Your Buying Guide to Car Shampoos

Your car is an extension of your personality.  If you take care of your vehicle as much as you take care of yourself, then, others would see that you are a kept person.  This is because your car is more than a mode of transportation.  It shows what kind of person you are.

And so, we're going to discuss the different types of car shampoos, what other buyers are saying, what to look out for and some of the most popular brands out in the market.

Types of Car Shampoos

Snow Foam Agent PH Neutral

These types of shampoo are designed to be used with a snow foam lance or hose attachment. It contains high suds content and cleaning agent that is used to break down dirt and grime on the pre-wash stage. Spray snow foam, covering the entire car and let it sit for 3-5 minutes for it to dwell onto the paintwork before rinsing it off, allowing us to have less contact with the dirt when comes to the 2-bucket method wash after.

Preparation/Heavy Duty Shampoo often acidic or alkaline inclined

These shampoos are usually pH neutral and they are very delicate on car paints and does not have the intend to strip any applied waxes or sealants. They are perfect for cars that has been detailed or previously applied wax or sealants and they are great at maintaining them. Some of these shampoos even have a small amount of wax mixed into the formula. It is usually named soft wash/wash and wax/premium car shampoo etc. 

Coating Maintenance Shampoo PH Neutral

Coating maintenance shampoos are fairly new to the market. As some of the detailers know, ceramic/quartz coating usually is maintained by applying a top coat every few months and it acts as a sacrificial layer on top of the ceramic/quartz coatings and it provides good hydrophobicity on top of the coatings itself. A coating maintenance shampoo combines a top coat and car wash shampoo in one.

What Other Buyers Are Saying

When you buy a car shampoo, take into consideration the type of car that you have.  Make sure that the shampoo doesn't contain any harmful chemicals that would be destroying your car.  Also, read on the review that other buyers are saying so, that you'll be able to know what their experiences were.

Here are some feedback that one car shampoo has received from buyers:

I've been using this excellent product for years but spent a fortune on buying it from Halfords etc in smaller bottles.
This size from Amazon will save me a fortune! Thoroughly recommended

Not as good as other auto gleam products. Went back to using a wash and wak shampoo.

Good shampoo provided you specifically need PH Neutral "light" shampoo. After around 10 months of use, I had to use a heavy duty shampoo to restore the shine before reverting back to this one.

What to Look Out for

When buying a car shampoo, consider your preferences and what you want your car to look like.  If you need your car to have that nice sine, use heavy duty shampoo,  However, if you just need to keep your car clean on a regular basis, use a light shampoo.

Also, make sure that the shampoo doesn't contain harmful ingredients that would put your car's appearance in jeopardy.

Most Popular Brands

Autoglym - manufactures all-in-one shampoo and conditioner that has ingredients that form a glossy water-repellent barrier.  It protects and prolongs the effects of polishes and it lifts traffic film without harming polished paintwork and trim.

Pro-Kleen - makes thick, high quality snow foam that has a rich blend of ingredients and a rich amount of wax for a gleaming finish.  It can remove the toughest dirt from your car's bodywork for the ultimate pre-wash.

CarPlan - manufactures shampoo  that provides deep clean that remove dirt and road grime from car paintwork.  The advanced formula leaves a streak free showroom shine.