need some car wash soap recommendations?
- Thread starter proveitwithdata
- Start date
Adam's Car Care has a great car wash and foam that goes with their foam cannon. Iron decon, do you mean clay bar? I have some green Turtle Wax car wash that lists "Great for light medium and heavy grime with a ratio on the back. I'd go with a synthetic sealant then wax on top for a little extra shine and protection.
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I am a Bilt Hamber Touchless convert. I have used it 5 times already and the results are nothing short of amazing. Every video I can find is the detailer using Touchless and just kind of hosing it off. I do it different. I put it on and then actually pressure wash it off. Some places the pressure tip is quite close to the paint. But hitting 100% of the car with the pressure leaves the car almost 100% clean. What is left behind is only a slight film which I wipe up with a microfiber. I am completely sold. And it isn't outrageously expensive.n You can only get it in the US from Obsessed Garage and the 5 liter bottle cost about $65 shipped
Don
When you lay on the Bilt Hamber Touchless and look at the foam that falls of the car you can see the dirt in the foam. This stuff works exactly like it does in the videos. Worth the money
Don
Waxing still a thing? Last time I used wax was probably mid 90s.
For conventional car soaps I've been happy with DIY Incredible suds or McKees extreme foam. These also work with a clay mitt as well.
I mostly use rinseless.
I mostly use rinseless.
I used to only buy Carpro Reset but then found TW Pure Wash. I think I got a half gallon for 16 bucks this summer. It foams like shaving cream even with hard water, does a good job of actual soaping (not detergent-ing), but then rinses off squeaky clean. Awesome stuff.
It's really impressive stuff. It actually cleans.
I'm using Primus 2.0 now as pre-wash and bucket wash (works as both). Still use Touch-Less too.
This has been the best soap I have used. Haven't tried Meguiars Gold Class but the Chemical Guys has checked evey box for me. Either 2-bucket method or foam cannon.
https://www.chemicalguys.com/produc...MI6oG6yLGDiwMVWkX_AR1Z1SroEAQYAyABEgKSOfD_BwE
https://www.chemicalguys.com/produc...MI6oG6yLGDiwMVWkX_AR1Z1SroEAQYAyABEgKSOfD_BwE
Yes. I recommend Carzilla from Canada to buy them. They work, but 99% of the cars on the road are already scratched, so it’s pointless for most cars.
I use Rinseless wash ie: ONR
NuFinish ceramic spray
Done
For the OP with 6-month wash intervals, they would likely benefit from a higher PH soap like:
Koch Chemie Active Foam. This will chemically do much of the work for you but is not something that would be great for your paint if regularly used.
For others with more normal car wash intervals:
Kock Chemie Gentile Snow Foam is nice.
If the car is especially dirty, such as in winter, I add Koch Chemie Green Star to the above if I want something a little more aggressive.
I also like Gyeon Foam for this as well, but with the above 2 products you are well covered.
I have 2 wash routines:
1. Foam with Gentile Snow Foam (GSF), with Green Star (GS) if needed.
Pressure wash off
Re-foam with just GSF
Contact wash with GSF in bucket
Pressure washer rinse
This method uses more water, takes more time and requires me to blow a bunch of water off of of the vehicle prior to drying.
2. Foam with Gentile Snow Foam (GSF), with Green Star (GS) if needed.
Pressure wash off
DIY Rinseless or similar product, washing a few panels at a time and then drying before continuing.
This method is much quicker, cuts water usage in half uses less product.
More and more this is the path I have been going.
Bonus is that I can keep the DIY Rinseless solution until it is too dirty which is easily 3-4 car washes if I wash my Expedition weekly. For smaller vehicles this could be 5-6 washes which makes it VERY economical.
Koch Chemie Active Foam. This will chemically do much of the work for you but is not something that would be great for your paint if regularly used.
For others with more normal car wash intervals:
Kock Chemie Gentile Snow Foam is nice.
If the car is especially dirty, such as in winter, I add Koch Chemie Green Star to the above if I want something a little more aggressive.
I also like Gyeon Foam for this as well, but with the above 2 products you are well covered.
I have 2 wash routines:
1. Foam with Gentile Snow Foam (GSF), with Green Star (GS) if needed.
Pressure wash off
Re-foam with just GSF
Contact wash with GSF in bucket
Pressure washer rinse
This method uses more water, takes more time and requires me to blow a bunch of water off of of the vehicle prior to drying.
2. Foam with Gentile Snow Foam (GSF), with Green Star (GS) if needed.
Pressure wash off
DIY Rinseless or similar product, washing a few panels at a time and then drying before continuing.
