Cleaning your cars with the wrong soap contributes to the deterioration of their paint. Dish soaps are for removing grease and are thus not good for the paint surfaces in your car.
- They tend to strip off the wax coating on your car, making them look dull – some people say even hydrofluoric acid.
- So, which is the best car wash soap – it must be eco-friendly, safe for humans, and safe for water life, including fish?
Well, a good car wash soap will give your car a brilliant look and won’t damage the paint.
In a Hurry? Check Best Car Wash Soap
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1. Our #1 Pick: Meguiar’s Car Wash – G7101FFP Gold Class
[amazon box=”B071HR14SJ” template=”horizontal”]As a trusted car wash soap, Meguiar’s G7101FFP will remove all kinds of dirt and grime from your car.
- Unlike detergents, this formulation works by foaming and lubricating surfaces to get rid of dirt.
- That means it won’t wash off the protective covering on your car’s body.
It foams in a short time, causing the dirt, grease, and grime to glide over the surface for easy rinsing. It contains both washing and conditioning properties, which maintains the brilliance of your car’s paint.
Meguiar’s G7101FFP comes with a balanced PH and does not exhibit detergent properties. This allows you to wash your car without stripping the wax or affecting the polish.
- Its quick drying time won’t leave streaks that disfigure your car’s body finish.
- With its strong concentration, you only need 1-2 cups of soap per gallon of water.
That means one gallon will keep your car clean for several days. If you have clogged drains, check these drain openers.
For better results, the manufacturer recommends using the soap together with the Grift Guard, separately.
You use two buckets where one bucket contains the soap while the other contains water for rinsing. This protects your paint from possible swirls.
The Good:
- Does not strip wax coating on your car
- Removes dirt, grease, and grime
- Concentrated
- Brilliant finish
- Pleasant smell
The Bad:
- Pricey
2. #2 Pick: Mr. Pink Chemical-Guys CWS_402_64 Car-Wash Soap
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3. #3 Pick: Adam’s Neutral PH Car Wash Shampoo
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Maintaining a glossy look on your car gets easier with a powerful shampoo like Adam’s car wash shampoo.
Formulated with surfactants and lubricants, Adam’s car wash shampoo works by lubricating paint surfaces and lifting all dirt types.
- It’s a perfect product for removing dirt, grease, grime, pollen, and other mess.
This formulation will be ideal for your car’s paint and other surfaces like plastic, rubber, glass, and vinyl. With its balanced PH, it won’t strip off wax or make the paint or other surfaces look dull.
Adam’s shampoo gives you a substantial amount of suds, which help in achieving better lubrication.
With good lubrication, your wash pads won’t create swirl marks on your paint. And with such a large amount of suds, you’ll have plenty of cleaning from a small amount of Adam’s shampoo.
You can use it for weekly maintenance of your car, motorcycle, truck, among others.
What’s more, the absence of harsh chemicals makes this product safe for you and your family.
The Good:
- Does not remove wax of damaged paint
- Foams easily and heavily.
- Safe for your hands
- Neutral PH
- Nice scent
The Bad:
- Low concentration
4. Optimum No Rinse Car Wash NR2010Q
This car wash soap gives you a quick and effortless way of cleaning your car.
As its name suggests, it eliminates the need for rinsing, thanks to the absence of soapy surfactants. It also reduces the amount of water you use in cleaning your car.
- It’s formulated to clean your vehicle with ease and protect the paint from scratch.
- When you apply the soap on a surface, it lubricates the surface, allowing easy dirt removal.
The polymers present in it adheres to the paint to aid in dirt removal and shield against scratching.
It’s effortless to use Optimum NR2010Q. All you need to do is to dilute 1 oz with about 2 gallons of water.
Next, you use a microfiber towel to clean your car, then dry the surface with a wrung microfiber towel. The resulting surface will appear glossy and shiny.
You can use it to clean cars, motorcycles, fiberglass, among others.
Wastewater resulting from Optimum NR2010Q does pollute the environment. Thus, you can use wastewater on your lawn or flower garden.
The Good:
- No-rinse means a better water economy.
- Leaves a glossy and shiny surface
- Can be used with a sprayer
- Does not leave streaks
- High concentration allows you to use a little amount
The Bad:
- Several rags are required to clean effectively.
- Now ideal for heavy dirt
5. Mothers California – 05602 Gold Car Wash
If you’re looking for a blend of efficient cleaning and delicate care, Mothers 05602 car wash soap is a good choice.
Its strong formulation washes all common stains, including dirt, pollen, bird droppings, among other stains.
But unlike dish soaps, it won’t strip off wax or interfere with your car’s paint.
Mother 05602 has outstanding consistency and will readily mix with water to create a cleaning solution.
With just a little amount of Mothers 05602, you get a large amount of suds. The more the suds, the greater its ability to absorb and remove stubborn dirt.
Plus, it does not require vigorous agitation to keep the suds active throughout the cleaning process.
Owing to the balanced PH, this soap will not have abrasive effects on the car’s paint. Instead, it enhances the glossiness of the paint.
When washing with Mothers 05602, it is advisable to dry the surface quickly to avoid streaks. Also, avoid storing the product at high temperatures as this may lead to a chemical change.
The Good:
- Good on wax and paint finish
- Balanced PH
- Easily forms suds
- Leaves a shiny appearance
- Concentrated
The Bad:
- Affected by high temperatures during storage
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6. Chemical Guys Citrus Wash CWS 301
This natural car wash formulation will take down all stubborn mess from you and give it a brilliant shine.
