To give your car a brilliant shine, protect it from UV rays and other elements, repel dirt and mud, and make cleaning easier, you’ve decided to ceramic coat your car. Once you have done it, you question yourself: What is the best car wash soap for ceramic coated cars?
You understand the importance of the right soap choice. After all, your car’s exterior still requires proper maintenance to prolong the lifespan of the coating and maximize its properties.
The soap you choose will define how long the car painting protection will last. Pick the wrong soap (let’s say with wax or a high pH level), and you risk ruining the ceramic coating.
So, today you will learn how to pick the soap for your ceramic coated car. I also tested and reviewed some of the most popular options to spare you from mistakes that might have negative consequences on the vehicle’s surface.
How I picked and tested soap for ceramic coated cars
The shampoos for ceramic-coated cars I reviewed have been carefully tested. I meticulously tracked the results of every product to provide you with unbiased information.
To test the shampoos, I used a two-bucket method for every soap. So, I mixed the formula with water in one bucket to generate think foam that would repel dust or other unwanted contaminants and used plain water to rinse the car’s surface.
I considered the soap’s effectiveness and ease of use when making my verdict. The price was also the defining factor for me.
Best car wash for ceramic coating reviews
Chemical Guys Hydrosuds Ceramic Carwash – best overall
With the HydroSuds Ceramic Car Wash Soap, you will be recharging your ceramic coating and revealing gloss after every wash.
The formula is available in two bottle sizes: 16 and 64 oz. This hyper-foaming pH-neutral soap is gentle on exterior surfaces, including ceramic coating, plastic, glass, polished metals, and more. So, you can use it for your non-coated car to add some water-beading properties.
In contrast to CARPRO Reset Intensive Car Shampoo, the Chemical Guys formula includes SiO2, the main ingredient in ceramic coats. This allows renewing the coating with every wash.
The shampoo sticks to the coating thanks to thick suds and breaks down abrasive dirt and grime without scratching the surface. You will get even better results when using a foam gun. The soap also gives the car a nice shine after drying. But the smell is not what you expect from the berry scent – it is horrible.
The HydroSuds Ceramic Car Wash Soap is the best car wash for ceramic coating. It does its cleaning job pretty well and prolongs the lifespan of the coating.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 473/16
Pros
- Available in two size options: smaller and larger
- Generates thick foam for better lubrication
- Suitable for other surfaces, including glass, plastic, polished metal
- Contains SiO2 for renewing the ceramic coating layer.
Cons
- The smell is intense and not pleasant.
CARPRO Reset – also a great choice
This intensive car shampoo works great for nanotechnology-based sealants and coatings, including ceramic coatings, Reload, Hydro2, and CQUARTZ.
Similar to the HydroSuds Ceramic Car Wash Soap, this one is also pH-neutral, which allows you to protect the coating layer. It’s also free from the harsh sodium and lauryl sulfate derivatives, which enables you to gently dissolve dirt and grime without any negative effect on the car’s coating.
This high-foam formula delivers excellent lubrication to diminish any risks of scratching the ceramic coating. This shampoo is easy to rinse off from the surface regardless of thick suds. Even if it sits on the surface longer than needed, you will still be able to rinse the soap off without water staining. Mind that it is highly concentrated, so follow the dilution ratio instructions.
The smell is strong but nice. Use it on plastic wisely as the CARPRO Reset formula might turn it white and dehydrate the uncoated plastic.
You will be satisfied with the cleaning results of the CARPRO Reset shampoo. It effortlessly dissolves grime, dirt, and oil without harm to the car’s coating.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 1000/34
Pros
- A pH-neutral formula that is gentle to the ceramic coating
- Generates thick suds that deliver excellent lubrication
- Rinses off easily without water stains
- Highly concentrated, so involves economic use.
Cons
- Requires wise use on plastic.
Adam’s Polishes Car Wash Shampoo – budget
The Adam’s Polishes Car Wash Shampoo is a concentrated pH-neutral formula that would give your coated car a nice wash.
It’s made in the USA. Similar to Chemical Guys Hydrosuds Ceramic Carwash, it has a berry fragrance. The Adam’s Polishes shampoo produces thick suds. However, if you’ve already used the Chemical Guys Hydrosuds product, you will find that the foam is not as heavy as you got used to. So, perhaps, you will get better results with a foam cannon. Also, I followed the dilution instruction – the mix was too runny. I added some more soap (one more portion), and it was just perfect. In the long run, I ended up using more product than expected.
Anyway, it lubricates perfectly and allows you to safely remove dirt, pollen, soot, and other contaminants.
In terms of the value for money, this is the best soap for ceramic coated cars. What is great about this product is that you can use it even under direct sunlight. The Adam’s Polishes Car Wash Soap is friendly to plastic, rubber, sealants, or wax.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 473/16
Pros
- Nice berry fragrance
- Effectively removes dirt
- Lubricates flawlessly
- Can be used under direct sunlight.
Cons
- More product use than announced by the manufacturer
- The foam might not be thick enough.
GYEON Q2M Bathe
The GYEON Q2M Bathe is an efficient and highly-concentrated formula for washing ceramic-coated cars.
This thick pH-neutral gel emits a pleasant scent and generates long-lasting foam. It comes in several capacity options: 13, 34, and 135 oz to cover your needs. The smaller bottle comes with a dispenser, which you won’t find in the Turtle Wax Ceramic Wash and Wax.
