13 best car shampoos

*Review of the best according to the editorial opinion. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, not an advertisement and is not a guide to purchase. You should consult with a specialist before buying.

How to choose a car shampoo

When choosing a shampoo, many car owners primarily focus on the cost factor, bypassing all the other most important indicators. The choice of the wrong, in terms of composition, can lead to irreversible consequences, such as damage to the paintwork or, as a mild annoyance, “zero” effect of the application. Therefore, when buying car shampoo in an auto chemical store, the online magazine Expertology recommends that you pay attention to the following parameters:

Composition.All car shampoos are made up of water as standard, and should ideally have an acid-alkaline balance of 6-8 pH. If this threshold is exceeded or undervalued, the liquid will have an aggressive effect on plastic, rubber and, to a greater extent, paintwork, which will lead to their local destruction. The active substances are the surface elements, which must not exceed 30% of the nominal weight of the entire product. Complexing agents are allowed, which act as a surfactant enhancer without increasing the pH value and softening agent for better foaming and dissolving the product. Shampoos may also contain other additives, such as blowing agent, wax or an entire complex of additives, which form a persistent anti-corrosion and restoring film.

Type.Car shampoos are divided into three categories according to this characteristic:

1. Summer – “open” the mechanism under certain conditions (a certain temperature threshold in the summer season). As a result, they wash the vast majority of organic dirt (which includes insects, bitumen and ingrained dirt);
2. The classics are the universal shampoos for touchless car washing, the efficiency of which is slightly inferior to summer shampoos. Nevertheless, an important plus of this kind is a temperature mode – they behave perfectly both in positive and subzero temperatures.
3. Concentrates – the technical difference is that such shampoos cannot be used “out of the box”. They require dilution before use, and it is up to the user to decide in what proportions to mix (it depends entirely on the purpose of the cleaning).

Label.As mandatory attributes on the marking of the means should be mandatory signs of compliance with standards, the logo of the manufacturer, the date of manufacture and expiration date, as well as the current address of the company’s location.

Rating of the best shampoos

The best car shampoos for hand washing

Karcher Plug Clean

Rating: 4.9

Car body shampoo from a well-known manufacturer of equipment (including high-pressure washers), which combines the functions of a cleaner and protector of paintwork. The cleaning effect of Karcher Plug Clean is based on a secret component that actively works not only on grease and oil stains, but also on atmospheric and even mineral dirt. The original composition has a complete chemical neutrality (pH equals 6-7 units), and therefore has no damaging effect on the paintwork.

An important plus of Karcher Plug Clean is also the fact that the product contains biodegradable surfactants, withstanding the mark of environmental friendliness in such an important period. The shampoo is inexpensive, packed in 1-liter bottles and ready for use straight from the bottle.

Advantages of

• Actively affects all kinds of dirt (grease, mineral-salt and atmospheric);
• A high degree of environmental friendliness (degradable surfactants);
• Completely safe for the paint coating;
• Low price and optimum packaging.

Disadvantages

• no identified.

ingo

Rating: 4.8

Concentrated car shampoo by the German manufacturer Pingo is an effective means to fight the most persistent pollution of the paintwork of the car body. Features an abundance of foam, thereby minimizing the risk of scratching the surface of the car with particles of sand and hard dirt. In conjunction with the action of alcohol, the composition is excellent at removing the marks left by insects, or tar spots (except, perhaps, liquid tar).

As to user reviews, the plus side of Pingo is often the high economic efficiency of the product. According to the manufacturer’s recommendations, the concentrate should be diluted in the proportion of 25 milliliters per liter of water, but it is possible to achieve great washing results with much smaller “infusions” of shampoo. As a result, the only drawback of Pingo is the possibility of leaving streaks, which will be especially noticeable on the black coating, but with a more careful wipe it can be prevented.

Advantages

• There is a distinct polishing effect;
• good foaming;
• Removes even difficult dirt;
• formation of a protective film if the body is treated well;
• low price.

Disadvantages

• Leaves streaks (because of the alcohol content).

Golden Wax Super Foam

Rating: 4.7

Another nominee of the rating with the pronounced foaming function, providing a comprehensive detergent and protective effect on the car body. Besides that, the active additives with zinc ions create a strong polymer-zinc film that has a protective effect, restoring at the same time small defects in the paintwork (the effect of “filling” microcracks and scratches with zinc). But that’s not all: Golden Wax “Superfoam” is excellent as a polish, providing a water-repellent wax coating on top of the protective film.