- Citrus, the main ingredient in this product, has been used as a cleaning agent for many decades.
- It works by breaking down dirt, grime, grease, and other mess from the surface.
Also, it contains gloss enhancers for lubricating the surfaces. This allows you to remove dirt without damaging the paint on your car.
Plus, it gives your paint a restored shine so that it resembles a newly waxed surface.
A small amount of citrus wash will create incredible suds, which make your cleaning more effective and free from swirls or scratches. This also aids in deep dirt removal for easier and clean rinsing.
Since citrus has an unbalanced PH, it may rip off paint sealants or wax finish if not used in the correct proportion.
- It’s recommended to dilute one ounce of the concentrated citrus wash with 4 to 5 gallons of water.
- But you don’t have to worry if you’re planning to apply a new coat of paint sealant or wax on your car.
It’s easy and safe to use. But if you’re not comfortable with the slipperiness on your hands, it’s advisable to apply the product using a sprayer.
The Good:
- Natural
- Deep stain remover
- Restores the shine on paint
- High concentration
The Bad:
- High concentrations might stripe off the wax
7. Mr. Pink Chemical Guys Car Wash CWS-402
Another quality car wash soap is the Mr. Pink Super Suds. It makes use of high-quality lubricating polymers and powerful surfactants to enable efficient dirt removal.
- The cleaning action entails dirt lifting, lubrication, and rinsing.
- It’s has a neutral PH, which makes it gentle on your car’s paint and wax sealant.
Thus it won’t strip sealant wax or paint finish from the exterior of your car. Unlike low-grade products, it gives your car a shiny finish free from water spots or swirls.
With its easy foaming action, you get a constant flow of thick suds that penetrate deep to bring dirt to the surface.
This ensures that no traces of residue or wash soap are left after rinsing. You can wash your car in direct sunlight and still get a perfect and spotless wash.
What’s more, Mr. Pink’s wash soap is a versatile product that can be used to clean a car’s exteriors, including body, rims, wheels, and undercarriage, and so on.
The Good:
- Leaves no stains or water spots
- Can be used on all car exterior
- Neutral PH
- Can be applied using a garden hose or a foam cannon
The Bad:
- Quite pricey
8. Griot’s Garage Car Wash-10866 Brilliant Finish
For a brilliant finish on your car, wash it with Griot’s car wash soap. Its cleaning action will both remove dirt and enhance paint surfaces with a bright finish.
- It’s formulated with premium ingredients that effectively lift dirt and bring it to the surface for easy rinsing.
- Unlike dish soap, it has a balanced PH to prevent damage to the paint surfaces and wax finish.
It comes as a highly concentrated formula giving you one gallon of car wash soap per one ounce.
This is enough to create a continuous streak of thick suds to enable efficient dirt removal and rinsing.
- Due to this formulation’s slippery nature, no swirls, residue, or water spots will be left on the paint surfaces.
- This car wash formulation is ideal for all your car’s exterior including the body, rim, wheels, and so on.
No matter the color of your car, this product will give it an enhanced appearance and be free from streaks.
The Good:
- Streak-free and glossy finish
- Enhances the color of your car
- Neutral PH
- Concentrated formula
The Bad:
- Needs to dry quickly to avoid the formation of streaks
How to Choose the Best Car Wash Soap
Cleaning is part of car maintenance in addition to other routines like changing oil, replacing filters, and so on.
- But in order to get the best car cleaning results, you need to have the right kind of car wash soap.
- Dish soaps are not recommended for a car wash because they tend to strip off the wax finish and paint on your car.
Below, I’ve provided you with a guide for choosing the best car wash soap.
Foaming
Plenty of suds or foams help in lifting dirt to separate it from the car surface. It also lubricates the dirt and surface, making it possible to flow away from the rinsing surface.
- This is an important consideration because it reduces or eliminates the need for scrubbing, which may leave your paint surface with scratches.
However, some stains like bird droppings tend to stick on the surfaces and may not be removed without scrubbing.
PH Level
The sealants and paint finish on your car cannot withstand high PH levels.
- High PH soap solutions tend to strip the layer of paint and wax finish making your car lose its original shiny appearance.
- Luckily, there’re products with a balanced or neutral PH that will not strip the finish coat in your car.
The high PH in most dish soaps makes them unsuitable for cleaning cars.
They are associated with stripping the protective coat and decreasing the durability of the paint.
Also, your skin might be affected by high PH in some car soaps. Therefore, it’s advisable to get a product with a balanced or neutral PH.
Finish
You want your car to retain its original shiny appearance or even become better.
- Some car wash soaps are formulated with ingredients that enhance the paint finish after washing.
- Shun any product that will make your car look dull than before.
Apart from cleaning, a good product should also leave the paint finish on your car free from streaks or water spots.
Value For Money
This will be determined by the concentration rather than the quantity of the product.
- The higher the concentration, the little the amount you need per wash.
Thus, a highly concentrated car wash soap will give you several washes before buying another one.
Safety
Your product of choice should not contain harsh ingredients that might affect you or damage your car’s paint.
Follow how to use a plunger. Also, an environmentally friendly product will go a long way to protect the surrounding environment from pollution.
Conclusion
Not all soaps or shampoos are good for cleaning cars. Some of them will leave your car with a dull appearance and expose the paint finish to corrosion.
- However, the best car wash soap will give your car a brilliant and lasting surface finish.
- Any one of the above products is designed for cleaning cars, and it won’t interfere with the paint finish or wax coating.
Get yourself a quality product with a big reputation and a long history of good performance.