Exterior Detailing – Washing Yor Car and the DIY Car Wash

The bucket is the foundation of the two bucket wash system. This item includes one bucket and one grit guard. It does not include the microfiber sponge. We suggest ordering two. One is used with your soap. The second is used with plain water to rinse off your wash sponge. We label ours and always use the same bucket for the same purpose.

This garden hose version of the foam cannon is awesome for those who do not have a pressure washer. Used here with Actifoam Energy foaming car shampoo.

We LOVE foam guns. This high-capacity 1 Liter foam gun creates an awesome foam layer on your vehicle. This version MUST be used with a pressure washer not a garden hose.

SONAX Car Wash Shampoo Concentrate 314300

If you are looking for a pretty bottle containing various fruity smells, this is not your product. This automotive detailing shampoo is all work and no play. Obviously it has a pleasant odor, but it′s designed to remove dirt. Pure and simple. Phosphate-free, PH Neutral concentrated shampoo for your car or truck. Safe for all finishes. Environmentally friendly. Can be used undiluted for tree sap and bug remains.

SONAX PROFILINE ActiFoam Energy Foaming Car Wash Shampoo 1L (618300) is ideally suited for washing your car when using a foam cannon or foam gun. We always suggest both foaming and using a two bucket method of washing the vehicle. Dilution ratio 1:30

Can be used as an insect remover and rim cleaner but we typically suggest products specifically formulated for those tasks.

For best results when washing a vehicle so our article on how to wash a car. Use wheel cleaner or wheel cleaner Plus on wheels. Rinse the vehicle thoroughly. Use insect remover and insect removing sponge to remove tough, dried-on bugs. Foam the entire vehicle.  

Fill two buckets, with a grit guard or equivalent on the bottom.  Add shampoo to one. Dip wash mitt into the bucket with soap and gently glide in straight lines across a small portion of the vehicle. Rine in the clear water bucket and wring out onto the ground. Repeat until the entire vehicle is washed. rinse and dry. We suggest a drying agent and a microfiber drying towel. This is not a complete set of instructions. See article for details

New truck or car, and especially an old one, detailing your vehicle means keeping your wheels wheelie wheelie clean. SONAX Wheel Cleaner Full Effect 230200 is the ideal cleaner for the toughest road grime. The color-changing formula turns from green to pink as it attaches itself to built-up brake dust. When used regularly and in conjunction with a strong water hose or power washer it can often be a scrub-free solution to cleaning your wheels.

20-30% stronger wheel cleaner. SONAX Wheel cleaner PLUS 750ml 230400 is safe for any wheel we have come across. Goes on clear and changes color as it removes the brake dust. Let it dwell. Agitate with the Sonax wheel brush. Rinse it off.

One huge advantage of this acid-free wheel cleaner is you don′t need to scrub your wheel which can scratch them. Just agitate the cleaner using the brush.

Slow drying, no alcohol glass cleaner. Keep your glass clean with Sonax glass cleaner! Easily remove insects, dirt, grime, exhaust film, and even nicotine. This is also lube for SONAX clay disc. 

Product Size:
750ml (25.36 FL OZ)

Sonax fallout cleaner is more than just a rust remover and brake dust remover. It removes metallic-based contaminants that are often unseen to be removed by mechanical means. The best approach is to use this as a pre-wash as discussed in the video.

Prewash in small sections, allow to dwell, and rinse. Then do a complete wash.

Removing insects has never been easier with SONAX Insect Bug Remover 533200. Being based in Colorado, we know better than anyone that 20 minutes on the highway, your hood, the backside of the mirrors, and grille is covered with insects and it probably bugs the heck out of you. Sonax insect remover is safe to use on glass, chrome, paint, and plastic.

SONAX Microfiber Car Wash Sponge is perfect for use with SONAX shampoos. It is an extra-large sponge with a wash side and a side for removing tough dirt, bugs, and other dried-on gunk. Wen used in conjunction with a foaming shampoo and or the two bucket method, this sponge helps to prevent scratching.

Remember to go straight not in a circular motion and to frequently rinse the sponge in a second bucked and wring it out onto the ground -- never back into the bucket. For complete details see our how to wash a car post.

The SONAX insect sponge is one of Justin′s must-haves. Use it in conjunction with SONAX shampoo or bug and insect remover for getting rid of bugs that can permanently damage your car′s finish.  While it can be used in conjunction with any good car shampoo, never use the product on a dry surface.

3 Pack professional-grade tagless microfiber cloths.

These are our most popular Sonax Microfiber towels. Each towel in the pack has a unique colored seam so you can use a different towel for different portions of your vehicle and eliminate contamination. Designed to leave a streak-free, scratch-free finish . Highly absorbent and insanely soft.

Interior Use

Exterior Use

Our go-to Sonax cloth for glass and mirrors. Works well on interior plastics, upholstery, and carpets. Streak-resistant, ultra-fine.  Often used wet for cleaning. Used dry for simple wiping or polishing.  Great for products like SOnax interior and multi-purpose cleaners.

So it′s been a little longer than you would like to admit since you cleaned those rubber mats or gross carpets. Now you want to clean them and clean them right.  SONAX Intensive Cleaning Brush 491700 is perfect for cleaning interior textiles. Always spot-check before use and use with the appropriate SONAX brand cleaner.

If you are a beginner at detailing your vehicles or if you are just looking for a fast and easy shine it does not get much easier than SONAX Spray & Seal Instant Shine Coating. Simply wash your vehicle and leave it wet. We suggest a foaming car wash followed by the two bucket method. Then spray SONAX Spray & Seal Instant Shine Coating on evenly and dry.

Specialty applicator for waxes and polises as well as exterior plastic products.

Be Cautious! Multi Star is a nice ′little bit of everything approach to light degreasing and cleaning, especially on the exterior. For interior applications, it is stronger than the Sonax multi-purpose cleaner but it is not for use on leather, clear plastics, leavers, radio, or sat-nav devices. Long story short this is a light cleaner for the exterior and a relatively strong cleaner for the exterior so use it with caution. Applied to the wrong surfaces can cause damage or staining.

We use this product on wheel wells and highly soiled carpets but we use 321200 for most multi-purpose interior applications. It does work very well on heavily soiled carpets and some floor plastic or rubber floor mats. We start with 321200  and use this if the stain can′t be removed. But test it first -- such as on the underside of a rubber mat.  When cleaning rubber mats we suggest hosing them off or use a pressure washer. Don′t allow it to dry on the surface.

Always test first and always remove.

Love at first wipe. That is our take on the SONAX Flexi Blade 417400. For larger vehicles, it used to take multiple drying towels to get the car dry and avoid water spots. This specially designed squeegee avoids scratching your paint while making it much easier to get it dry. Works well on glass too.

The not so little towel that could. Our blue drying towel from Sonax absorbs 10x its weight in water. Dries your vehicle while being gentle on the paint. Just use one side to absorb the water and wipe again with the other side.

This detailing kit is a great starter kit, especially when paired with the interior kit. The kit contains:

Wheel Cleaner full effect (1), Car Wash Shampoo (1), Spray+Seal (1), Microfiber Sponge Red (1), Microfiber Drying Cloth (1), Bucket (1), Grit Guard Insert (1)

Things you might consider adding for exterior detailing: Microfiber cloths, engine cleaner. Spray on ceramic and quick detailer.