The Q2M Bathe soap is a gentle car washing solution that mildly and effectively removes grime, dirt, brake dust, and oils from any vehicle surface, including plastic, glass, wax- and ceramic-coated areas.
It’s better to mix the shampoo with warm water to maximize its power and ensure it breaks down dirt more easily. The hydrophobic properties are awesome – water beads off when it rains. But never use this soap on a hot surface – it will leave tough water marks. Also, add the suggested ratio of shampoo and water if you do not want to get a greasy look on your vehicle. The foam would be so thick that even a pressure washer won’t handle it in one go.
The GYEON Q2M Bathe Soap leaves a nice glossy shine and works better than an ordinary shampoo.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 400/13.5
Pros
- A gentle pH-neutral formula that breaks down dust
- Promotes better water beading
- Suitable for plastic, glass, ceramic coating, and more
- Several bottle size options: 13, 34, and 135 oz.
Cons
- Soap might be hard to wash off if overused
- Leaves water marks if used on a hot surface.
Turtle Wax Ceramic Wash and Wax
The scratch-free Turtle Wax Ceramic Wash and Wax is an effective product for keeping your ceramic-coated vehicle clean and neat.
Due to the lubricating properties of this soap, the product smoothly glides over the surfaces to safely remove soils and other contaminants. This is a pH-neutral car shampoo for ceramic coating, so it will gently clean off dirt without harming the coating. It will require some pressure to clean more soiled areas. In some zones, water marks were left on the surface. At the same time, the formula promotes water beading to ensure long-lasting shine and better water protection.
It’s made in the USA and is available in one size only – 48 oz. But compared to GYEON Q2M Bathe Soap, you need more shampoo than the instruction says (3 oz of shampoo per gallon of water). I added 3 oz to a gallon of water, and I barely covered the grit guards. So, it will take more than 10 oz of this shampoo to wash your vehicle entirely.
The Turtle Wax Ceramic Wash and Wax might be a good solution for pre-washing. But if you would like to ensure crystal-clear cleaning, you’d better consider other products from my list.
Key specs
- Size, ml/fl.oz: 1420/48
Pros
- A pH-neutral formula that saves the ceramic coating
- Enhances water beading properties of the coating
- Boasts great lubrication.
Cons
- Not economic in use
- Doesn’t generate much suds
- Leaves water marks in some areas
- Might require pressure from your side to clean heavily soiled places.
You may need
Chemical Guys MIC498
Сar soap for ceramic coating buying guide
Even though the ceramic coating is tough, there are certain ingredients in the car shampoo that might cut the lifespan of the coating. Besides, you would like to get the formula that does its cleansing job pretty well. So, here is what I recommend looking for in the quality car shampoo for ceramic coating.
Wax free shampoo
Even though wax is used in car soaps for additional lubrication and reduction of scratches on non-protected surfaces, it’s better to avoid using shampoos that include wax for the vehicle with a ceramic coating. Wax can leave residues that might degrade the hydrophobic properties of the coating.
pH-neutral shampoo
An aggressive soap is a bad choice for ceramic coating as it might damage it. To avoid any harm to the protective layer, use a pH-neutral shampoo. This would allow you to avoid scratches that harsh detergents might leave.
High-foaming shampoo
There is always the risk of scratching the coating as you wash your car. When you use the shampoo with thick suds, they serve as a lubricant. This helps get rid of dirt, debris, and other contaminants effectively without damaging the surface as the soap would smoothly glide on the surface.
Why it is necessary to use special shampoos for machines with ceramic coating?
One of the best things you can do to save the ceramic coating from potential damage is proper maintenance, which includes the use of suitable shampoo.
Reasons to select a special shampoo for ceramic coating
Special shampoos for ceramic-coated cars are friendly to the protective layer yet ruthless to dirt. They are usually free of wax and are pH-neutral. These soaps have high suds properties to provide more lubrication to avoid scratching. Besides, a great car soap for ceramic coating is safe for your skin or respiratory system.
If you use general-use car shampoos
In case you decide to use ordinary car shampoo for ceramic coating, you should be ready for the consequences. First of all, aggressive or wax-included soap can reduce the glossy properties of the coating. Secondly, it might diminish the hydrophobic effect. Your car will be picking up more dirt that would be harder to clean. Finally, you can scratch the coating and waste all your effort to protect your vehicle.
Which shampoos should not be used for cars with ceramic coating?
Some shampoos might shorten the lifespan of the ceramic coating due to the ingredient composition. For example, a general-use soap might not be effective at removing dirt that appears on the vehicle. Usually, they contain light or medium degreasers that do little with breaking down brake dust, salt, or other hard build-ups on the car. Moreover, they might affect the ceramic coating, so it will get duller or get scratches.
It’s better to stay away from aggressive cleaning products and the ones that include wax. In both ways, you risk damaging the coating. Even though they might work fine for non-coated cars, they might harm the ceramic layer.
How to use ceramic car wash shampoo?
I recommend washing your car with shampoo every two weeks in normal conditions. If it gets dirty more frequently, then you can give your vehicle an extra wash.
Before you start the cleaning process, make sure the surface is cool. Then, rinse the vehicle with water to get rid of unstuck dirt. Ensure you use the correct ratio of water and shampoo as you prepare the bucket.
Wash the car in small sections, from top to bottom. Make a final rinse with clean water and dry your car with towels or other materials.
