10 Most Essential Car Detailing Secrets
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When it comes to getting professional-quality car detailing results at home, the old adage that you need the right tool for the job holds true. While professional car detailers no doubt possess a high level of skill and experience, what they also have is a wide array of specific tools that enable them to get to those hard-to-reach areas. With these tools, they can get those difficult-to-clean spots shining like new. To help you make your car look like it just rolled off the dealership lot every time you wash it, we've put together our list of the 10 most essential car detailing secrets.
Comparison Table
Car Detailing FAQ
Before we delve into our list of the 10 Most Essential Car Detailing Secrets, we think it would be helpful to go over some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) we get about car detailing.
What Is Car Detailing? How Is It Different From Just Washing My Car With Soap and Water Like I Always Have?
What Are Some Things I Can Do to Transform My Car Washing Experience into a Car Detailing One?
What Common Supplies Are Needed to Detail My Car?
How We Reviewed
To put together our list of the 10 most essential car detailing secrets, we consider aspects such as price, ease-of-use, performance, and reliability. The 10 items that made our list all stand out in several if not all of those categories.
Overall Price Range
The prices of the products on our list range from about $ up to almost $$$, meaning that even if you are on a modest budget, there is room for you to up your car detailing without breaking the bank.
What We Reviewed

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Chemical Guys CWS_1010_64 Car Wash Shampoo
Features
This specialty car wash shampoo from Chemical Guys is a must-have for your car-detailing kit. With a special formulation that combines continually foaming bubbles with special slick-wash lubricants, the Chemical Guys car wash shampoo raises dirt and debris off your cars finish before washing it away, reducing scratches and producing the ultimate clean. With just 1 ounce of car wash shampoo sufficing for 5 gallons of water, the 64-ounce size available on Amazon could last you for years.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This can be found in Amazon for $.
CarGuys Plastic Restorer
Features
If the elements have taken their toll on your vehicle's plastic, rubber, and vinyl parts, the CarGuys Plastic Restorer is just to the trick to bring them shining back to life like new. Able to be used on interior and exterior surfaces, the CarGuys Plastic Restorer not only restores, but it also seals and protects, and it is powerful enough to last months after a single application. Especially if your vehicle is closer to being a classic than straight off the lot, the CarGuys Plastic Restorer is a great tool to have in your car detailing toolbox.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $ for the 8-ounce size.
CarGuys Super Cleaner
Features
This spray-on all-purpose cleaner delivers professional-level car detailing results and can be used on leather, vinyl, upholstery, even carpet, making a perfect cleaner to keep in the trunk for dealing with those emergency spills.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $ for the 18-ounce size and about $$ for the 128-ounce (1 gallon) size.
AutoRight SteamMachine C900054.M Red Multi-Purpose Steam Cleaner
Features
If you want to give your car detailing that next-level, professional touch, the AutoRight SteamMachine might be just the thing. Unlike a vacuum cleaner, the AutoRight SteamMachine cleans your car's surfaces with scalding, 290-degree-Fahrenheit steam that separates dirt, grime, grease, and other stains from interior upholstery, dashboards, carpets, upholstery, even leather, and windows, delivering a higher level of clean.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
SUBANG 11 Pieces Car Cleaner Brush Set
Features
What separates simply washing a car from car detailing is the level of attention to, well, detail. This 11-piece set from SUBANG gives you all the tools you'll need to clean every nook and cranny of your vehicle to spit-shine perfection, making it look like it just came from a professional car detailing.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $.
S & T 968601 Assorted Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
Features
These microfiber cloths are soft enough not to scratch delicate surfaces, and they come in a pack of 50 for just $, making them versatile, soft, and expendable rags, always a good thing to have on hand for any car detailing enthusiast.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$ for a 50 pack. A 25 pack also is available on Amazon for around $.
Chemical Guys ACC_326–TORQ Foam Blaster 6 Foam Wash Gun
Features
One of the more fun toys you can add to your car-detailing repertoire, a foam wash gun also helps produce those professional-level results by delivering a steady flow of fresh suds with the water pressure of spray nozzle.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$.
Mop Mob Leak-Free Chemical Resistant Spray Head and 32 oz Bottle
Features
This combination of heavy-duty, chemical-resistant spray heads and 32-ounce bottles from Mop Mob are a must-have for the serious car detailing enthusiast, as they allow for the mixing of one's own unique blends of cleaners. Or, buy in bulk to save money and then pour the contents of larger containers into these more manageable sizes.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
This product can be found on Amazon for around $$ for a 5 pack or about $ for a 4 pack.
Car Washing And Detailing Power Brush Kit
Features
This power brush kit from Drillbrush uses the power of your home drill to clean and buff your car, delivering that professionally detailed look. Just plug the long-reach extension and replaceable white scrubber brush in the power drill you already own, and voila, your very own power brush.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
Chemical Guys ACC_100.1 Professional Bucket Dolly
Features
This bucket dolly will have you looking and performing like a car detailing pro as it wheels your bucket around with you, eliminating the need to pick it up and carry it.
Pros
Cons
- PRICE
- where to buy
The Verdict
When it comes to producing professional-level car detailing results at home, no single, magic product will suddenly have people asking where you get your car detailing done. As our list shows, however, there are a wide variety of helpful tools and accessories that, when used properly, can have your car not only looking like new but staying that way for miles to come.