Last Updated on June 27, 2023 by Chase Manhattan
The key to a spotless car wash is a good car wash soap. With the soap, we are removing the dirt from the car and washing it away. So, the soap has to be hard on the dirt and soft on the paint.
Looking for a car wash soap alternative? < Read this article instead.
How about this one? > using dish soap to wash your car?
DIY car washers should find one soap and stick with it. Are you having trouble finding the right car wash soap? Do you always switch car soap products? Are you stuck with a simple homemade car wash soap? Well, it’s time for that to change.
Here is a list of the 5 best car wash soaps. We’ve compiled the absolute best products you find in stores and online. Choosing any of these products will leave you satisfied.
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Best Car Wash Soap Summary and Comparison
| Product | Features | Check Out The Price |
|---|---|---|
  | - Safe Formula - Coating Safe - Long-Lasting - Shiny Finish | Armor All Foam Action Car Wash - Cleaning Concentrate |
  | - pH Neutral - Versatile Formula - Safe Formula - Coating Safe | Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Foaming Car Wash Soap |
  | - Wash & Wax - Scratch-Free - Glossy Finish - Ultra-Slick | Turtle Wax Carnauba Wash & Wax |
  | - pH Neutral - Extra Slick - Coatings Safe - Honeydew Scent | Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Car Wash |
  | - Advanced Formula - Shampoo & Conditioner - Sealant Safe - Biodegradable | Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash |
Armor All Foam Action Car Wash – Cleaning Concentrate
Highlighted Features
- Clean-Rinsing Formula
- Safe Formula
- Coating Safe
- Long-Lasting
- Shiny Finish
Starting with the absolute best, a car wash soap from Armor All. A brand that offers high-quality car cleaning products. This cleaning concentrate is a testament to that. Used by professionals, and is considered to be one of the best car wash soaps out there.
The solution is mild enough so it’s safe to use on any car paint. It’s soft, so it does not damage the paint at all. Safe to use on cars with wax and coatings as well. Many car soaps strip wax, this one doesn’t.
It’s able to act fast on the dirt and lift it off. Powerful foam that stays wet for a long time, doesn’t dry fast, and leaves spots on the paint. Okay to use with wash buckets and foam cannons. Cleans dirt and removes road grime from the car.
A formula that provides a perfect finish. Designed for a spotless, shiny, glossy finish. No more swirl spots, streak spots, and dirt spots. It’s able to clean even the toughest road grime, and stuck dirt.
Armor All’s a car cleaning concentrate is a top-recommendation. Slightly on the expensive side but well worth it. If you want something that’s hard on dirt and a glossy finish, consider this product. Additionally, it is strong enough to remove wax from a windshield should you find a reason to do so.
Pros
- Powerful formula lifts dirt off car paint.
- Safe on cars with coating, safe on car wax and clear bra.
- Provides a streak-free spotless finish.
Cons
- Slightly expensive.
You Should Also See: Turtle Wax: Wax and Dry Review
Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Foaming Car Wash Soap
Highlighted Features
- Foam Cannon & Bucket Wash
- pH Neutral
- Versatile Formula
- Safe Formula
- Coating Safe
Mr. Pink is another great car wash soap product. Made by an excellent brand, Chemical Guys. A very popular car wash soap, widely used by both professionals and amateurs. As expected from one of the best car cleaning brands, Chemical Guys.
A powerful foam formula. It lubricates the car’s paint, and it lifts off dirt and road grime. It acts hard on the dirt, it’s able to lift off even hard-stuck dirt. The liquid foams up well, it’s okay to be used with a foam cannon, foam gun, and a bucket wash.
Although it’s hard on the dirt, the soap is really gentle on the paint. This is a pH-neutral formula, extra safe for the car paint. Safe on cars with wax and coatings as well. A super-slick formula, the soap sticks to the abrasive dirt and lifts it off.
Praised for its versatility. Mr. Pink can be used on cars with all paint colors. It can be used to clean the wheels and the tires. Cleans the windshield as well.
