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Ben Kasierski is a North Carolina native who covers the latest automotive and motorcycle products. He has tested hundreds of car detailing products – including tire shines, car wash soaps, and full detailing kits – as well as gadgets to make life easier for the everyday driver like key finders and GPS trackers. Automatic Car Washer
A sensible all-around car wash soap.
An Amazon bestseller with powerful suds.
A tried-and-true name in car wash soaps.
A bargain two-in-one wash and wax combo.
A streak-free car wash soap great for all vehicles.
Thinking about using dish soap to wash your car? Think again.
Car wash soaps, much like shampoos that we use on ourselves, are specially designed for a specific surface type to improve long-term health and prevent damage. The right soap for your car, therefore, should be chosen with care. Fortunately, our team of expert reviewers has tested the best car wash soaps on the market to help you find the right one for your vehicle.
The car wash soaps in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching retailers like Amazon, RealTruck, and Advance Auto Parts for top products, looking at factors such as lubricity, pH balance, customer ratings, and prices.
Based on scent, concentration, foaminess, and streak and spot resistance, our favorite car wash soaps are Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow, Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Super Suds, Armor All Car Wash Formula , Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax , Adam’s Polishes Car Wash Shampoo.
*Because cost data fluctuates, the prices in the table above are approximate values that our team regularly updates.
After looking at factors such as industry reputations, customer ratings, and prices, our product testing team ordered the car wash soaps that best met these standards. A team member tested each product on a sedan, taking note of how well the car wash soap cleaned the car, how well it smelled, and the foaminess and concentration of the formulas. Each car wash soap was given a rating out of 5.0 stars based on these criteria.
Learn more about how we tested car wash soaps here.
Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow is our top pick because of its formidable cleaning capabilities at a price that won’t break your budget. Its concentrated formula makes car cleaning a breeze for the everyday motorist and will leave the surface of your car shiny and protected.
The soap’s honeydew aroma is also enticing and pairs well with its spot-free shine. You can see how the Honeydew Snow fared during testing:
Below are the pros and cons of the Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow:
Pros Great price Spot-free shine Pleasing scent Cons
Because the Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow soap scored well across all of our team’s review categories, we highly recommend it. It smelled amazing, and we couldn’t get enough of the snow-like foam it formed over our testing car.
Many reviewers rave about the car wash soap’s foaming abilities, likening it to a layer of snow that rests on their cars. They also like the scent that comes along with it. Many positive reviews are from car owners who used pressure washers to spray their vehicles and microfiber towels for drying.
Chemical Guys Mr. Pink is the number one bestseller on Amazon for car wash soaps because of its excellent grime-stopping properties. Its suds-heavy formula of slick polymers and hyper surfactants is superb at lifting dirt from vehicles, reducing the amount of time you need to spend scrubbing.
Below is a scorecard of how well Chemical Guy’s Mr. Pink formula performed during testing:
Below are the pros and cons of the Chemical Guys Mr. Pink Super Suds:
Pros Superb dirt removal Super high sud count Great value for amount of soap Cons Slightly chemical smell
One thing we really enjoyed about using Mr. Pink was its high amount of suds produced with minimal effort.
A whopping 76 percent of all reviews are 5.0 stars. Many of the positive reviews praise the Mr. Pink Super Suds cleaner for its powerful foaming ability and compatibility with waxed cars.
While there are few negative reviews about this product, some of the positive ones recommend using a foam gun or foam cannon for the best results.
Coming up on its 60th birthday this year, Armor All has been a trusted name in car care for generations. It’s no wonder that its Car Wash Formula stands as one of our team’s favorite car wash soaps.
You can see how the Armor All Car Wash Soap performed in each of our testing categories below:
Below are the pros and cons of the Armor All Car Wash Formula:
Pros Recognizable, trusted brand Removed even the toughest grime and dirt No streaking or spotting Cons Slightly unpleasant scent
While the Armor All Car Wash Formula was tough on tackling dirt and grime with its strong foam, it left a slight chemical odor.
The Armor All Car Wash Formula is so good that 76 percent of reviews are 5.0 stars. Many of the positive reviews highlight the streak-free shine of the soap leaves and its foaminess.
One common trend among reviews is how well this soap works with the partnering microfiber sponge from Armor All, which can be purchased as a kit on Amazon .
Want wax protection on your car without having to do the waxing? Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax keeps your car’s paint job looking brand new while also providing optimal protection.
If you want the durability of car wax without paying for a professional detailer, Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax may be perfect for your needs. Although it takes extra time and effort to properly wash with this soap, the end result is worthwhile for any motor enthusiast.
Below is how Meguiar’s car wash soap performed in each of our testing categories:
Below are the pros and cons of the Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax:
Pros Washes and waxes car in one process Great price for wash and wax combo Cons Requires heavy stirring Slightly chemical odor
Although it left a great finish on painted surfaces and created a good foam, the Meguiar’s product required some heavy stirring.
A total of 83 percent of the Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash & Wax’s reviews are 5.0 stars, claiming the product is the ultimate wax product for getting a brilliant finish.