This method is much quicker, cuts water usage in half uses less product.
More and more this is the path I have been going.
Bonus is that I can keep the DIY Rinseless solution until it is too dirty which is easily 3-4 car washes if I wash my Expedition weekly. For smaller vehicles this could be 5-6 washes which makes it VERY economical.
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Has anyone tried the Purple Power Wash & Wax yet?
Simple Green is an all purpose cleaner. It leaves streaks, which can be handled with a quick spray of diluted car wash, and a rinse.
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- May 16, 2022
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I washed my car the first time in 1981 when I was a broke high school teenager and I wanted to find the best car wash in the largest container for a dirt cheap price that would give me lots of car washes for the $!
I found it back then...Turtle Wax Zip Wax Car wash...
Fast forward the last 45 years now of owning, washing and detailing many cars using MANY name brand car wash products to exotic car expensive pH neutral car wash products only found at high end ceramic coating dealers..
To this day If I had to choose one "best" car wash I always come back to my trusty old school Turtle Wax Zip Wax Car Wash!
NOTHING will clean a car, truck, motorcycle better and it has a rinse agent built in so little to no water spots.
If I have a extra dirty car or motorcycle I can mix the Zip Wax car wash stronger than directed and this soap will power through anything!
The Zip Wax is the ONLY cleaner I have found that will stand up to brake dust and unlike every other car soap product the suds last!
I understand for the Zip Wax to have the suds power it can't be pH neutral so with that in mind the few times I had professional ceramic coating applied I didn't use the Zip Wax for a year or so as yes I used a pH neutral product on the advice of the ceramic installer and to protect his ceramic warranty but at some point that truck would get dirty enough that I would use my trusty Zip Wax to get that car or truck back to new!
You can still buy the huge 100oz jug at Walmart for ONLTY $5.97! Its so concentrated 100 oz jug using a cap full at a time may last years!
Don't be mislead with the name "Wax" in Zip Wax, I been using it 40 years and can't tell it has any wax in it ( it may but I can't tell ) but what I can tell is nothing is stronger but finish safe, includes a rinse agent so no spots and nothing cleans better!
Its strong but finish safe and not crazy strong like S100 or purple or green cleaners as the zip wax just does what it does, cleans the best without being too strong... at a dirt cheap 1981 price!
I found it back then...Turtle Wax Zip Wax Car wash...
Fast forward the last 45 years now of owning, washing and detailing many cars using MANY name brand car wash products to exotic car expensive pH neutral car wash products only found at high end ceramic coating dealers..
To this day If I had to choose one "best" car wash I always come back to my trusty old school Turtle Wax Zip Wax Car Wash!
NOTHING will clean a car, truck, motorcycle better and it has a rinse agent built in so little to no water spots.
If I have a extra dirty car or motorcycle I can mix the Zip Wax car wash stronger than directed and this soap will power through anything!
The Zip Wax is the ONLY cleaner I have found that will stand up to brake dust and unlike every other car soap product the suds last!
I understand for the Zip Wax to have the suds power it can't be pH neutral so with that in mind the few times I had professional ceramic coating applied I didn't use the Zip Wax for a year or so as yes I used a pH neutral product on the advice of the ceramic installer and to protect his ceramic warranty but at some point that truck would get dirty enough that I would use my trusty Zip Wax to get that car or truck back to new!
You can still buy the huge 100oz jug at Walmart for ONLTY $5.97! Its so concentrated 100 oz jug using a cap full at a time may last years!
Don't be mislead with the name "Wax" in Zip Wax, I been using it 40 years and can't tell it has any wax in it ( it may but I can't tell ) but what I can tell is nothing is stronger but finish safe, includes a rinse agent so no spots and nothing cleans better!
Its strong but finish safe and not crazy strong like S100 or purple or green cleaners as the zip wax just does what it does, cleans the best without being too strong... at a dirt cheap 1981 price!
I use quite a bit of that stuff. But not on my cars, I should try it for cars sometimes.
(It's a great case tumbling soap for reloading
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I washed my car the first time in 1981 when I was a broke high school teenager and I wanted to find the best car wash in the largest container for a dirt cheap price that would give me lots of car washes for the $!
I've always wondered where the name "Turtle Wax" came from. Is the wax supposed to be as strong as a turtle shell?
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- May 7, 2025
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I've always liked Meg's Gold Class for cw soap. Comes up for sale pretty regularly at all the local auto parts stores and it's nice to just go to the store and grab it.