Car Shampoo

Car shampoo is for the contact wash: it lifts the dirt the pre-wash leaves behind and gives the mitt enough slip to glide over the paint instead of dragging grit. The range runs from everyday shampoos such as Autobead Pure and VP-UK pH Neutral to ceramic shampoos from AutoBead, VP-UK and AutoBrite Direct, plus specialist washes from CarPro and Chemical Guys.

How to choose

• Clean only or top up: a shampoo with no added wax or gloss leaves nothing behind, so use it before polishing, waxing or coating; gloss and ceramic shampoos leave a thin layer that tops up existing protection.
• Coated cars: use a pH-neutral shampoo or one made for coatings, such as CarPro Reset.
• Specialist jobs: Chemical Guys Stripper Suds removes old wax before a polish; their Meticulous Matte Auto Wash is made for matte paint.
• Dilution: concentrates such as Car Chem 1900:1 need only a few millilitres per bucket.

Good to know

Foam or pre-wash the grit off first, then wash top down with two buckets and grit guards (Buckets & Grit Guards), out of strong sun so suds cannot dry on.

Is car shampoo the same as car wash?

Yes. Car shampoo and car wash are two names for the same product: a cleaner diluted in a bucket and used with a wash mitt for the contact wash. Some, such as ceramic and gloss shampoos, also leave a thin layer that tops up existing protection.

Do I need snow foam if I use car shampoo?

It is not essential, but it makes the wash safer. Snow foam or a pre-wash takes most of the grit off first, so there is less for the mitt to drag across the paint when you move on to the shampoo.

Related: Wash & Pre-Wash, Snow Foam, Wash Mitts & Pads, Drying Towels. Popular brands here: Chemical Guys, Dunking Biscuit, Infinity Wax, CarPro.