A guide to the best car washing products
There are so many car washing products available in the market today. When picking a car wash soap, it is vital to choose one that protects the car’s paint job. The use of quality car shampoos greatly boosts the longevity of waxes and sealants used on the car. Picking out the appropriate soap is necessary to preserve the look of your car.
Things to consider when picking the best car washing product
Picking the best car washing product
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Different soaps have differing purposes. Using an aggressive soap like dish washing soap, strips all the wax or sealant coating leaving the paint prone to damage from the sun’s rays. It is important to use a washing product made specifically for washing your car. Regardless of the task, a car cleaning product should be :
- Concentrated – So that a little goes a long way. The more the economical the product, the better, as you will not spend a lot of money buying it all the time.
- Ph balanced – a pH balanced soap easily rinses away without leaving any acidic or alkaline residue on the car surface. Heavy solvent cleaners, usually of lower quality, can strip the car surface of pre-existing sealants used.
- Have a heavy-foaming formula – foam is often overlooked when it comes to cleaning your car. It loosens dirt, grease, and grime, meaning you will have an easier time cleaning the car. It also adds extra lubrication for mitts or sponges when washing.
- Be biodegradable – the soap has to be environmentally friendly as most cleaning will be done outside and the water runoff will be absorbed back into the ground.
- Have sufficient lubricity – lubricity refers to the measure of how much a cleaning product can reduce friction between the mitt and paint. It is essentially how slippery the cleaning product is. And ideal cleaning agent has to have high lubricity, the more, the better. This will prevent damage to the paintwork.
When choosing a cleaning product to consider:
The price – It is one of the main things to consider. You should choose a product that is of good quality but still affordable. Depending on your needs, choose a product that offers the best solution. Higher priced products are often of better quality, while the reverse holds.
The protection it offers – Whether it is to improve the appearance of your paint job, while adding a protective layer above it or to reduce the harsh effects of the elements and weather, there are a lot of products available. Some can have more generic uses while others are used only for specific purposes or conditions.
Its size -This refers to the capacity of cleaning product to be purchased. Depending on the frequency of how often you clean your car, you should decide on what size to get, either a small bottle, medium or a bigger size.
The ease of use – It is not recommended to go for a product that needs other specialized supplies or applicators. Choose a type that does the most difficult task for you while needing no specialized training or skill to use.
Is it for interior or exterior use – Choose the right cleaning product depending on where you are planning on using it. Some exterior cleaning products are not ideal for interior use like silicone sprays.
Car washing products
Best car wash products
The main purpose of any car cleaning product is to remove or loosen dirt without causing the paint or wax job any damage chemically and physically. With the wide array of products in the market, you have to take into consideration its features.
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Car wash soapsBelow are the types of soaps available:
Car wash soap: it is a general cleaner that removes dirt, bugs, dust, grime, and debris.Car soap conditioner: it not only cleans the car but also conditions the paintwork, restoring its shine.
Car wash soap and wax: this is a flexible product that cleans the vehicle and coats it with a protective wax layer to protect the car’s paint.No rinse car soap: this unconventional cleaner allows the car to be cleaned in the absence of water. That is using it directly on the car, buff it dry, and you are done.
Benefits of using car washing soapCar wash soap is ideal if you want to clean your car yourself.
- It is easy to use
- It protects the paintwork, making it shiny
- Since you are cleaning the car yourself, you do not have to worry about damage from an automatic washer while saving money too.
The ideal car washing soap will be made of ingredients that suspend dirt, breaking down water surface tension; to stop the formation of water spots.
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Car wash shampoos
Depending on its purpose, a good shampoo should be:Concentrated – So that a little goes a long way. The more the economical the shampoo, the better as you will not spend a lot of money buying the product all the time. Slick – the higher the lubricity, the better. This helps reduce the friction between the mitt and the paintwork.Sudsy – it should produce a lot of foam that sticks to the car longer to help remove dirt before hand washing the car. pH balanced and biodegradable – easily rinses away without leaving any caustic residue.
There are three shampoo types:
General-use: it is ideal for weekly to monthly washes. They don’t strip away previous wax or sealant applications.
Wash and wax: this shampoo is good for when you want to top-off your wax protection, without doing the whole waxing process. A practical way to wash and protect in one step.
Strip: this is for when you want to remove everything from the car’s paintwork. This allows you to put on a fresh coat of sealant or wax.
