Product Tips for Car Cleaning

[zeddicus]

Hi All,

 

I've been using my local car washes for the last few years (ease, busy etc etc!) but my kids (7 & 9) have said they'd like to help me clean our cars. Far be it from me to discourage slave labour such eagerness!

 

To that end, I'm looking for some tips as to what I should buy to clean the cars.

 

I've got a long reach garden hose and a pressure washer, and a gravel driveway which allows for good soak away.

 

I'd like to spend no more than around £50 on products to cover inside and out as, if it does end up being a passing fad, then it only takes 5 washes to recoup the cost of the local car wash!

 

Also, it needs to be relatively quick and easy. My days of spending hours and hours waxing and finishing a car are long behind me! I'm not looking for perfection, just a decent job to keep each of our two cars looking good.

 

I'm figuring I'll need to get a bucket with a grit catcher and I quite like the idea of a snow foam lance.

 

What would you folks recommend given those criteria? Especially keen to hear from @Hunty278 as I seem to remember he's a great detailer and he bought my old twindoor!

 

Thanks

 

Z

[Hunty278]

Hi Z,

 

Still got the Superb, albeit with a few more miles on the clock. Shes still going strong.

 

There are a whole array of options out there and very few are incorrect, so here are a few products that I use.

 

Grab a snow foam lance of eBay. I bought one for £15 and it is still going strong 2 years later. Bilt Hamber autofoam is a decent cleaning foam at reasonable cost. It isn't a thick foam but cleans well.

 

Get a decent microfiber wash mitt and shampoo. I've got Gyeon Bathe Essence shampoo as you only need 10 squirts of the pump into a bucket and it cleans well. One of the thick microfiber wash mitt is best. I grabbed a bear car care one from Jabbasport when I was there last but there are loads online or in Halfords.

 

Protection wise, look at Sonax Brilliant Shine detailer from eurocarparts. Use one of the discount codes on there and you should grab a bottle for around £7. One application will last 6 weeks easily.

 

That's really all I use at the moment as, like yourself, I don't want to spend hours cleaning cars. 

 

Hope this helps a little. 

 

Neil

 

[Vrsboi]

ez car care is a budget friendly brand that might be good for you, they have a weekend warrior kit that might be suitable for you. A snow foam lance is a must

[zeddicus]

Thanks both, and glad to know the Twindoor is still going strong @Hunty278

 

Some great suggestions there. Most importantly, I need to check what brand my pressure washer is so I get the right snow foam lance!

[zeddicus]

Thanks guys. A little update...

 

I have an old power devil pressure washer and I thought I would give it a run out last weekend with the kids as I found an old, old 'valet pack' with some GardX products in it from a car from several years ago!

 

Had fun, and really like using the wash mitts which I hadn't used before. But, the pressure washer gave up the ghost half way through! No great loss as its 15 years old and barely been used, but it does mean the budget was blown! 

 

Just picked up a Karcher K5 on special offer - £248!

 

Also, have been very impressed with EZ Car Care's customer service. I ended up buying 2 packs from them - the cleaning pack for £30 and the Snow Foam pack with lance for £36. I'd ordered them before the Power Devil blew up, so had ordered a Lavor lance which is compatible. Emailed them over the weekend to see how I could get a Karcher one, and they rang on Tuesday saying they'll send out the Karcher attachment by 24hr courier (so I get it in plenty of time for the weekend) with no additional charge! Great customer service!!

 

Going to try out the whole kit for a proper clean this weekend so will keep you update!

[BATVANVRS]

These days I only end up using the EZ for my car, I've used loads of brands in the past but prefer the EZ for car cleaning, the only thing I use which is not EZ is a wax (Jayswax) ceramic, check them out of eBay.

[Hough1981]

+1 for EZ Car Care. My go to products now.

[maffyou]

Speaking of EZ I ordered this today https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07N2ZWM12/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mwLkDbRFJ7CZ3

along with extra micro fibre towels, a Bilt-Hamber clay bar, Glart applicator pads and EZ ceramic wax. Looking forward to using it all on Friday!