There are very few negative reviews of this product, but some claim that a separate wash and wax process will obtain longer-lasting results.
This soap is ideal for any car owner who likes a basic wash for easy-to-handle road grime and other contaminants. Adam’s Polishes formula is perfect for weekly washes without damaging your paint and can be purchased with a bucket and glove as a great DIY kit for beginners.
Below is how the Adam’s Polishes Car Wash Shampoo performed under our testing criteria:
We had to scrub slightly harder with Adam’s Polishes Car Wash Shampoo than other car wash soaps we tested, but it performed well, leaving our test vehicle with great shine.
Adam’s Polishes shampoo is well-liked among customers. Over 80 percent of reviews are 5.0-star ratings, with many customers detailing how pleasant their cars shined after use.
There are not many negative reviews for this soap, but the few that exist claim the 16.0-oz. bottle is difficult to use or damages easily in shipping.
When buying a car wash soap, it’s important to consider the vital features that the product must have to be effective. Our team agrees that while scent, concentration, foaminess, and streak and spot resistance are our testing criteria, they should also be factors to consider when you’ve decided it’s time for a new soap. We also have a few other considerations that are worth taking into account before you decide on your next car wash soap.
If you are sensitive to strong odors or have a loved one who may be, it’s important to consider how strongly a car wash soap will smell. It’s best to avoid soaps that have a chemical smell and try to use those with a more subtle, inviting scent.
A soap with a high concentration of polymers will need less water to be effective. This not only provides you with a more thorough wash but also requires a lower soap-to-water ratio so you can get more washes for less money.
Foaming car washes are better than others because foam is more effective at picking up dirt and grime than a typical waterless car wash. Lubricity is important to consider, as well, so that you can expend less effort for a better result.
If you prefer the simple nature of a waterless car wash and are looking to pick up a bottle, we recommend checking out our review of the best waterless car wash soaps . Our review will ensure a spot-free car wash, as long as you follow any included directions and put in a little elbow grease.
Besides keeping your paintwork fresh, car wash soaps that are resistant to water spots and streaks are better for auto detailing needs. Swirl marks can be detrimental to your car’s wax job so the less, the better.
Be sure that your soap is pH-balanced before purchasing, as an unbalanced soap can cause long-term damage to your car. Also consider investing in wash products such as buckets, wash mitts, microfiber towels, and even a foam gun to perform the best possible cleanup for your vehicle. If you are worried about your environmental impact, consider a biodegradable car wash soap, as well.
Based on factors such as scent, concentration, value, foaminess, and streak resistance, we think the following are the five best car wash soaps in 2024:
Washing your car with household soaps such as dish soap or laundry detergent can damage your vehicle. These soaps are not formulated for use on car paint and can strip your car’s protective clear coat wax layer. Only car soaps should be used to wash your car.
Yes, but it will not be able to pick up dirt or excess grime buildup at the same level that a car soap can. Washing your vehicle with car wash soap also allows for the use of products like conditioner and wax to reinforce its protective barrier through car detailing .
Many car wash soaps have different features specific to paint types or even wash types, such as regular versus two-in-one shampoos with wax or no-rinse washes . Choosing the right soap for your car and desired wash is important, as the wrong product can cause lasting damage.
Each soap was tested in accordance with the instructions provided by its respective manufacturer. We rinsed our testing vehicle with water, applied each soap to a specific area of the car, and rinsed the car again with clean water. We applied every soap in a different area of our vehicle to see a side-by-side comparison of each product after cleaning.
Below, we have an in-depth explanation of what we consider to be the most important factors to look for in a car wash soap. Each factor contributed to the overall ratings of the products in this review.
A soap’s scent can make or break your purchase. We looked for soaps that produce a pleasant scent while not being too overpowering. Car wash soaps that met these criteria scored highest in this category. Soaps with a very strong chemical scent scored lower in this category.
Car wash soaps that have a higher concentration require a lower soap-to-water ratio. This means you’ll get more washes while using less product, saving you money. The soaps that had a higher concentration scored highest in this category. By following the manufacturer’s instructions for combining soap and water, along with testing the soap on our vehicle, we determined the concentration of each car wash soap.
The amount of foam a car wash soap produces equates to how well the soap will pick up and remove dirt and grime. The car wash soaps in this review that produced a good amount of foam scored highest in this category, while soaps that produced little to no foam scored lower.
The last thing you want is noticeable streaking and spotting on your exterior after cleaning. The soaps that left a clean, smooth shine after being used on our vehicle scored highest in this category. Any streaks or spots we noticed after the car dried lowered the product’s rating in this category.
Our testing team assesses each product with the assumption that it will be able to accomplish its intended purpose. We then award or dock points based on the performance of the product.
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here .
*Data accurate at time of publication. Products subject to availability.
Ben Kasierski is a North Carolina native who covers the latest automotive and motorcycle products. He has tested hundreds of car detailing products – including tire shines, car wash soaps, and full detailing kits – as well as gadgets to make life easier for the everyday driver like key finders and GPS trackers.
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