suds can break down any wall of dirt and grime and other contaminants that dulls your paint finish. This soap also gives your car the results it would have had it been waxed.
It leaves your car shining. Most users use half of a capful due to its ability to get foamy quickly. Even at that, owners still say that half of a capful can wash two cars effectively.
The Chemical guys CWS301 Citrus Concentrated is environmentally friendly. It does not contain any hazardous element or acidic chemical.
The citrus smell is very pleasing to the nose and because it is environmentally friendly, the water used in washing the water doesn’t lessen the soil it falls onto. one gallon of Chemical guys CWS301 Citrus Concentrated can last up to a year, if used on a weekly basis.
Top Rated Car Wash Soap Summary
Adam’s Polishes is our top rated car wash soap. It comes out ahead of others that were tested in this category. Its slickness and cleaning abilities are top notch as compared to other brands like Meguiars, Griots, and Chemical Guys.
Every brand reviewed here al provide a superior wash without damaging the paint job on the car. Meguiars and Griots are available in 64 ounces while Chemical Guys come in a 128-ounce jar.
Most of the car wash soaps reviewed here have a recommended dilution ratio of 1 ounce (4 capfuls) to 1 gallon of water except the Chemical Guys CWS301 Citrus Concentrated which had a dilution ratio of 1 capful to 5 gallons of water. It has a higher concentration that makes it economical to use and last longer than others.
The car wash soap from Griots and Chemical Guys are environmentally friendly. They do not contain harmful chemicals or additives. Meguiars and Griots are also both pH balanced. Each of the three wash soaps reviewed has a conditioner that enhances the paint finish of a car making it shiny after each wash.
Car Wash Soap Buyer’s Guide
Must Have Items for Washing
- Soap
In other to begin washing your vehicle, you need quality soap with a good pH balance strong enough to break down on grease and dirt or other contaminants that might have stuck to your car during the daily use of the car.
It is usually advisable to use a separate soap for the car paint and the wheels. Car paints need softer soap while the wheels and tires need wash soap with tougher ingredients which can remove dirt and grime that gets attached to the car from regular use.
- Bucket
If you decide to wash your car manually by hand then you would need a bucket – one for the soapy water and another to rinse the sponges or mitts. It is ideal that you purchase two buckets along with the car wash soap. If by chance, you dip the dirty sponge into the soapy water without rinsing it in the other bucket, you risk having residue on the sponge which can affect the finishing on the vehicle.
- Sponges or Mitts
It is advisable that you purchase two sponges or mitts here as well – one for the car paint and the other for the wheels and tires. The tar and grime from the tires are usually difficult to get out. Using the same sponge for the tires and the paint could damage the car paint.
- Pressure Washer
Pressure washer provides a faster and easier way to wash your car. It allows you to add soap to the pressure washer, as well as the option to clean and wash at the same time. It is a fast and efficient way of washing a vehicle. The recommended setting for a pressure washer is to use a low setting that is strong enough to remove the dirt but not high enough to cause damage to the paint.
- Drying Towel
After washing and rinsing the vehicle, you would have to dry the vehicle immediately. Allowing your vehicle to sun dry would result in water spots that can be difficult to remove. Towels are the best materials to use in drying off a vehicle after wash. We do not recommend using abrasive materials or cleaners on the paint of your car as this could leave swirls or scratches.
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