Chemical Guys CitruswashCLEAR Review
07-29-08, 09:51 PM
#1
Chemical Guys CitruswashCLEAR Review
Updated Review
(Taken directly off Detailed Image)
On to the review:
Smells very citrus-y. It reminded me of hand towels that Chinese restaurants give you when you order shrimp
Part 1-Routine Washing
The directions say that this car wash can also be used to maintain a car. However, from my experience it does not seem to do so without giving you doubts. First of all, one of the main staples of a good car wash is lubrication. This wash, when used at those ratios does not seem to have much lubrication in it. Sure its better than water but at those ratios, NXT wash or Gold Class wash was a better bet for lubrication. It did clean amazingly well though. For instance, just scooping the water onto the paint made the dirt/grime dissolve away. Definitely a lot better than OTC soaps I have used (this is an OTC soap due to the fact that I can go to the Chemical Guys factory in Los Angeles.
Part 2-Post Wash Prep AKA Protection Stripping
This is clearly where the wash shines. It is honestly an effective substitute for the Dawn soaps everyone seems to recommend to strip the protection off a car. Although it is clearly more expensive than Dawn, I do believe it is worth every penny. After all, a wash designed specifically to strip the protection off your car is better than a wash designed to wash hands/dishes. I'm pretty sure that this will not dry out trim as well so that is also a plus. The reason why I suggest this soap as opposed to Dawn is how little effort is needed to get everything off. It took literally one pass with a sheepskin mitt to remove all prior traces of protection on the vehicle. This product is great for detailers who need a quick way to get rid of the remaining protection left on the car and its probably safer than the usual Dawn recommendation. As in Part 1, the cleaning abilities are quite good and with the extra wash in the bucket, the lubrication does increase. Also, this is also a great soap to clean the REAL Zymol waxes off your hands if you hand apply them to your car. Just a small squirt into your hands and you wont be able to sheet water off your hands anymore
Pros:
-Smelled pretty good (lemony in a way)
-Cleaning powers were quite impressive
-Protection stripping qualities are EXCELLENT
-Increased lubrication at the protection stripping ratio
-Works better than Dawn soap and is safer
-Foams pretty well
-REAL Zymol waxes seem to shrivel up and die with this
-Cool bottle with a skull lol
Cons:
-Not much lubricity at the cleaning ratio
-Somewhat expensive compared to better soaps out there
-Small bottle for the price (wish there was more)
Verdict:
I take back what I said earlier about it not being worth the price. It is definitely a handy tool in your detailing arsenal to have just because it is very good at hardcore cleaning. For regular cleaning its not worth it but for those who detail cars or wax every time they wash, its a good product. Clearly this is the first CG product I will keep getting unless I find a different one to replace it. I'd say give it a try. If you are in the Los Angeles area, stop by their Inglewood address. Who knows, maybe Paul will also give you a free bottle to try and maybe get hooked on
The Chemical Guys Citrus Wash and Clear is one of the safest products you can use to strip off the protection (i.e. sealant, wax) from your paint. When used in the concentrated form (2oz per gallon of water) it is a paintwork cleanser that helps clean and prep your paint so you can get the most out of your detail. This process is essential for best results before beginning a full detail. You can further dilute (.5 ounces per gallon of water) the Citrus Wash and Clear so it will not strip off the protection. Without a product like this in your detailing arsenal you are left with limited options to remove old wax and sealant like polishing, washing with harsh soaps, etc. The citrus cleaning agents help safely clean the surface without the risk of drying out the trim or other wise potentially harming the paint. This versatile auto shampoo is a must have for any automotive detailer!
On to the review:
Smells very citrus-y. It reminded me of hand towels that Chinese restaurants give you when you order shrimp
Part 1-Routine Washing
The directions say that this car wash can also be used to maintain a car. However, from my experience it does not seem to do so without giving you doubts. First of all, one of the main staples of a good car wash is lubrication. This wash, when used at those ratios does not seem to have much lubrication in it. Sure its better than water but at those ratios, NXT wash or Gold Class wash was a better bet for lubrication. It did clean amazingly well though. For instance, just scooping the water onto the paint made the dirt/grime dissolve away. Definitely a lot better than OTC soaps I have used (this is an OTC soap due to the fact that I can go to the Chemical Guys factory in Los Angeles.
Part 2-Post Wash Prep AKA Protection Stripping
This is clearly where the wash shines. It is honestly an effective substitute for the Dawn soaps everyone seems to recommend to strip the protection off a car. Although it is clearly more expensive than Dawn, I do believe it is worth every penny. After all, a wash designed specifically to strip the protection off your car is better than a wash designed to wash hands/dishes. I'm pretty sure that this will not dry out trim as well so that is also a plus. The reason why I suggest this soap as opposed to Dawn is how little effort is needed to get everything off. It took literally one pass with a sheepskin mitt to remove all prior traces of protection on the vehicle. This product is great for detailers who need a quick way to get rid of the remaining protection left on the car and its probably safer than the usual Dawn recommendation. As in Part 1, the cleaning abilities are quite good and with the extra wash in the bucket, the lubrication does increase. Also, this is also a great soap to clean the REAL Zymol waxes off your hands if you hand apply them to your car. Just a small squirt into your hands and you wont be able to sheet water off your hands anymore
Pros:
-Smelled pretty good (lemony in a way)
-Cleaning powers were quite impressive
-Protection stripping qualities are EXCELLENT
-Increased lubrication at the protection stripping ratio
-Works better than Dawn soap and is safer
-Foams pretty well
-REAL Zymol waxes seem to shrivel up and die with this
-Cool bottle with a skull lol
Cons:
-Not much lubricity at the cleaning ratio
-Somewhat expensive compared to better soaps out there
-Small bottle for the price (wish there was more)
Verdict:
I take back what I said earlier about it not being worth the price. It is definitely a handy tool in your detailing arsenal to have just because it is very good at hardcore cleaning. For regular cleaning its not worth it but for those who detail cars or wax every time they wash, its a good product. Clearly this is the first CG product I will keep getting unless I find a different one to replace it. I'd say give it a try. If you are in the Los Angeles area, stop by their Inglewood address. Who knows, maybe Paul will also give you a free bottle to try and maybe get hooked on
Last edited by eyezack87; 08-02-08 at 01:19 AM.
07-30-08, 08:02 AM
#2
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I think wash clear was designed to be for full details. perhaps the dilution you did was too severe so the lubrication suffered as a result
I'm sure you know this, but if anyone is wondering if Chemical Guys does make a soap for regular washes, it's called Maxi Suds
I'm sure you know this, but if anyone is wondering if Chemical Guys does make a soap for regular washes, it's called Maxi Suds
07-30-08, 12:21 PM
#3
Yeah, I'll be doing a full detail all day Friday so I'm hoping my opinion will change of it. Though for typical washes at their recommended ratio I wasn't really impressed with the lubrication. I guess I'll have to wait and see for Friday then for an in-depth review
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08-02-08, 12:41 PM
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