The undeniable advantage of this car shampoo is the ability to mix it in cold and hot water – the foaming effect will appear, regardless of its temperature. However, this situation is also not without nuances: the only disadvantage of Golden Wax “Superfoam” is a poor effect on grease stains, in connection with which it is necessary to exercise considerable diligence to remove them.

Advantages

• active foaming;
• low cost;
• soluble in cold and hot water;
• excellent polishing ability;
• Mechanism to create a wax and polymer protective film;
• great cost efficiency.

Disadvantages

• poor effect on grease stains.

The best car shampoos for touchless washing

HI-GEAR Hg8002n

Rating: 4.9

According to independent expert research, washing ability of HI-GEAR Hg8002n is equal to 98,4%, which is the best result within the whole huge segment of car shampoos. Thanks to this, the composition climbs to the honorable first line, even if slightly losing to analogues in the important for consumers cost component.

From the obvious advantages of touchless shampoo are very good foam formation, produced both in hot and in cold water, the absence of any hint of streaks and stains, because the range of active substances does not include alcohol, easy rinsing with water without the need to wipe dry afterwards. Extreme gentleness of HI-GEAR Hg8002n towards paint, rubber and plastics, so that it can be used without any restriction on its concentration and processing time.

Advantages

• Highest washing ability;
• formation of several layers of protection;
• absolute safety for plastics, rubber and paint;
• Trouble-free removal of any kind of dirt (up to and including bitumen stains);
• slight polishing effect.

Disadvantages

• slight loss in price compared to competitors.

Karcher

traam Foam Cleaner

Rating: 4.8

A brilliant representative of the Grass brand, its main advantage is the function that restores the shine of the paintwork without a negative influence that causes its gradual deterioration. For the foaming action, which is probably superior to any of the competitors surveyed, a special activator was introduced into the shampoo, which allows you to start the process of foaming, regardless of the temperature. By the way, the concentrate consumption for this does not exceed 10-20 grams per liter of water.

For a complete wash of one car with Grass Active Foam Pink, the necessary minimum consumption is 100 grams of concentrate, which makes it very economical. Active additives added to the composition, allow for the formation of a protective layer, and also have an active influence on the decomposition of ingrained impurities. Though it removes bitumen from the paint not in the best (read: fast) way, the positive effect of its application is still very noticeable.

Advantages

• Low consumption per car wash (100-150 grams);
• Is a foam activator, providing a strong foam formation;
• supplied to the market in volumes of 6-10 liters;
• Availability of complex of protective additives.

Disadvantages

• Extremely persistent stains can be removed by keeping the product on the bodywork.

ATAS DIMER

Rating: 4.6

Car Shampoo for contact-free washing in an “aggressive” can fully justifies the first impression of itself. Being positioned as the most powerful on the market, it ensures practically trouble-free removal of bitumen stains and ingrained dirt, at absolutely any diluted water temperature. The ATAS DIMER dissolves and provides abundant foaming without causing problems with subsequent rinsing.

Despite the powerful action, bordering with very aggressive methods of removal of particularly difficult dirt, this shampoo is absolutely neutral to the body paintwork, which is its main “beauty”. One little nuance of the ATAS DIMER use is the necessity to change the dilution ratio depending on the purpose of use, whether you want to remove the settled dust or perform a full body treatment to remove stubborn stains.

Advantages

• effectiveness in cold and hot water;
• Great experience of use among professionals;
• Not the most expensive version of shampoo;
• possibility to wash even the toughest tar stains.

Disadvantages

• To achieve the desired effect it is necessary to keep the pudding before rinsing.

The best car shampoos with wax

QUI MOLY AUTO-WASCH WACHS

Rating: 4.9

Rather rare phenomenon in the domestic market of auto chemicals, the main advantage of which is the cost effectiveness, and therefore the high efficiency of the action even at low concentrations. The product is available in bottles of 500, 1000 and 2000 milliliters, while not more than 25 milliliters for each bucket of water. According to the calculation, even the smallest quantities are enough for 20 buckets.

As noted by the manufacturer, shampoo Simoniz has a strong polishing effect, requiring no additional treatment after washing and drying the car. The surfactants in the product are biodegradable, which means a high degree of environmental friendliness and compliance with worldwide quality standards. The only nuance of such a jar is the high cost, because the product comes straight from the UK.

