Updated at: 11-06-2022 - By: Lucas

Not only can washing your car at home save you money, but it also gives you the freedom to wash it the way you want to. But there are a few things you should keep in mind when shopping for car wash products to use at home. A good place to start is by knowing what you need, what you don’t need, and what will make your life easier.

The Basics

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You will need a bucket, some sponges or rags, and some kind of soap at the very least. Now, if you’re on a tight budget and you’re washing your car at home because you don’t have the time or money to go to a carwash, dish soap is often thought to be a good way to get rid of dirt and grime. But here’s the truth: dish soap isn’t a good choice for someone who wants to wash their car often, but it works well in a pinch. Dish soap is made to get rid of dirt and grease, so it can be used to clean most cars. But it won’t help the paint job on the car at all. Instead, we recommend a cheap car wash soap like Meguiar’s G7164 Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner.

Updated on May 22, 2022, at 5:32 a.m.; contains affiliate links; images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Your rag or sponge is also something that makes a big difference. If you can, use a sponge instead of a rough rag. It will be softer and better for the paint job. If you have to use a rag, though, a cut-up old cotton T-shirt is a great choice that will be gentle on the paint and get rid of dirt at the same time. Your bucket doesn’t matter much because it just holds water and gives you a place to rinse your sponge or get more of your washing solution.

Here’s what we think are some good, cheap basics for a car wash:

Viking 12-Quart Car Wash Bucket

Meguiar’s G7164 Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo and Conditioner

Chemical Guys Chenille Premium Scratch-Free Microfiber Wash Mitt

Special Soaps

Special Soaps

The next thing to think about is what kinds of soaps you might need. If you need to wash something off your car like road salt, you might need a stronger soap than dish soap. If you are washing bugs off, you might also need a soap with special properties that help get rid of these nasty little bugs that have dried on. You want to make sure that the soap you use is safe for cars and won’t damage the paint or the lights. We recommend the Meguiar’s soap above because of this.

If you don’t want to wax your car by hand after you wash it, you might also want to buy soap with wax already in it. The best cheap car wash soap with wax for this is Meguiar’s G17748 Ultimate Wash and Wax. Wax protects your car from the weather and makes it easier to wash a second time because it keeps dirt, grime, and bugs from sticking to the car. If you want just soap, look for auto soap in the car section of your local store.

Special Tools

If you’re looking for a tool that will make washing your car easier, you might want to think about special tools. If you wash your car at home, you know that water spots are one of the most annoying things about it. Now, water spots can make your paint fade, hurt your clear coat, and are annoying when you just spent a lot of time washing your car.

One way to keep your car from getting water spots is to use a shammy towel that is made to soak up water and leave your car shiny without streaks. You can usually find these towels in most basic cleaning kits. These towels can also help get rid of water and stop rust and water from pooling, which can damage your car’s body over time.

FAST RESULTS: The easiest and quickest way to remove compounds, polishes, waxes, and spray detailers.

SHOW CAR RESULTS: The best towel for polishing paint, glass, plastic, and chrome to get show-car results.

NO MORE SWIRLS: This incredibly soft microfiber towel makes results that are swirl-free and look like a mirror.

TAKES IN DOUBLE AS MUCH: The thick, deep, two-sided microfiber pile absorbs twice as much as regular terry towels, so you can wipe things off faster with fewer strokes.

Three 16″ x 24″ towels come in a pack. For more than one use, machine wash

Updated on May 22, 2022, at 4:12, with affiliate links and images from the Amazon Product Advertising API.

You might also find attachments for your garden hose that make it easier to clean. This will speed up the process, but it might not give you the kind of clean you want. Most of the time, these are just used to put soap on, and the scrubbing is still done by hand. Auto brushes are also risky because the harder ones can damage paint and make your car look old. If you want to wash your car with a brush, choose one that is very soft or made of natural fibres to protect the paint.

Waxes and Second Step Products

The last thing you should think about are the things you put on your car after you wash it. Second-step products are what you put on your car to keep it clean and protected for longer. Wax, clear coats, and even liquid wax solutions add a second layer of protection between your car and the elements, keeping it cleaner for longer. Look for a wax that is clear and can be used on more than one car. Also, look for waxes that can be used in any weather and protect your car from a variety of things. Read our guide to finding the best car wax.

If you aren’t sure about any of these products, you can always buy a basic cleaning kit that will help keep your car shining. Most of the time, these kits include a towel to dry your car, soap to wash it, a sponge, maybe some detailing brushes, and wax. Some kits may also come with things to clean the inside of your car, like wipes for the dashboard or cleaner for the windows. These kits are an excellent way to get started.

COMPLETE CAR KIT: Includes 12 high-quality products to clean, shine, and protect your paint, interior, wheels, bumpers, and everything else. Eliminates the need to guess.

GOLD CLASS CAR WASH is made to blast dirt and grime off your car and make it shine.

GOLD CLASS CARNAUBA PLUS LIQUID WAX makes your car shiny and protects it for a long time.

ENDURANCE TIRE GEL: Protects tyres with a high gloss shine and keeps them black with a dark gloss shine.

ALSO INCLUDED: Clay Bars and Quik Detailer to remove bonded contaminants, ScratchX 2.0 to remove swirls and scratches, Quik Interior Detailer to clean and protect interior surfaces, PlastX Clear Plastic Cleaner & Polish to remove defects on uncoated clear plastics, and accessories.

Updated on May 22, 2022, at 5:32 a.m.; contains affiliate links; images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2 thoughts on “Essential Home Car Wash Equipment Buying Guide”

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David Warner September 9, 2019 at 12:51 pm As car gear, I would take a foam gun and a water hose. Anyway, thanks for your article, which has a lot of good information.

As car gear, I would take a foam gun and a water hose. Anyway, thanks for your article, which has a lot of good information.

Michael Alden 12 February 2020, 2:59 a.m. I want to keep my car as clean as possible. It makes sense that detailing would be a good way to do that. Since I’m always busy, I might need to hire someone to do that for me.

I want to keep my car as clean as possible. It makes sense that detailing would be a good way to do that. Since I’m always busy, I might need to hire someone to do that for me.