Our Top DIY Detailing Products and Reviews for YOU!
Welcome back to the J&J Car Detailing Blog for moms and dads everywhere. As a professional in car detailing, I’m here to share the best car detailing products you can use for a little DIY detailing. These are products and chemicals that we use at jobs and have seen incredible results. The price and use difficulty are very good and will have your car looking as good as new—even after a weekend road trip with the kiddos. Are you ready… Because I’m going to get right to it with product #1!
Product #1 – Adam’s Polishing – Car Wash Shampoo
Starting off with our main product that we take with us for every job. We include an exterior wash with every job, so including this is a no brainer!
Price Point - $9.99 on their official website and $14.99 on Amazon. We trust in buying from either website because we’ve done it so many times. The shipping cost is something that will be added to the cost, so keep that in mind. If you plan on using this product a lot within a short period, I suggest you buy the gallon.
How to Use – I found that there are many ways to use this product. As a company, we use a foam cannon and pressure washer. I understand that most people won’t be needing those, so using a bucket, a few squeezes of shampoo and a little water will do.
Benefits – The shampoo solution, no matter how you use it will rid any tough dirt or grime off the exterior. For more information on this product, view descriptions on Adam’s official website or Amazon.
Concerns You May Have – The shampoo won’t rip off the existing paint and protection, will not water spot, and can be used in sunlight. The only concern we have is the soap stain marks. On warmer days, if the soap isn’t washed off and has dried, soap stains will appear. If this happens, just rewash the car and the stains will come right out! No biggie!
Product #2 – Adam’s Polishing – Tire Cleaner
After the outside is spotless, I’ll move towards the tires and wheels. Doesn’t make sense to spend time on the whole outside and not touch up the wheels, no? I’ve used a few tire cleaners that work but for the best results… Adam’s Polishing brand’s tire cleaner is our go-to.
Price Point - $12.99 on their official website and $12.74 on Amazon. The shipping cost is something that will be added to the cost, so keep that in mind. If you plan on using this product a lot within a short period, I suggest you buy the gallon.
How to Use – For optimal use, I found that wetting the wheels and tires with water first and then applying the solution is the best. Anything that shoots out water will do, I use a pressure washer, but a normal hose works too! Once the tires are we, apply the solution. I’m not greedy, I apply the cleaner around the whole tire, in between the spaces and metal. After the cleaner has been applied, just wait 2 to 3 min for the cleaner to kick in. Typically, if you apply on the first tire, by the time you’re done with the last tire, the first tire will be ready to be rinsed. You should see all the brown dirt, rust and grime rinse off with the solution!
Benefits – The roadside dirt, grease, and brake dust will wash right off once rinsed. The wheels will look cleaner and drive smoother. For more information on this product, view descriptions on Adam’s official website or Amazon.
Concerns You May Have – The cleaner is non–acid according to the website facts and will clean both the tire and wheel. I found that the product is safe for all wheel types and has shown remarkable results!
Product #3 – Meguire’s – Tire Shine
The outside isn’t fully done until you put the finishing touches on the tire! A well-shined tire will make any outside wash look 10x better as the black tire will stand out right away!
Price Point - $9.99 on their official website and $14.36 on Amazon. The shipping cost is something that will be added to the cost, so keep that in mind. If you plan on using this product a lot within a short period, I suggest you buy it in bulk.
How to Use – For optimal use, I found that post-cleaning, drying the tire before applying the shine works the best! At the very end of our job, I’ll look to make sure the tires are dry, then I’ll spray an even coat of shine right onto the tire. It is a very easy-to-use product.
Benefits – Dull tires will be brought back to life and be the first thing that is seen after a car washing day. The shine is a long-lasting chemical that will protect against fading and cracking in the future. For more information on this product, view descriptions on Meguire’s official website or Amazon.
Concerns You May Have – I find that the tire shine won’t erode the tires, and won’t cause slipping while driving.
Product #4 – Chemical Guys – Interior
Once the outside is done, you might want to move to the inside to get rid of stains, dirt, grime, or fingerprints. I have found a great all-around interior chemical that we use currently and will continue to use for all the jobs to come!
Price Point - $11.99 on their official website and $11.39 on Amazon. The shipping cost is something that will be added to the cost, so keep that in mind. If you plan on using this product a lot within a short period, I suggest you buy it in bulk.
How to Use – Pretty easy to use. I would spray the chemical onto whatever surface I would want with applied to, then spray a tiny amount onto a clean towel, and then wipe the surface.
Benefits – A GREAT smelling chemical that is THE spray for most materials. I use this on interior plastic, glass, rubber, steel, and metal. The solution protects from UV rays, removes fingerprints, grime, and grease, and prevents fading & discoloration. For more information on this product, view descriptions on Chemical Guys’ official website or Amazon.
Concerns – The chemical didn’t leave any damage to interior materials when I sprayed and wiped down. There are no fading or marks either. All-around great product and recommended for any interior job.
Product #5 – Chemical Guys – Fabric Cleaner
If you have heavy stains, throw-up, melted candy, or even coffee stains, this is your go-to! I was in the market for a while trying to find a stain removal that works and for a good price. I found this fabric cleaner and will be the go-to for our stain removal jobs. This heavy-duty cleaner is the perfect cleaner to fully get rid of any stains on carpets or carpet mats.
Price Point - $11.99 on their official website and $11.39 on Amazon. The shipping cost is something that will be added to the cost, so keep that in mind. If you plan on using this product a lot within a short period, I suggest you buy it in bulk.
How to Use – The chemical comes in a bottle, not a spray bottle. What I found is the best option is to purchase the cleaning bundle on the Chemical Guys’s official website. Comes with a fabric cleaner, a spray bottle, and a drill bit. I would follow the directions on the spray bottle for the perfect balance between water and cleaner, then spray away. I do have to say you will need either a brush or a drill attachment to get rid of the stains. Without the drill attachment or brush, most of the stains we removed would still be on client carpets.
Benefits – A great smelling cleaner that is perfect for any stain. As a detailer, I have come across dried throw-up, melted Snickers bars, soda stains and so much more. I would use the cleaner and with a good drilling… the stain is GONE!!!
Concerns – My concern is how much you use on each stain. You shouldn’t pour the whole bottle onto the stain, just only a few sprays and that’s it. The fabric cleaner is very concentrated, so don’t spray too much of it or you’ll have to extract it for a while. I made that mistake. I poured way too much onto a mat and used our extractor for an hour.
*Another key concern is to not get this in your eyes. This is a concentrated cleaner, so be careful around open wounds and your eyes as this cleaner could be very damaging. I wear basic eye protection when I use this product.
There you have it folks! My top products that I use daily for my detailing jobs. These are all products that are relatively cheap, do a great job and are very easy to use. Hope you have found this very useful and if you have any questions about our products, please feel free to contact us via submission. We are very open to hearing feedback or suggestions for new products.