Advantages

• Excellent action in hard and soft water;
• Strong polishing effect, bringing back the shine and pristine color of the coating;
• Good economy of use resulting in excellent profitability
• environmental friendliness.

Disadvantages

• high cost.

TURTLE WAX HOT WAX

Rating: 4.8

According to competent experts, of all shampoos represented in this segment of the rating, the most durable wax coating is fixed in Turtle Wax Hot Wax. Even under intensive influence of unfavorable factors the residual effect of the product is observed after 4 weeks of exploitation.

The peculiarity of the composition is that it does not give any foam, while remaining in the state of emulsion. Nevertheless the effect of such “unsightly” shampoo is quite noticeable: in addition to removing of complicated dirt wax provides restoration of “healthy” color coating, simultaneously endowing it with shine. In other words, Turtle Wax Hot Wax acts as a quality polish that can be used in preparation of the car for later sale.

Advantages

• the immediate mechanism of action (no need to keep the composition on the surface before flushing);
• insensitive to temperature fluctuations;
• neutralization of reagents, causing local defects of paint layer;
• optimal price.

Disadvantages

• Requires rinsing with water and then wiping the surface with a cloth;
• Rare enough shampoo in the assortment of domestic stores of auto chemistry.

SONAX WASH WAX

Rating: 4.7

Carnauba wax based car shampoo, designed for contact (hand) washing of the car. According to consumers, SONAX WASH WAX has a mild cleaning effect, followed by a massive wax treatment, which gives the paintwork a rich shine and luster, very presentable condition.

The high wax concentration also provides a number of protective functions, such as repelling water and preventing dust from sticking. Bodywork experts recommend using SONAX WASH WAX not only as a shampoo for current car treatment, but also for the preservation of vehicles for long-term seasonal storage. The penetration ability of the product has received much praise from expert users, but its special features have brought to light an unpleasant aspect. The fact that the treatment in winter does not give any benefit in terms of protection of the bodywork – all the useful properties of shampoo are completely lost under the influence of low temperatures.

Advantages

• Triple mechanism of action (cleaning, restoring color, protecting the bodywork);
• No solvents or phosphates negatively influencing the paint and varnish;
• Dosing cup and manufacturer’s recommendations;
• excellent “preserving” functions.

Disadvantages

• subject to loss of useful properties under the influence of low temperatures.

The best car shampoos with polish

Bizol Autoglanz

Rating: 4.8

Bizol Autoglanz – a shampoo with a mild polishing effect, achieved through the use of a complex of special additives, which have a positive effect on the color of the car bodywork. The smallest soft particles that do not fit the description of abrasive (but in fact perform similar functions), provide “scraping” of microscopic old layers of paint, while removing defects such as cracks and scratches, as well as washing away all stale dirt.

Removing the defective layer, when drying Bizol Autoglanz replaces it with a freshly formed film, which has a repellent effect and increased protection of the coating from various kinds of negative factors. An important advantage of the composition is that all of the surfactants contained in it are biodegradable – only 10% of the substance is not rapidly degradable. Taken together, these advantages make a picture of an ideal product for use – and, in fact, this conclusion is not far from the truth.

Advantages

• actively combats dulling of the car body coating;
• provides comprehensive cleaning and subsequent protection of the car body from dirt;
• Biodegradable by 90%;
• Excellent polishing power.

Disadvantages

• has not been detected.

The best car shampoos with conditioner

Meguiars G-17748

Rating: 4.8

Meguiar’s G-17748 is an elite product in the GOLD GLASS series, aimed at providing quality protection of the paintwork against adverse environmental conditions. Providing cleaning of the bodywork from dirt, salts and dust deposits, and when drying ensures restoration of the paintwork color, as well as creates a dense polymer film for protection against abrasive action of the polluting particles.

The official consumption of shampoo, recommended by the manufacturers, comes down to the proportion of 30 milliliters per 4 liters of water. In such a form, the solution will ensure the course of all its inherent processes, but consumers say that to save the amount of concentrate for dilution can be cut down. If you look at the market more globally, you will find that Meguiar’s G-17748 reigns supreme in the shampoo with conditioner segment. In the absence of competitors, this compound is the best, but who knows where the manufacturers’ priorities will shift in a year.

Advantages

• Reduces to a minimum the impact of negative environmental factors;
• Has a low flow rate;
• “refreshes” the color of the paint coating;
• forms a stable polymer film on the surface;
• no streaking.

Disadvantages

• Some aggressiveness to plastic and rubber;
• Rather high price.