Nothing quite catches the eye like a sleek black beast rolling down the street. The sunlight reflects off the metal as it beckons you to stare and marvel at its beauty. This is the reason you went with black when you bought your car. Black is synonymous with power and beauty, and you want your car to hold its beauty forever. Getting the best car wash soap for black cars will keep your shine for a lifetime.
Not all car wash soap is the same. Some have detergents that can damage your car, or simply can’t get all the dirt away from the precious paint job. Companies have dedicated countless resources to the development of the best possible scientific compounds to bring out and protect the shine of your black beauty. We put five makers of the best car wash soap for black cars to the test to provide you with the information you need for an everyday shine.
TOP 5 PRODUCTS
Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine
When it comes to washing your car, you want to be able to have a traffic stopping shine without having to invest significant time and energy. We would rather spend our time showing off the car than hiding in our driveway washing it. Optimum no rinse takes the rinsing step out of the process, which also means you need less water to bring out the best in your vehicle’s façade. >>> Check price on Amazon
No rinse uses a highly researched and specialized formula that bonds to your car’s existing paint job and lifts dirt and debris away from the surface. The formula needs very little water to accomplish is miracle working task, so you can clean your car anywhere you can find a gallon or two of water. Optimum’s formula doesn’t leave a soapy residue so it is safe to dispose of almost anywhere.
After testing out No Rinse, we found it to be about the fastest in the group, but with results that had our shop staff wanting to take it home themselves. The only issue we found was that you pretty much are required to use microfiber cloths with the Optimum No Rinse solution. You really should be using microfiber anyway, though.
Pros
- No hoses needed
- Good for use in cold winter months
Cons
- Kind of weak on heavily soiled cars
- Not good for the undercarriage
Mothers California Gold Car Wash
Some of the worst damage your paint job can take is from the good old flaming ball in the sky. The intense radiation from the sun’s rays breaks down lustrous black shine of your car. So when it comes to creating a lasting shine, you need a soap that will help protect your car from the dulling impact of continuous sunshine. >>> Check price on Amazon
Mothers California gold has been formulated with a specific pH balance to give it the cleaning power to remove almost anything the road can throw at you, but it is gentle enough that it doesn’t impact your paint job. The suds produced by this thick soap are seriously impressive. Plus the solution is so thick that you don’t need much to get the shine you desire. The suds reach almost everywhere you can imagine, and leave behind a spotless shine. A lot of soaps claim to be spotless, but Mothers is one of the few that comes through.
The detergents that make up Mothers California Gold Car Wash is one of the best car wash soaps for black cars, because it simultaneously cleans and treats the wax finish of your vehicle. It is recommended to use often to get the best long lasting results.
Pros
- Gets rid of bugs and road grime
- Doesn’t strip wax
- Leaves a good shine
Cons
- Spots if not rinsed and dried immediately
- Amount of foaming is lower than expected
Chemical Guys Honeydew Snow Foam Car Wash Soap and Cleanser
Imagine your car is a caterpillar wrapped in a foamy cocoon. Inside is a dirty and dull black mechanical masterpiece awaiting a makeover to restore its beautiful luster. Your cocoon is made of the Chemical Guys Honey Dew Snow Foam. This advanced foaming car wash makes your car look like it is hiding in a cloud. >>> Check price on Amazon
The foam is comprised of “hyper surfactants” that create a barrier between the liquid foam and the dirt. The foam wiggles its way down between the dirt and your paint job and gently removes the dirt and road muck. When you bust open the cocoon by wiping away the foam the dirt slips away as if it never existed. The foam also helps to avoid streaking and water spots after your car is dry. (>>> You might also want to check this water repellents guide)
In today’s modern cars there are almost as many plastic and composite parts as metal parts, but that doesn’t mean they can’t shine too. Chemical Guys Honeydew snow foam works well to give shine and longevity to your non-metal parts as well as it makes your metal glimmer. We have to admit the whole process looks a little silly as you watch your car enveloped in foam, especially if you use a foam gun, but the results are nothing short of complete satisfaction. We aren’t saying your old junker will suddenly become best of show, bit at least people will use it as a mirror instead of just laughing at it.
Pros
- Makes a lot of foam
- Great smell
- Provides amazing clean especially when used with a foam gun
Cons
- Hard to pour from bottle
- Can leave a film of glass surfaces
Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Gloss Concentrated Car Wash
The smell of citrus and the wonderful flavors of the fruit are just two of the wonders of this class of fruit. Citrus, it turns out, is also a perfect material for breaking down dirt and stains that plague your car. The citrus juices in the cleaner are strong enough to break down dirt but gentle enough to not damage your paint job. >>> Check price on Amazon
Chemical Guys Citrus Wash utilizes a foaming formula that creates thick foaming suds. The foaming suds don’t sit against your car. Traditional soaps that have little to no foam can leave a swirled residue on your car as you clean and dry. The foam expands into crevices and difficult to access areas of your car to get grime wherever it hides. The extra foam lifts away from the paint job, taking dirt away with it. The result is a clean shine free from swirls and streaks. (>>>You might also want to check Chemical guys V7 product review)
Finally, the Chemical Guys Citrus Wash includes a gloss enhancing formula. As you clear away the dirt and muck from life on the road with the citrus wash, you will also be bringing out the brightest shine for your paint job. The convenient gallon size is enough to wash every week; making sure all the rigors of daily driving doesn’t wear away your car’s perfect shine.
