June 26, 2025 Verity Moring

Is detailing worth the money compared with regular washing?

We often find this question cropping up from time to time. Is detailing worth the money compared to automatic car washing or "the old-fashioned way"?

We say - DEFINITELY if you value the condition of your vehicle.

You might be looking at the cost comparison of your standard wash vs. the cheapest washing up liquid, leather chamois, and sponge you can find. And, while it might be significantly cheaper to use the products on the right, bear in mind they aren't made specifically for the job.

Shamp-who? 🫧

Washing up liquid can strip your vehicle of its protective layers and leave surfaces exposed to things like dirt, dust, grime, and UV rays. Additionally, the chemicals in dish soap can leave streaks and swirls in paintwork, plus dull the overall shine of your finish.

It's best to use specially formulated car cleaning products, such as pH-neutral car shampoos. Vehicle shampoo is mostly made up of surfactants (Surface Active Agents) which are chains of carefully designed two-part molecules. One end of the surfactant is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the other end is dirt-loving. When shampooing, these surfactants seek out the dirt and surround it so that it is able to be lifted from the vehicle surface whilst being gentle on paintwork and protective coatings.

Car shampoos have extremely high dilution ratios so, whilst the price on the package might seem daunting, you can stretch out your product by diluting with more water. Koch-Chemie products are specifically known to have excellent dilution ratios making them incredibly economical.

SONAX Gloss Shampoo Concentrate (1 Litre) - £7.50
Koch-Chemie As Autoshampoo (1 Litre) - £8.14
Auto Finesse Lather Shampoo (500ml) - £9.96
Chemical Guys Maxi Suds II - £10.99
CARPRO Reset Intensive Car Shampoo (500ml) - £11.99

Soak Up Knowledge 🧽

A sponge is one of the worst things you could subject the surface of your car to. By nature, sponge is an abrasive material and causes scratches when rubbed across the surface of your paintwork. In addition to this, the holes in a sponge can trap dirt and grit meaning the contamination on your paintwork gets swirled around the surface, causing scratches and swirls that are unsightly, not to mention damaging.

Instead, consider a wash mitt. Microfibre is gentler on paintwork and designed to lift dirt particles from the surface rather than rub them in. We also have wool wash mitts which are super soft and safe for all paint types. Quality wash mitts don't have to be expensive! Take a look at our suggestions below.

Martin Cox Hydro Noodle Wash Mitt - £5.75
Malco Large Wash Mitt - £7.20
Chemical Guys Bear Claw Scratch Free Premium Wash Mitt - £9.98
Gtechniq WM2 Microfibre Wash Mitt - £12.25
Microfiber Madness Incredisponge - £13.01

Give This A Dry 🌬️

Gone are the days of using leather shammies! Whilst a leather chamois may not necessarily directly damage your car, it won't do as much good as a soft, plush, microfibre drying towel. Think about what one you'd rather wrap yourself in after a nice wash.

Microfibre drying towels are designed to lift any residual dirt and soak up water with their long pile and high absorbency levels. A leather chamois won't pick these particles up, rather spread them around the surface. In the long run this can cause swirl marks and scratches, especially on soft paint.

Martin Cox Waffle Quick-Dry Microfibre Towel - £4.20
Microfiber Madness Slogger Towel - £4.54
Martin Cox Giant Miracle Dry Microfibre Drying Towel - £7.15
Gtechniq Large Zero Scratch Drying Towel - £8.96
CARPRO DHydrate Drying Towel - £10.80

Extra, Extra 🪣

There are always upgrades you can make to your collection as you build your detailing kit. We would recommend using a dedicated wheel brush rather than any old toothbrush, quality glass cleaner rather than ammonia-based window cleaner, and never read any sense into the "toothpaste will remove surface scratches" myth. We always have a good variety of microfibre cloths hanging around plus it's worth sticking to the two- (or three-) bucket method - with grit guards.

Your car is a big investment! Why not look after it?

Brand Awareness 🛒

At Slim's, we are always looking for ways to support the car enthusiasts whilst also supporting the needs of the professional detailers. Our brand selection is carefully curated to offer the best in the industry for beginners and experts alike! If you are looking for ways to save money but not sacrifice quality, below are a list of brands we recommend you look towards.

1. Koch-Chemie

Made in Germany, the Koch-Chemie range of detailing products are suitable for both professionals and enthusiasts. With high dilution ratios and appropriate pricing, you'll find a lot of favourites in the brand that you keep coming back to.

Koch-Chemie is the preferred supplier to some of the world’s most prestigious automotive marques including Audi, BMW, Jaguar, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Slim's Detailing are the official UK distributor of Koch-Chemie - we won't be beaten on price.

2. Martin Cox

If you are looking to stock up on accessories at an affordable price, Martin Cox have a wide selection of car care ancillaries. They stock an extensive range of valeting accessories from microfibre cloths and specialist car brushes, to commercial sprayers and vehicle drying towels. There is bound to be something for everyone!

3. CARPRO

From interior coatings and cleaners to ceramic paint coating, CARPRO have something for every car care need. Their vision and advanced technology brought coatings like CQUARTZ to the market when they were still relatively unknown in the UK.

Slim’s always aim to bring the best products to the UK market from manufacturers that have put rigorous research into their brand and we have been the official distributor for CARPRO in the UK since 2020.

4. Bilt Hamber

Based in Essex, England, multi-award winning Bilt Hamber have built a reputation in car care as a company that consistently produce high quality detailing products at consumer prices. From their best selling snow foam and clay bars to waxes, shampoos, wheel cleaners, and more!

5. Malco

From all-purpose cleaners and degreasers to polishes, waxes and glazes, Malco provides a full range of products for all applications. Many products are available in US gallon sizes making them super economical, especially for trade customers. With a wide range of products, there's sufficient choice for the professional and enthusiast detailers.

6. Chemical Guys

Slim’s Detailing is an official distributor for Chemical Guys in the UK. Known for their outstanding products and unique branding, the brand provides a full range of affordable chemicals, accessories, pads, cloths, designed for the car care enthusiast. The extensive range of Chemical Guys products means they have something to meet every detailers needs.