Car washing alternatives
If you do not prefer your car to be professionally washed or spend a lot of money buying the various products needed, there are some alternatives you can use. The quality may not be as good as the store-bought cleaning products, but they will clean your car and not damage it. Here are some homemade solutions:
- You can get a basic car wash soap by mixing liquid dish detergent with warm water in a bucket. This solution will remove the dirt and not harm the car’s paint job. Remember to thoroughly rinse the car to avoid streak marks.
- Alternatively, you could mix one cup of liquid dish washing detergent with about 12 spoonfuls of powder laundry detergent. Mix in a bucket of warm water and fully dissolve the powdered detergent. You can mix as many batches as needed depending on how dirty your car is.
- Once you are done hose down the car with cold water. If the car is extra grimy, reducing the water ratio will result in a more concentrated solution ideal for removing dirt.
- Adding a little borax helps the mixture not leave any residue or streaks before rinsing.
- For an environmentally conscious alternative, use non-phosphate or chlorine soaps and simply mix them in the water like the dish washing liquid. You can also use a cup of dish washing liquid with phosphate and chlorine free, non-petroleum-based powder detergent in about 3 gallons of water.
- Using half a cup of shampoo mixed in a bucket of water can effectively clean the car. Using a sponge, easily wash the grime off your car.Mixing shampoo and baking soda make a good shining solution for car chrome. Do not forget to rinse it off well before buffing
With these homemade solutions be very careful about checking the pH levels of the products used so as not to strip the sealants and wax away or even damage the car’s paintwork.Car washing methodsBelow are some car washing methods that can influence the type of cleaning product you use.
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Bucket washing – this usually includes the use of a bucket or two to clean the car. Fill up one bucket with clean water and the other with the cleaning solution. When you want to reload the sponge, first dip it in the clean water then into the soapy solution. This method is good for preventing swirl marks. There are buckets made especially for cleaning cars that come specially equipped with grit guards to prevent dirt from sticking back onto the sponge.
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Foam gun or cannon – it covers the car in sud to start the loosening the dirt and grime while lubricating the paint. Depending on the product used, you can clean, shine and protect in one go.
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Gloss enhancing – this does not really qualify as a car cleaning method, but it is an extra optional step to getting a shinier car. Applying polish and the conditioning oils by hand or with a dual-action polisher deepens the color and gives maximum gloss prior to waxing.
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Waxing – while there are soaps and shampoos that have wax ingredients it is not always enough to fully protect your car. Waxing adds a layer of protection that preserves the glossy finish. Wax is available in two forms natural: carnauba or in a synthetic polymer form. The polymer is easier to apply and won’t haze as it dries bt is more expensive compared to carnauba. Carnauba wax has a rich glow and dazzling shine that overshadows the fact that it is hard to apply and doesn’t last for long.
The overall goal of cleaning the car is to have a clean vehicle while focusing on building layers of protection.
How to Properly Clean a Car
Car washing tips
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Keeping your car clean involves a lot more than just a bucket and sponge. It takes the best shampoos, soaps, and other products to keep the paint, trim, interior and tires looking good. When and how you clean your car matters also. Below are some pointers to keep in mind.
Do not clean your car in direct sunlightWarmer weather is ideal car washing weather as the car dries faster but extreme heat can affect the chemicals in the products you are using, which in turn could drastically affect the overall outcome
Pre-wash the carGet rid of as much grime as you can before washing the car with your hands with a pressure washer or a snow foam lance. The idea behind this is to eliminate as much dirt and grime as possible so that nothing gets dragged along the paint.
Use more than one bucketYou will need one for the washing solution and another filled with water for rinsing. Place a grit guard on each bucket to trap grime from the wash mitts. Using wash mitts is ideal as they are made to remove the most dirt without damaging the car’s paint.
Silicone-based sprays are not ideal for the interior.While these sprays are extremely handy, using them in the interior is not recommended. They can make pedals slippery and give the dash a shiny sheen that may affect you while driving.
Use a blower or specialist cloths to dry the car.While many people drive their cars to dry them off, it leaves water streaks on the paint, water pooling in seals and gaps as well as sticky brakes. Using a blow dryer or a microfiber cloth can prevent this.
Select products based on the car’s useWill it be in a garage all week or on the road against the elements? This is something important to consider as it will determine the finish to use.
Pay close attention to wheels and wheel archesThis is where most dirt and grime build up. Use a pressure washer to loosen dirt and follow up with shampoo and a sponge. Ensure you are using the right wheel cleaner to avoid damaging your wheels and don’t clean the wheels just after driving as the parts are still hot.
Remember to clean the glass both inside and out. This pertains to the windshields and door windows.
With the information in this post, we hope it helps you in making a decision on car washing products.