I tried a new car wash soap

**Eldorado2k** · 08-28-2023, 05:51 AM

It’s been just over 3 weeks since I did a full detail on my car [clay/polish/seal] and it was time to give it the 1st wash this weekend.

I usually use Meguairs Hyper Wash, but recently I had seen a few videos on the Armor All Shield Ceramic Car Wash that seemed kind of interesting. At 1st I didn’t really give it much thought but I did find the beading it produced pretty impressive for being just a car wash shampoo.

It wasn’t until I remembered that I already had a base layer of Armor All Extreme Shield Wax that I should be the perfect candidate for that particular soap because you know, “synergy”. [not to mention I love beading]

So I went to the local auto parts store and picked up a bottle to try it out.

The directions on the label say to add 2oz. to your wash bucket, but I’ve seen some guys in the videos that add 5-6oz. into their wash buckets. I chose to go with 3oz. for this 1st wash.

A little different setup than I usually do, as this time I actually did a 3 bucket wash.
-1st bucket held my clean mitts.
-2nd bucket for the used mitts.
-3rd bucket for the soapy water only.

After adding 3oz. of soap into a 3 gallon bucket and creating the suds I began the wash by dunking a mitt and washing 1/2 of the roof/rear window/side windows/windshield, then another mitt for the other half of the car.

Per the directions, it says to rinse each section immediately after agitating with a mitt. Here’s what it looked like after that 1st rinse. Nothing new, it was looking like this before the car wash but I still took pics.

Now here’s where things got a bit weird. When I came back to the soap bucket about halfways though the wash, the suds had gone completely flat. This was a major turnoff.

I ended up having to re start the suds with the hose nozzle everytime I needed fresh mitts [I use 2 at a time]

Other than the lack of suds, it seemed to do just fine.

Results were great as expected.

Conclusion/initial thoughts:

I’ll have to try it @6oz. per wash bucket because the lack of suds were an absolute buzzkill. Or maybe I’ll have to try Hyper Wash in a bucket without mitts and see if it does the same thing.

I can’t speak on whether it’s really capable of producing beading on its own until I try it on a vehicle with bare paint.

There’s alot of people in the youtube comments who complain about this soap leaving near impossible to remove streaks on their paint after using it… Those people are idiots who don’t know how to follow directions.

It clearly states on the directions to rinse immediately after agitating and not allow it to dry on your paint.

Has anyone else tried this soap yet?

**Rsurfer** · 08-28-2023, 03:22 PM

They are probably using too much soap, thinking more will give them more cleaning power and suds.

**MisterSnoop** · 08-28-2023, 04:02 PM

Haven't used this buy have used Griot's ceramic wash & coat, which is a similar product. That also has very minimal suds. The cleaning power is pretty meh so I've gone to using it as a post wash step. Normal bucket wash and then just a quick wipe on with the mitt. Since the car is clean at that point, I'm not worried about rinsing the mitt off or anything in a rinse bucket. Since you don't have to do any cleaning, you can quickly do multiple panels and then rinse off.

**Rsurfer** · 08-28-2023, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by MisterSnoop

Haven't used this buy have used Griot's ceramic wash & coat, which is a similar product. That also has very minimal suds. The cleaning power is pretty meh so I've gone to using it as a post wash step. Normal bucket wash and then just a quick wipe on with the mitt. Since the car is clean at that point, I'm not worried about rinsing the mitt off or anything in a rinse bucket. Since you don't have to do any cleaning, you can quickly do multiple panels and then rinse off.

Seems redundant..I would try something else.

**briarpatch** · 08-28-2023, 04:18 PM

Never tried that one....but recently got some Gtechniq Ceramic Wash. My truck has MOHS EVO on it, and was not very dirty, so I figured I'd try it. Similar to other ceramic shampoos, it produced very little suds. I do believe the truck was a little more glossy when done.

**PaulMys** · 08-28-2023, 04:20 PM

I read the thread title, then looked over to see who started it.

When I saw it was you Ric, I immediately said to myself "Well, it ain't HyperWash."

Optimum Car Wash did the same thing to me (suds die quickly). But I still liked it for it's cleaning ability. Smelled good too.

But, I would never buy more of it. Like you, I like to have plenty of suds.

I can finish washing my truck, dry the whole thing, and apply a coat of spray wax before the suds in my bucket of HyperWash completely die off.

**MisterSnoop** · 08-28-2023, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Rsurfer

Seems redundant..I would try something else.

time wise, it's on par with using a ceramic detailer after washing and it makes drying faster. not my usual method, which is rinseless.

**Eldorado2k** · 08-28-2023, 04:42 PM

Originally Posted by Rsurfer

They are probably using too much soap, thinking more will give them more cleaning power and suds.

Originally Posted by MisterSnoop

Haven't used this buy have used Griot's ceramic wash & coat, which is a similar product. That also has very minimal suds.

The weird thing is, in all of the videos they’re all amazed at how much foam this soap produces and the label actually gives a set of directions for foam cannon use @6-8oz which has lead to people making the videos.

The bucket wash videos have adopted that same ratio of about 6oz. per bucket wash based on the fact that the label vaguely recommends 2oz. per bucket instead of specifically saying 2oz. per gallon the way most people are used to… Therefore everyone seems to agree that it’s more like 2oz. X 3 per 3 gallons of water = 6oz. per bucket wash. Lol.

I didn’t necessarily need the self produced beading so I tested @3oz. per bucket but didn’t expect the weak suds.

I’ll link a couple of interesting videos.