Another top-recommendation. A car wash soap that provides a superior spotless, streak-free car wash. Performs really well, a glossy finish, no matter the washing method. Also, more affordable than the other car wash soaps.
Pros
- Hard on dirt, pH-neutral formula.
- Lubricates abrasive dirt well.
- Provides a streak-free finish.
Cons
- Foams a lot, requires a good pressure washer to rinse off.
[Guide To Remove Your Car Scratches]
Turtle Wax Carnauba Wash & Wax
Highlighted Features
- Wash & Wax
- Scratch-Free
- Versatile Formula
- Glossy Finish
- Ultra-Slick
Again, a top-notch brand. Introducing the Turtle Wax Carnauba Wash & Wax. A combination of car wash soap and car wax. This is a brilliant product, preferred among car owners that like to combine wax with car shampoo.
Provides an impressive car wash. The formula uses friction-reducing detergents. It both lubricates and cleans the paint. It’s able to act on abrasive dirt, cleans it without causing scratches on the paint. Featuring a Premium Carnauba formula, depth cleaning, and shiny results.
Safe on all car paint surfaces. A universal fit car wash soap. Ultra-slick properties, gentle on the paint, scratch-free, and streak-free car wash. Safe to use on ceramic coating cars and clear bra.
Available only in a 48. fluidounces bottle. There’s no big bottle for stocking up. A tropical formula, safe to use in direct sunlight, won’t cause streaks. A water-repellant formula as well, it will protect the car paint from rain.
An alternative to the best overall recommendation. A high-quality product, especially good for car owners that live in tropical areas. Provides one of the best finishes after a good car wash. Comes highly recommended for a streak-free car wash.
Pros
- Premium Carnauba formula.
- Ultra-slick, water-resistant formula.
- Combines car shampoo and wax.
Cons
- Not a good fit for those that want only car shampoo.
Best Car Wash Soap For Ceramic Coated Cars
Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Car Wash
Highlighted Features
pH Neutral
- For All Colors
- Extra Slick
- Coatings Safe
- Honeydew Scent
Another product from Chemical Guys, the Honeydew Snow Foam Auto Wash. A very popular product among car owners. Especially good for cars with coatings. Most car owners that have ceramic coating prefer this product due to its neutral and extra slick formula.
The Honeydew car wash soap is a concentrated cleaning agent. A powerful formula that is able to eliminate even the toughest road grime. The soap cuts through the dirt, lifts it off the paint, lubricates, and wipes away from the paint.
A pH-neutral formula. It contains no strong chemicals. It’s soft on the paint but strong enough to eliminate dirt. A good fit for all car paint colors. It provides a streak-free and scratch-free car wash. Results in a shiny and glossy finish.
Extra safe on cars with coatings. Safe to use on cars that have wax or clear bra. The pH-neutral car wash soap does not strip away sealants. Really good for washing cars that have a ceramic coating on them. A formula sensitive on sealants, glazes, and ceramics.
A recommendation specifically for cars with ceramic coating and other sealants. Not expensive at all, the Honeydew Snow Foam Auto Wash brings impressive results. It can be used with a foam cannon or with the two-bucket washing method.
Pros
- Extra slick foam that lubricates.
- Able to get rid of the toughest grime.
- A safe formula leaves no residue behind.
Cons
- Too much foam if diluted badly.
Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash
Best Car Wash Soap For Black Cars
Highlighted Features
- Advanced Formula
- Shampoo & Conditioner
- Rich Sud
- Sealant Safe
- Biodegradable
Last but not least, the Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash. A personal and crowd favorite. One of the best car wash suds, ever. A high-quality product, especially good for conditioning cars with black paint. It comes highly recommended, used even by professionals.
Highly efficient sud eliminates road dirt and grime. A two-part formula includes shampoo and conditioner. It cleans the car and conditions the paint, all in one. Can be used with a foam cannon and wash buckets, a 5:1 dilution ratio.
