We have personally owned and used all of these items at some point in our nine years of detailing, and some we even still use to this day. Most Amazon links below are affiliate links which won't change the price you pay, but will give us a small commission.
This list should make it simple for you to create a simple and safe washing procedure that you can complete at home. A video guide for these steps is coming soon!
Meguiar's has a number of excellent options for consumer-grade, reasonably priced car soaps. We suggest purchasing the Gold Class version to be the easiest on the ceramic coating.
We wanted some microfibers that had a little bit more fluff than a standard microfiber towel as they will be the ones you use for the wash. These ones from CarCarez are perfect for that.
The Bug Remover from 3D, which is safe to use on all surfaces, including ceramic coatings, is an excellent tool for cleaning bugs off the front of your car.
One of our primary stops for our chemicals, rags, and other detailing supplies is Griots Garage. With their Tar and Sap Remover you will be able to watch any tar and sap melt away in a matter of seconds thanks to one of the best Tar and Sap removers we've tried so far!
This Griot's Garage product is an amazing 3-in-1 product. This will remove layers of dirt and grime that you wouldn't have even realized were there.
We don't advise using microfibers on tires in particular because they can trap a lot of dirt and deteriorate the fibers. Instead, to scrub and thoroughly clean the wheels, we advise using a brush similar to this one.
It is convenient to have a good selection of brushes so that you can quickly reach and clean every area on the exterior of your car, especially smaller areas like the front grill and side mirrors.
We recommend this pack of 10 edgeless microfibers from The Rag Company is recommended if you need high-quality microfibers for small-area touch-ups or cleaning.
The Rag Company produces some of the best drying towels that we have found so far. If you prefer one large drying towel than several smaller ones, this is the larger option.
Alternatively, for roughly the same cost, you can purchase this 3-pack of towels from The Rag Company in place of the single large towel; it all depends on your personal preference, we switch between the 2 options all of the time.
Put 4-5oz (a good amount) of Meguiar's Gold Class Soap into a bucket and then fill the bucket about halfway with water. Then put all the microfibers in the bucket as well.
Use your hose to give your car a good rinse, this will get all large contaminants off of the car as well as wets down the vehicle for the next steps. If you plan on using the 3D Bug Remover or Griots Tar and Sap Remover, read the instructions on how to use them and use them now.
Grab a microfiber out of the bucket and fold it in 1/4ths (2 folds), then go panel by panel folding the towel to a new side each time you move to the next one. You should get about 8 panels per towel. This ensures no dirt is carried over to the next panel, and the least amount of new scratches are made on your paint.
Use the Wheel Brush and spray on the Griot's Wheel Tire and Mat cleaner to clean off any tough to remove dirt. You can use the smaller brushes to reach into smaller grooves like the lug nuts if needed.
Rinse off the entire vehicle. Make sure to get in all the cracks where smaller debris likes to get stuck, and try to leave no soap behind.
Give about 2-3 sprays of Griots Ceramic Speed Shine per panel, and use your preferred drying towel to completely dry off the car. And you're done!
Get a Free Quote
(253) 252-9758