Pros
- Creates waxy coating that makes water bead off for streak-free shine
- Great smell
- Environmentally friendly
Cons
- Not good around wheels
- Strips wax if not properly mixed
Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash
To get the best out of your car, you need to treat it as well as you treat yourself, or maybe better in some cases. Just like you shampoo and condition your hair to give it the best health, using a shampoo and conditioner on your car will bring out the very best shine. Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash is a cleaner that combines dirt fighting cleaners with a conditioner that lubricates the surface of your car to protect the paint and reveal its natural shine. >>> Check price on Amazon
Meguiar’s Gold Class is a non-detergent wash which means that you can trust that your car won’t be damaged as a result of frequent wash and care. You are also being nice to the environment by not disposing of harsh detergents in drains that leak into the soils and local bodies of water.
The Gold Class Car Wash is a super foam cleaner that scrubs away dirt and impurities assaulting your premium vehicle. According to Meguiar’s directions you want to use two buckets while washing your car to prevent mixing the grime you are washing away with the fresh clean water and conditioning magic.
While the two bucket method can slow you down, and use more water, we noticed that the results were well worth the extra effort. Using the Gold Class Car Wash long term is designed to help prevent wax stripping, oxidation, and help extend the life of plastics.
Pros
- Keeps car looking new
- Smells good
- Creates a lot of foam
Cons
- Leaves residue if not rinsed and dried properly
- Struggles with very dirty cars
FAQ
Do these cleaners leave any residue behind?
Some of them do and some of them don’t. It depends on what compounds are in the cleaner. If you’re looking for something that leaves absolutely no residue, the Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine is a great choice. It leaves nothing behind on the car, simply removing the dirt and grime.
Also, keep in mind that residue isn’t always a bad thing. The Chemical Guys Citrus Wash, for example, leaves behind a waxy coating that helps to protect your car, helping it to stay shinier in the long-term.
Will these cleaners strip wax?
No, all of these cleaners are designed to protect the wax coating on your car and will not remove it.
Do I need to dilute the cleaners before using them?
Yes. The correct ratio varies depending on the product, so make sure you check the specific instructions on the bottle before use. Typically you’ll want to use a ratio of between 6:1 and 10:1, although with some of the super-concentrated formulas the ratio will be more like 20:1 or higher. With the Mothers California Gold Car Wash, for instance, you only need about 1 ½ ounces of cleaner for every two gallons of water, a ratio of around 170:1
How many washes will I get from each bottle of a car wash?
That depends on the cleaner. The more concentrated the cleaner is, the more uses you’ll get from each gallon of formula. If you use about two gallons of water to wash your car, you can get 80 or more washes out of a single gallon of Mothers California Car Wash. Less concentrated formulas will typically call for 2-6 ounces of cleaner per two gallons of water, which will figure out to around 25-60 washes per gallon.
Are these cleaners harmful to grass or plant life? What about pets?
If your question is whether you have to avoid washing your car around your lawn or garden, the answer is no. Once diluted, the suds and run-off from these cleaners won’t damage flowers, grass, bushes, or anything else you might have growing around your driveway. While you don’t want your dog lapping up the water from the cleaning bucket, you don’t need to worry if your pet gets splashed—just give them a quick bath after if you’re worried.
Having said that, these are chemical products and you should use care with them in their concentrated form. Keep the bottles well-sealed and inaccessible to pets and young children.
Can I use these cleaners in foam cannons or pressure washers?
Yes. Pay attention to the ratio of cleaner to water as it will likely be different when you’re using a tool like this. The Meguiar Gold Class Car Wash is an especially good choice to use in foam cannons and has been formulated with this use in mind.
As a note on pressure washers: we generally don’t recommend the use of pressure washers on car exteriors. The pressure is high enough it can potentially strip the clear coating right off and cause long-term damage to the finish. Pressure washers can be a great help in cleaning under the hood, but when it comes to the paint you have to be more delicate.
Conclusion
Washing your car is the best way to hold on to the show-stopping black shine. We have given you five examples of the best car wash soap for black cars. The car soaps we have listed will all help protect your paint and help your car look new for years to come. We can’t stress enough the importance of following the manufacturer’s directions to get the best possible results. Washing your car weekly with one of our recommended wash soaps for black cars will keep your prized vehicle looking fresh and clean for years to come.