Today, at the Cougar shop, we are talking about some of the characteristics that make up a good auto shampoo and introduce you to our line.
We see lots of auto shampoos and it seems to get confusing. Soap for black cars, soap for white cars, soap for muddy cars, soap for foam cannons… it just goes on and on. These specialty shampoos may be good products but the specialization just isn’t necessary. I like to keep things simple. A good shampoo can wash any car in any condition using a variety of methods.
First off, Shampoo needs to be pH balanced. That indicates that it will be safe on all automotive finishes and it won’t hurt your skin and it won’t be likely to strip wax or other finishes off your car.
Then there needs to be an effective blend of detergents that break down soils off the finish.
A high foaming shampoo is desirable because it sticks to the surface and allows the detergents to have the time to act on soils and lift them from the surface. The shampoo stays in place longer and provides lubrication throughout the wash process.
Chelators or isolators bond to suspended dirt and isolates it from your vehicle’s finish. Chelators work with the lubricants and further helps grit slide off the paint work further reducing the chances of scratching or creating swirl marks.
It is important for shampoo to rinse away cleanly and not leave behind any residue.
Also look at the concentration recommendations. These shampoos all can mix at least to 128:1 so a little goes a long way, making them more economical.
Water builders and conditioners are added to the formula to help the shampoo work with hard water.
A pleasant fragrance makes working with the shampoo more enjoyable.
Only once all these ingredients and characteristics are present, can we consider it a premium car was shampoo. Cougar only offers shampoos that meet these criteria.
The biggest differentiator is if the shampoo has wax in it or not. Wax will give little bit of extra gloss and perhaps a bit of protection, but it is also an additional natural cleaner and lubricant. If you are washing a vehicle and you don’t know if it has a wax sealant or coating you may want the extra bit of gloss a wash and wax can offer.
Our Cougar Wash and Wax has all the performance characteristics we are looking for but the wax additive helps further clean the surface and promote gloss. This is a great choice if your vehicle is lacking a good wax coating and we need an extra bit of gloss. It dilutes at 128:1 so it works well in a bucket wash, a foam canon or even in a metering system of an automated wash.
Our Green Sheen is the concentration king. The performance will be similar to the Cougar Wash & Wax but the super thick, concentrated formula is effective when diluted at up to 640:1.
Our Mighty Suds is a wax free, high foaming shampoo with a maximum amount of detergent and lubricants. This is our most economical shampoo and it is the perfect choice if you already have a good layer of wax, sealant or coating on the car. This also a good choice if plan on waxing after you wash or if you are going to use a spray wax like Aqua Glow or Cougar Ceramic Detail spray.
In addition to the Cougar Products, we also have offerings from Pro and Meguiar’s
So get out there and wash a car.
Products Discussed:
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One more link to ALL the Car Wash Shampoos & Soaps available at Cougar Chemical:
cougarchemical.com/collection...