Much of the enjoyment associated with car ownership is rooted in aesthetic appreciation of your pride and joy and there’s nothing quite like catching a peak of a pristine vehicle through the window of your home. Maintaining this attractive and fresh appearance is all down to regular car washing and caring for using specially formulated products. A good quality car shampoo is an absolutely essential part of any vehicle owner’s kit and can mean the difference between a perfectly clean car and one that has unsightly swirl or watermarks.

pH Neutral or Not?

The pH of a car shampoo refers to its acidity or alkaline levels, with a pH-neutral being neither. Alkali or acid-based formulas are stronger and use these chemicals to eat through heavy dirt or marks on the paintwork. However, we’d always recommend going for a pH-neutral shampoo, to avoid any unnecessary corrosion or damage to the paintwork, instead, removing heavy dirt with a thick snow foam prewash beforehand.

Foamy or Not?

Some car shampoos are foamier than others and this is down to the chemical makeup of the soap. Those that foam more tend to have a higher level of surfactants and those with less foam tend to leave a better sheeting effect, allowing the water to run off the paintwork.  Which of these to go for is more of a personal preference but ensures you get the right level of foam for your needs.

With Added Wax or Not?

Many car shampoos on the market today come with added wax as a labour-saving solution for people who don’t want to apply it separately. While these shampoos are great for between waxes, they are not advisable as the wax layer doesn’t last very long and can interfere with the washing element of the car shampoo. Instead, opt for a normal shampoo and apply a wax later for better, cleaner results.