Recommended Auto Detailing Tools

You can use some of the same tools that we do, to care for your vehicle. These are great mid-grade products that product EXCELLENT results. Not top of the line but will get you awesome results with proper technique. Last Updated: 10/18/20

The majority of these products have been chosen to ship either directly from Amazon, Car Supplies Warehouse or Clean Garage. I chose CSW and CG because they are both small/medium-sized businesses and have great customer service and extremely knowledgeable people working there. 

EXTERIOR CARE PRODUCTS

Chemical Guys Cirtus Wash & Gloss

This is our go-to soap for all non-ceramic coated vehicles. It has excellent cleaning abilities and leaves behind an awesome shine with its added glossifiers. It is also highly concentrated, so it can be used in many dilutions in a foam cannon and buckets. 

Total Detailing DRIFT Ceramic Coating Safe Shampoo Concentrate

This soap is our own formulation of soap. It is highly concentrated at 600:1, which means a little goes a very long way. This is a soap used for caring for vehicles with ceramic coatings or waxes & sealants that you don’t want to be stripped off the paint. It makes a TON of foam and is extremely lubricated.

Turtle Wax Hybrid Solutions Ceramic Wet Wax

This is a great way to apply some great shine & protection. You apply it while the vehicle is wet from the final rinse and then use a drying towel to spread it around the panel and level it. Works best when sprayed on to a very wet panel.

Turtle Wax 50984 ICE Seal N Shine Hybrid Sealant

Amazing stand-alone spray sealant. Spray it on to your towel and wipe. You can find the “new sio2 enhanced formula” in stores. Don’t pay more than $15 for it. Some places are charging $25.

Meguiars M27 Pro Hybrid Ceramic Sealant

If you really want to machine apply a wax, don’t bother with an actual wax anymore. This is a polymer-based SIO2 enhanced sealant. It does the same exact thing that liquid waxes do but it lasts longer and protects better. This can be applied in direct sunlight and doesn’t need to be wiped off until you are done the car. (If you get it done in an hour). Its easy wipe off and VERY user friendly. 

BEST VALUE & PERFORMANCE!

Total Detailing Products KINETIC Detail Spray 

This is one of our own products. This detail spray offers the best value for your money and performance. It can be used for almost anything and leaves behind a really vibrant, bright shine. It doesn’t streak and is an amazing drying aid. Best when bought by the gallon.

MEGUIAR’S G201024 Ultimate Quik Detailer

This is a great general purpose quick detailer. Use it to clean up smears, streaks and other things you may have missed. Works great as a clay lube as well.

Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine

This is a great product if you do not have access to running water and a hose (if you live in a complex) – this product is dilutable to be used as many different products. You can care for almost EVERYTHING on a vehicle with this single product. Use as a Quick Detailer at 1:16 and Clay Lube at 1:64. 

McKees 37 SIO2 Rinseless Wash

This is just like ONR above but enhanced with SIO2 which means more lubrication and slickness. That means less chance of scratching. It can be diluted for other uses as well, such as a quick detailer and clay lube. If you order this directly from Mckees 27 and use DETAILERS25 code at checkout to save 25%.

Stoner Car Care 91154 10-Ounce Tarminator Tar, Sap, and Asphalt Remover

This is one of the best aerosol tar and tree sap removers. You can buy a 12 pack for a better per ounce cost.

Stoner Car Care 91034 Trim Shine Protectant – 12-Ounce

This is an amazing exterior trim restorer. It has an easy, no smearing wipe off too, which is important since its an aerosol. This is great for dressing wheel wells. This also works for interior as well, amazing for air vents. Wipe off over spray

SURFACE DECONAMINATION

P&S Iron Remover for Wheels & Paint

P&S makes a lot of great, quality products are great price points. This one is a really great performing iron remover. Remember not to let this dry on the surface and RINSE COMPLETELY. 

Stoner Car Care 91154 10-Ounce Tarminator Tar, Sap, and Asphalt Remover

This is one of the best aerosol tar and tree sap removers. You can buy a 12 pack for a better per ounce cost.

Lithium Products FORECLAY Fine Grade Clay Bar

Most clay bars do the exact same thing. What matters is their level of aggressiveness. This clay will generally get you great results if your vehicle is well taken care of. If you’ve never clayed it before and its years old, you may want to step up in aggressiveness. This clay bar is sectioned in 4 pieces.

Intense Clay Bar – Car Supplies Warehouse

This is a multi-ack of VERY aggressive clay. This clay CAN cause a little marring, so if you don’t plan on polishing, you should step down to the fine/mild.

Gyeon Q2M Prep – 1000ML (Removes Polishes, Compounds, Prep for Ceramic)

Now you could make your own surface prep spray with IPA. Right now it’s hard to find. I personally like this product because of how it works. It has some added polymers that add some lubrication to the surface during the wipe, which helps prevent maring. If your paint is very soft and mars during the IPA prep stage, you should consider a Primer Polish, shown below. THIS IS ALSO AN AMAZING WINDOW CLEANER!

WHEEL PRODUCTS

P&S Brake Buster

This is one of the most price friendly non-acid wheel cleaner. If you want to increase its strength, buy it by the gallon. This is NOT mean’t for totally trashed wheels with baked on brake dust.

Meguiars Wheel Brightener

This is an extremely powerful acid-based wheel cleaner. You MUST not let this dry in the sun AND you can’t use this on some wheel surfaces. This is for seriously stubborn, baked on brake dust. 

Meguiars Ultimate All-Wheel Cleaner

This is one of the best all around wheel cleaners that is user friendly to use. It has a built in iron remover too.

SuperClean Gallon

This is dilutable for almost any cleaning job. 1:4 for wheels and tires is great. 

