We can help you build an AutoBead routine around the jobs your car needs, from washing and interior care to polishing and protection. Autobead Ceramic Shampoo and Autobead Ceramic Quick Detailer are options when you want a wash-and-protect finish, but you do not need every product in the range. Start with the condition of the car and the protection already on it, then choose the few products that solve those jobs.
Where can you buy Autobead in the UK?
You can order AutoBead from us online or visit our shop at 1a Shipley Court, Ilkeston DE7 8EF. Check the product page for availability and contact our team before travelling for a particular item.
Autobead is a British car care brand with a range that covers the wash, wheels and tyres, polishing, protection and interior care. We have organised the range by the jobs it can help with, from a maintenance wash to more involved paint correction. You can also browse the full Autobead range.
Which Autobead products should you buy?
We would build the routine a stage at a time. The options below serve different purposes, and the current product page shows availability, variants and application details. Choose for the surface and task rather than collecting the entire range.
Washing and drying
A wash-and-protect shampoo whose ceramic molecules bond to the surface as a protective layer and enhance the finish. We would choose it when that added layer suits the finish; a coating maintained with an additive-free shampoo does not automatically need a ceramic shampoo as well. Add 3 to 4 capfuls to 15 litres of warm water.
Autobead Ceramic Quick Detailer
A protective detailer with a durability of about 6 months, on paintwork, glass, plastics, wheels and trims. It works on dry surfaces or as a drying aid, and we suggest a layer after washing with Autobead Ceramic Shampoo.
A polymer based quick detailing spray for after the wash. We would use it for light finishing work on clean paint, such as fingerprints after washing, rather than wiping road grit away between washes. It adds gloss and complements suitable existing protection.
Our best car shampoo guide compares Ceramic Shampoo with the other shampoos we stock.
Protection
A blend of silicone polymers and silica resins rated at 9 months of durability on paintwork and wheels, as an alternative to its waxes. Spray it onto a microfibre, work it in straight lines on a clean, dry surface, leave it 1 minute to bond, then buff with a short pile microfibre.
Wheels, tyres and decontamination
An anti-sling silicone gel that dresses the rubber and guards it against UV and cracking. Spread it on a clean sidewall with a foam applicator, never the tread, and add another coat for more gloss.
A gel that dissolves tar spots on paintwork, with less run off and less drying out than a liquid, so less product is needed. It is less aggressive than Autobead Glue and Tar Remover; keep it off plastics and rubber. Spray it onto the tar on a washed, dry car and rinse it off with a pressure washer before it dries.
Our tyre dressing guide compares the Tyre Dressing with other dressings.
Machine polishing
Autobead Downforce Foam Pads Heavy Cut
Autobead's dual foam cutting pad, very heat resistant so it stays firm for longer, and backed with dense foam for extra downward pressure and better rotation on DA or rotary machines.
Autobead Downforce Foam Pads Medium Cut
Autobead's dual foam polishing pad, made to work with the Medium Cut Compound.
Autobead Downforce Foam Pads Fine Cut
The finishing pad in the same design, paired with the Finishing Compound.
For deep scratches, buffer trails and sanding marks up to 1500 grade.
For swirl marks and sanding marks up to 2500 grade, and suitable as a one-step correction polish.
An ultra-fine polish for light swirls, holograms and 3000 grit sanding marks, for a deep, jewelled finish.
These compounds are silicone-free and contain no fillers. We still recommend checking paint condition, starting with a gentle test section and inspecting the finish after a compatible residue-removal step. Our DA polisher guide explains how the pads and compounds fit together, and compound vs polish explains which stage you need.
Interior
A pH-neutral leather cleaner and conditioner. We recommend checking the seat manufacturer's care guidance and testing discreetly before use, particularly on delicate or damaged finishes. Apply sparingly using the product instructions, avoid soaking stitching or perforations, and clean according to use rather than a fixed monthly schedule.
How do the Autobead products compare?
| Product | Job | Purpose and guidance | Sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic Shampoo | Contact wash | Builds ceramic protection with regular use | 500ml |
| Ceramic Quick Detailer | Drying aid and top up | About 6 months of ceramic protection | 500ml |
| Quick Detailer | After the wash | Removes dust and fingerprints, tops up wax | 500ml |
| Spray Sealant | Protection | About 9 months on paint and wheels | 500ml |
| Tyre Dressing | Tyres | Anti-sling gel, UV and cracking protection | One size |
| Tar Gel | Tar removal | Gel for less run off, not for plastics or rubber | 500ml |
| Downforce Foam Pads | Machine polishing | Heat resistant dual foam, DA or rotary | 3 inch, 5 inch |
| Heavy Cut Compound | Heavy correction | Sanding marks up to 1500 grade | 1L |
| Medium Cut Compound | Correction or one step | Sanding marks up to 2500 grade | 1L |
| Finishing Compound | Finishing | 3000 grit sanding marks, holograms | 500ml, 1L |
| Leather Cleaner | Leather | pH neutral cleanser and conditioner | 500ml |
Common questions
What is Autobead?
Autobead is a British detailing brand: Autobead Ltd is registered in Witney, Oxfordshire. Autobead products are developed by its chemist and detailers together, with real world testing.
Where should you start with Autobead?
We would start with a compatible shampoo, clean wash media and a drying towel. Add a drying aid or spray protection if you want that finish, then choose tyre and interior products for the surfaces you have. Paint correction comes later, after inspection and a gentle test section, rather than starting automatically with Heavy Cut.
Is Autobead safe on ceramic coatings and wax?
Autobead makes Ceramic Shampoo to work with its waxes and coatings and to help maintain and prolong them, and Ceramic Quick Detailer is a companion to its ceramic coatings and hard detailing waxes, prolonging their life.
Our AutoBead APC dilution guide helps you mix the right strength for the job.
Use our AutoBead Surface Prep guide when preparing compatible paint for protection.
Need help choosing?
Tell the TDHQ team what you drive and what you want to achieve, and we will point you to the right Autobead products. You can also browse the whole Autobead range we stock.
Last updated 20 October 2026.
