The Best Car Cleaning Products Every Car Owner Should Have
Not everyone likes washing the car, but we all love to drive a clean, shiny vehicle. Cleaning your car can protect the paintwork, keeping everything shiny for longer.
Washing your car with the wrong products may do more harm than good. You can damage the finish, and even rub grit into the paintwork, little scratches.
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So, we have chosen some of the best car cleaning products across the market to suit each area of the car. Here’s what you need.
Car shampoo
You should never clean your car using household detergents. Car shampoo is designed to remove outdoor grime, without damaging the paint finish.
Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner
Autoglym’s gentle car shampoo is pH neutral and free from harsh chemicals. This means it’s suitable for all paint colours and finishes.
CarPlan Triplewax Car Shampoo
CarPlan’s general purpose car shampoo does everything you need. It removes dirt and grime, without leaving streaks. It also contains three types of wax for a shiny finish.
Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax
If you don’t mind spending a bit more, use Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax. It’s a car shampoo designed for use between waxings, removing dirt while keeping a glossy finish.
Car polish and wax
Getting your car clean is the first step. Bare paintwork is dull, and can quickly damage. Polish and wax create a shiny finish and protect your paintwork.
Here are the best car care products to valet your car at home.
Autoglym Super Resin Polish
Autogylm’s easy-to-use polish is ideal for all materials. This means you can use it on chrome, painted plastic and lacquered carbon fibre.
Turtle Wax Original Liquid Car Wax
Turtle’s liquid wax creates a high-shine finish without leaving swirl marks. It’s suitable for all finishes and materials, to create long-lasting paint protection.
Mer Deep Gloss Finishing Wax
Mer’s “advanced polymer technology” wax creates a super high-shine finish. It also offers long-lasting protection and is designed for quick application. The water-repellent finish is an added bonus!
Extra car cleaning products
Car shampoo is perfect for cleaning car bodywork, but what about the other materials? For a thorough clean, add these car cleaning products to your kit.
Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner
This cleaner is for all your car’s interior surfaces. Meguiars creates a foam that lifts dirt from interior plastics (e.g. the dashboard). It also contains cleaners and softeners for fabrics. Use it on seats, carpets, and upholstery.
Valet PRO Bilberry Wheel Cleaner
You should be careful with alloy wheel cleaners, many contain acid that can stain certain aluminium finishes. Valet Pro’s wheel cleaner is acid-free, making it safe for all alloys.
Got damaged alloys? ChipsAway can repair and refurbish alloy wheels.
Armor All Glass Cleaner
Never use household window cleaners on car windows and mirrors! These contain ammonia that can damage the surface. Armor All’s cleaner removes grime without creating haze or leaving streaks.
Bilt Hamber Auto Clay Bar
If you can’t get a good shine on your car, it may have a build-up of contaminants embedded in the paint. Run your hand over the surface, if you feel little bumps, it’s time for a clay bar! First, wet the paint. Then, rub Bilt Hamber’s clay bar over the surface to remove embedded contaminants. This will increase the gloss level of future wax.
Car cleaning tools
Cleaning the car is an easier job with the right tools. Add these to your kit.
Microfibre wash mitt and cloth
Microfibre is the best fabric to use, due to it’s fine and gentle texture. Use a wash mitt to shampoo the car and a cloth to clean the interior.
Wax and polish pad
You can apply car polish and wax with a microfibre cloth or, special soft round foam pads.
Grit guard
These metal grilles sit in the bottom of the bucket, to trap the grit when you rinse your mitt. This prevents you from reapplying dirt to the car.
Wheel brush
Use a wheel brush to clean between the spokes of the alloys. They can also get inside the wheel to clean the brake calipers.