GLASS PRODUCTS

Stoner Invisible Glass

Spray this on to a clean microfiber (preferably short nap/waffle weave), clean the glass, flip towel, buff to clear. DO NOT SPRAY ON HOT GLASS! ALWAYS ON TO A TOWEL!

INTERIOR PRODUCTS

Griots Garage Interior Cleaner – Pre Mixed

This is the best pre-mixed interior cleaner that you can find just about anywhere. It finishes off clean and foams nicely when agitated. 

303 Aerospace Protectant

This is one of the best, user friendly interior dressings you can buy. It is in most major stores too. It leaves a matte finish, without high gloss. Perfect for restoring the “new car” look without a greasy finish. This works on plastic AND leather. 

GENERAL TOOLS

Active VE52 | 1800 PSI | 2.0 GPM | 12.5 Amp | Electric Pressure Washer

Hands down best electric pressure washer out. It does NOT need to be wall mounted. It can sit on the floor.

FoamWerx Professional Foam Cannon

I have 2 of these. They produce professional level results. You don’t need a $90 foam cannon.

Detail Guardz Dirt Lock / Grit Guard

These are currently the best grit guards made. When you bring your wash mit back in to your bucket, agitate it on the grit guard on the bottom. Its design prevents the most dirt from recirculating in to the water above it

OCTOMITT Chenille Microfiber Premium Scratch-Free Wash Mitt

Standard Wash Mitt. I like to have 3. One for top surfaces of paint, 1 for lower rocker areas and one for wheels.

PROPER DETAILING CO. Car Detailing Brush Set

These are great interior Brushes, I would avoid using these on paint. 

Maxshine Ever So Soft (ESS) Detailing Brush

These are very soft. Great for paint and around emblems, corners, cracks, etc. 

EZ Detail Brush Big

The golden standard for cleaning the barrels of your wheels. This also works GREAT for door jambs.

Maxshine Tire Sidewall Brush

This is the golden standard for cleaning sidewalls – WARNING, using too much pressure when going around the tire can cause tennis elbow / tendonitis. I know – because I have it from cleaning wheels.

Long Bristle Horse Hair Leather Cleaning Brush

Great to massaging in conditioning products and foaming over interior cleaners on leather. 

20″ Long Handle Body/Wheel Brush with Flagged-Tip Bristles

Awesome for easy cleaning of wheel faces and in wheel wells.

REAL CERAMIC PRODUCTS

Meguiar’s M799 Pro Hybrid Ceramic Bead Booster

This is the best easy-to-apply ceramic spray coating. It can last for up to 6 months in real-world washing and driving. (Please don’t believe these unrealistic torture tests on Youtube.) It can be diluted to be used as a drying aide and detail spray as well.

Gyeon Q2 CanCoat – 6 months+ – Consumer Version

This is a REAL resin based ceramic coating. You need to follow the directions AND do a proper surface prep prior to installing. The bare minimum of this coating is 6 months but as with all-ceramic coatings, if you take care of it, expect to see at least a year or more. 

Gyeon Q2 ONE – Single Layer Coating

This is a REAL ceramic coating. It requires a garage and shade. Do NOT do this in direct sunlight. This is a single layer coating, with a bare minimum of 1 year of longevity. Again, if you take care of this, expect up to 3. It is easy to apply, has an easy wipe-off, DO NOT LET IT DRY. STAND OVER EACH SECTION AND WIPE IT OFF QUICKLY! Have lots of plus microfiber towels for wipe off. 

POLISHERS & PADS

Maxshine M21 Pro 21mm Dual Action Polisher

Best Pro-Sumer 6″ Polisher

SPTA Entry Level 5″ Da Polisher Kit

Best Entry Level 5″ DA Polisher. Be advised, the pads in this are of known very low quality. Consider purchasing the Lake Country Pads listed on this page as well instead. Orange is your best bet (Polishing)

Polishing Pads for 3″, 5″ and 6″ Polishers (You want 1 of each)

Cutting Pad | Polishing Pad | Finishing Pad
Microfiber Cutting Pad | Microfiber Finishing Pad

Rupes The Claw Tool – Polishing Pad Cleaning Brush and Pad Removal Tool

Use this to pry the pad off the polisher (dont pull the pad!) and to clean the pads off.

POLISHES & COMPOUNDS

Sonax CutMax & Sonax Perfect Finish

This is now the golden standard in paint correction. User-friendly, easy wipe off, water-based, low dusting. I use perfect finish almost every day in my business.

3D Speed All In One Polish/Wax

One of the most user friendly All-In-Ones on the market. Includes some polymer protection as well. Can reduce the amount of swirls you have, not meant for heavy correction. If you just want to hit it one time, use this with an orange/yellow pad.

Gyeon Q2 Primer Polish

This is a specialized product for a specialized purpose. YOU DO NOT REQUIRE THIS FOR CERAMIC COATINGS! This product is mainly used for very soft paint. If your paint is very soft, it can be marred and scratched during the IPA wipe down and during polish wipe off. This product is meant to be used as a final step between polish and ceramic coating. You use this polish and then wipe off with plush microfiber. Then let the vehicle sit for 24 hours. All of the water evaporates from the product, leaving the surface ready for ceramic coating. 

MICROFIBER 

Kirkland Signature Ultra High Pile Premium Microfiber Towels, 36 Count

Amazing all purpose towel. Take off the tags first. Golden standard for detailers.

Total Detailing Products QuickNap Waffle Weave Glass Towel

For glass only, never on paint. Streak-free wipe off. 

Standard Microfiber Towels 50 Pack

Great for interior, wheels and glass. NEVER ON PAINT!

Total Detailing Products 1400GSM Ultra THICC Twist Loop Korean Microfiber Drying Towel