My experience with CG Wash and Gloss - a different kind of review

[Rod]

Getting some Dodo Juice BTBM shortly to compare.

[BrianMcLeod]

Great review I enjoyed reading it I am using CG honeydew for regular washes what are you using?

[Lexi65]

I tested the shampoo Citrus Wash and Gloss from Chemical Guys today and was planning to do a review but then got thinking about how many reviews are there in the Internet already (either in this forum or in others) so instead of doing the classic review with all the nice pictures I thought about doing something different and focus on my feelings while using it, "telling my experience with the product". I hope you like it for a change and find it interesting. Here we go...

Initially you can inmediately see that the shampoo is terribly strong, even by its separation when not shaken. It looks like a product which has expired, but of course its not and its very common if not used in some time. First lesson learned is to shake very very well before using it. Second lesson learned is that a very little product is enough for a full bucket. I've used only one cap full (1 oz) for a full bucket or around 20 litres of water. Remember that the CG caps are exactly 1oz. I have first put the water, then the product and an agitation with the water pressure machine. This is the best way as I learned in this forum!

The first contact with my bare hands made me think that didn't have much lubricity. You can fell that, although sud was pretty cool. For all of you to have a reference I am loyal user of Meguiars NXT (the violet one) which I find extremely good. Have been looking to get some Dodo Juice - Born to be mild for a chance but has not been possible yet as no one sells it in Argentina. Coming back to the CG citrus wash n gloss, then first thought was: reduced lubricity. I was a little worried about that.

Nevertheless, while using it I found it with enough lubricity for a quality wash. I tried very slightly with the microfiber wash mitt over the hood and it was doing great moving along nice and easy with no friction at all and that gave me confidence. In comparison to the Meguiars one you could see that the cleaning power/properties of the shampoo are much stronger. While also the NXT has a great power cleaning, the way it acts is different. NXT is very soft with the paint, encapsulating the dirt and releasing it from the paint with no effort at all. In comparison the CG was clearly doing a stronger work and removing all dirt in a different way.

The suds of the shampoo did not easily fall from the car doing its work but seemed to be drying fast, although after rising no marks of the soap were left behind. Drying the car was very easy but the paint felt somehow "naked". Extremely cleaned, but not as soft as when using the NXT or other shampoo. Probably because the wash removed all toping but of course not the coating. Anyhow you can feel the difference vs a regular wash.

Once the car was completely dried if you passed your hand over the paint you could feel the paint quite rough and not slippery at all. So, the claim from CG about being a strong shampoo which leaves nothing behind is 100% accurate.

The finish was quite good in terms of look, but the roughness of the paint was strongly bothering me. So applied reload from cquartz, nice quantity with a very soft and thick microfiber and both the look and the gloss/slippery completely changed. I did rhe test between one topped panel and one not topped, the difference was extreme at hand contact. The one topped was slippery, nice to touch and wet looking. The one un topped was very clean, shine was not nice at hand contact. If you did some pressure your fingers stopped against the paint itself.

So, in conclussion: great shampoo, no doubts about it. Does exactly what it says and if used in high concentration leaves nothing behind (in terms of waxes, sealants, QD, etc). The smell is great and as all CG products is very eye-catching. Vibrating yellow, nice packaging, great improved label, etc. A little product goes long way and the ability to clean is impressive. Happy that I bought it.

Its not as lubricated as I would have expected. Highly probable due to the citrus content, which you can also feel in the skin of your hands afterwards. Perhaps I would give CG Glockworz a try to see if the lubricity is a CG thing in comparison to the NXT (which I find brilliant in that aspect) or if its just a thing of the Citrus Wash and Gloss.

Would I recommend it? Oh hell yeah!
Would I use it as my maintenance shampoo? Probably not, even in lower concentration. I would keep it for special uses.

All this experience was in a VW Golf GTI MK6 Red Tornado with Cquartz UK and topped with reload which has not been washed in 2 weeks. BTW after the wash you could notice how the water repelence of reload was almost gone and only the Cquartz UK was remaining/acting.

I hope you have enjoyed the reading of a different kind of review and please forgive me is there is any mistake in the writting but I am not a native english speaker.

Looking forward to read your comments!


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A little confused, does this shampoo tend to remove wax, sealant, etc.?

[kochdalton87]

A little confused, does this shampoo tend to remove wax, sealant, etc.?

Mixing at a high concentration can have the effect of removing or weakening your pre-existing LSP. Refer to the directions on the bottle for the recommended dilution ratio.

[Rod]

Great review I enjoyed reading it I am using CG honeydew for regular washes what are you using?

Thanks Brian I appreciate you like it. I am using Meguiars NXT as a regular soap and will buy Dodo BTBM to try something different shortly.


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[Rod]

A little confused, does this shampoo tend to remove wax, sealant, etc.?

Yes it does Lexi. But it depends on the dilution ratio. 1oz per gallon to strip.


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[tommykaida]

Great review Rod, i've been using CG citrus wash&gloss for some time and it really does a great job on removing even the nastiest dirts.

But then i'm more interested in your comparison with the Meg's NXT. Does it really work great for maintenance wash? In terms of the after wash looks and feels without applying any polish, wax or sealant after?

[KBsToy]

Mixing at a high concentration can have the effect of removing or weakening your pre-existing LSP. Refer to the directions on the bottle for the recommended dilution ratio.

read directions , 1oz per gallon...

[Vue to a kill]

I love this stuff. I have OC on my car and I'm always throwing something on top for fun so this stuff is nice in regards to stripping away anything. However, i do completely understand that someone without a coating may want to use something gentler for maintenance washes. It's a much better option than using dish soap to strip though! Never had a good experience with that.

[KBsToy]

read directions , 1oz per gallon...

Clarify my statement. 1oz per 5 gallons to wash. 1oz per gallon to strip off LSP...