Car Washing
Shampoo, snow foam, wash pads, buckets and grit guards. WASH, SNOW and CERAMIC WASH are all pH neutral, so they clean without stripping the wax, sealant or ceramic coating you have already paid for. If you are starting from nothing, WASH and a two bucket setup is the foundation and the rest builds on it.
The full routine is in The two bucket wash method, done properly, if your foam is thin, why your snow foam is not thick is the five things to check, and what pH neutral actually means is the one worth reading before you buy any shampoo.
Common questions
What does pH neutral car wash actually mean?
A pH neutral shampoo sits close to neutral rather than alkaline, so it lifts dirt without chemically attacking what is on top of the paint. Anything strong enough to strip road film on its own will also strip your wax or sealant and shorten a ceramic coating. WASH, SNOW and CERAMIC WASH are all pH neutral, which is why we use them on coated customer cars every day. The longer version, including the three products in your kit that should not be pH neutral, is in What pH Neutral Car Wash Actually Means.
How much shampoo per bucket?
10ml per litre, which is one capful. A 15 litre bucket filled halfway holds about 8 litres, so that is 80ml or eight capfuls. A 1 litre bottle is around twelve washes and the 5 litre around 62.
Do I need snow foam as well as shampoo?
Only if you have a pressure washer, because the lance runs off it. Snow foam is a pre wash: it clings and softens dirt so less of it is still on the car when the pad touches the paint. Without a pressure washer, a thorough rinse in the shade does most of the same job.
What is the difference between WASH and CERAMIC WASH?
Both are pH neutral shampoos and both are coating safe. CERAMIC WASH carries SiO2, so every wash tops the hydrophobics up instead of slowly wearing them down. If your car is coated or sealed, CERAMIC WASH. If it is not, WASH.
Two buckets or one?
Two. It is the single biggest upgrade most people can make to a home wash and it costs less than a tank of fuel. The rinse bucket is where the grit ends up instead of back on your paint, and the grit guard is what makes the rinse bucket actually work.