An advanced formula. Designed to be hard on dirt but sensitive to the paint. It doesn’t strip sealants, glazes, and ceramics. Safe to use on all car paint colors and cars with coatings. Lubricates and conditions the car.
Provides an excellent clean look. It leaves no residue. Washes with ultra-rich conditioners result in a shiny and glossy finish. A biodegradable product, it doesn’t damage the environment when you rinse it away.
Again, a specific recommendation. A car wash soap that is good for black cars. I recommend Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash to all car owners. Truly, one of the best high-quality suds. Made by a trusted and top-notch brand.
Pros
- Cleans and conditions in one step.
- Safe to use on sealants, glazes, and ceramics.
- Able to get rid of tough road grime.
Cons
- Slightly expensive.
Best Car Wash Soap – Buying Guide
Choosing the right soap requires you to try multiple products until you get the results you were hoping for. If you don’t do your research, you are going to go through many products.
Here is a buying guide to help you with finding the right car wash soap for your car.
Dirt Elimination
The most important and basic thing to look for in a car wash soap is dirt elimination. The soap should be able to safely lift dirt off the car’s paint, so you can wash it away.
Although it sounds simple, many car soaps are not able to do this with one wash. A bad car soap will leave residue, it won’t get rid of tough road dirt and contaminants.
So, you need to look for a strong and powerful formula that is able to eliminate all the dirt on the car with one wash. A crucial thing for a shiny and glossy look.
Sensitive On Paint
Despite being able to eliminate dirt, the soap should do that while keeping the paint safe. Many brands will make their products extra strong, so much so they damage the paint over time.
After a few wash cycles, bad car soaps will leave fading spots on the paint. This is especially bad on cars with coatings.
That’s why a good car wash soap will lubricate the paint, lift off abrasive dirt, and wash it away without causing any scratches or damage to the paint.
Safe On Sealants
Many modern cars have some kind of sealants, glazes, or ceramics on top of the paint. Also, most car owners like to protect their cars so they add protective coatings to the paint.
Cars with sealants and coatings require a specific car wash soap. A product that won’t strip the sealants. All the products on this list are like this, so no need to worry about that.
Choose a product that’s safe to use on coatings and sealants.
Slick Foam
How slick the foam matter as well. Some car soaps make for foam that’s not long-lasting and not slick enough. So, when you wash the car, there’s not enough foam, and rinsing causes scratches on the paint.
An ultra-slick formula is crucial for a good car wash. The slickness of the foam makes sure the dirt stays off the paint so it won’t cause scratches when rinsing.
Shiny Look
Another important thing we all are looking for is a shiny and glossy finish. When you are done washing the car, it should look like the car is brand new. It should have a shiny and glassy look.
Most off-brand car soaps will leave residue and streaks on the car paint, especially in direct sunlight. All of the items on this list will provide a shiny look.
Conditioning
This last feature is completely optional. Some car owners prefer to use a car wash soap that conditions the car along with cleaning it. That’s why they combine car soap and wax, or car soap and conditioner.
You can always condition your car after washing it, using dedicated products. If you don’t want to do that, go with an all-in-one car wash soap.
Related Questions And Other FAQs
Can I Use Dawn Dish Soap To Wash My Car
You can use Dawn Dish Soap to wash a car although it’s not recommended. Dawn is a degreaser and not a car wash sud. It will eliminate dirt but it may also damage the paint and the sealants on the car.
What Can I Use To Wash My Car At Home
You can use dish soap to wash your car at home. However, using household products to wash a car is not recommended by experts. The best and safest way to wash a car is by using dedicated car cleaning products.
Is There Such A Thing as Homemade Car Wash Soap?
Yes! Homemade car wash soap is a real thing! It’s non-toxic, cheap, and incredibly gentle. It’s worth a look for anyone looking into other alternatives.
Are Foam Cannons Compatible with Any Soap?
Not always. Some car wash soaps are designed to have a larger amount of foam. In other extreme circumstances you could clog your foam cannon sprayer.
