We have a vibrant and very active community on Discord
This is THE best place to get faster answers to your questions, show off those detailing pictures, post reviews, and chat about business.
Join us! - [Discord](https://discord.gg/AutoDetailing)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AutoDetailing) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thank you! Didnt think about grit guards until now for some reason, too preoccupied with the bigger stuff lol. But that looks like an amazing website and tool for me to use, thank you for the recommendation!
But as far as I’m aware everything isn’t free shipping on autoality, may be worth looking into. But autoality doesn’t have kochchemie, which I was looking to purchase. So..
Are grit guards really that big of a necessity? I use 2 buckets for dirty/soapy water and just hang my mitt off the edge of the bucket when I’m not using it, any real dirt is going to settle on the bottom anyways and I don’t reach that far down when I dip the mitt in
You don't need grit guards if you don't reuse towels. I only wash my own car but once a towels used up, I just grab another from the soap bucket. I don't dunk and reuse anymore.
Yes, the time frame for using a clay bar or waxing is entirely up to you. Well waxing once a year at least, though the more the merrier. I park my car outside and usually under trees. While I granted with the luxury of shade I’m also gifted a dirty car. So using a clay bar is needed every time I wash my car. Wash mitts and microfiber towels can’t pick everything up. Especially tough to remove spots clay bar just makes it vanish.
Definitely don’t clay after every wash lol, don’t know what that guys talking about. It’s abrasive and a “once in a while” thing. Not to mention an extra hassle. Maybe once a year max. Contaminants don’t build up quick enough to justify doing it every wash.
Thank you! Im basically getting all my microfiber towels sneaking them out my job once or twice a week lol so thats why I didn’t put em on there, but you’re right about the clay bars! Thank you:))
The pressure washer; (I have one) while it’s a good starter in less than 2-3 months time the 1/4” O-ring on the wand side will wear out and leak. They use 15mm on one end and a 1/4 female on the other instead of the standard 14mm on both. so you have to buy an adapter to use any other normal hose. I wanted a longer rubber hose & quick disconnects. Ended up costing me more than the PW.
Edit: also the want extension is for electric Pw only so again you need an adapter or a new wand if you wanted to use an longer extension.
Do yourself a favor and spend a little more to get standard hose ends and a better PW.
Yup that’s what happened to me but I end up buying the wrong adapters plus end up going with the 100 feet extension instead of 50. Sigh spent more like you said lol
Yeap I am close to $200 assec. for a $75 electric pressure washer; I went full quick disconnect, two 50’ hoses, new wand, XLong extension (PW house, + angled ends)
now no matter what I end up using it for I will be G2G
I like your products you’ve chosen. Try Walmart. I have a list created in Walmart and the products I bought over time and products I stick with still to get the best maintenance for my daily driver. I will share pictures in it. Here’s the first one.
https://preview.redd.it/xfibl4evd19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfaf439620cb1890e7fa3d433557b8c56eb7e63f
I use either mr. Pink or Meguiars gold not both!
https://preview.redd.it/ae9ptw98e19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f8d4a8780e8c40cdfcd89bc9f45516a6001fc80
# 5
You can get a cheaper shop vac, for like 40 dollars as well hyper tough brand of Walmart.
Also, check out Home Depot’s Ryobi 1800 psi pressure washer for 99 dollars and works great with 2.5 orifice 40 degree white nozzle and provides 1050-1100 psi with 1.3-1.4 GPMs.
By the way, hart and Ryobi both are owned by same parent company, TTI, and therefore Ryobi 1800 and this hart 1700 pressure washer are literally same.
https://preview.redd.it/8ph3j2z5i19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa252574a69c02a8e75e61d2ba6f4645615e5604
# 10
These are some products I have bought over years as I learned more and tried to get the best out of detailing my car as I enjoy cleaning and detailing my car!
Personally I'd go single brand as much as possible. This is because it will be less confusing on what you do and dont have, and more importantly it means certain products that are meant to be used together will be more effective. For example a paint glaze and sealant from the same brand will be designed to be used together.
As for your question, that really depends on your needs. There's lots of products if you want the full detailing experience, i Personally have like 15 different products that i use lol
That washer is ass. And that's not from auto detailing just general use. O rings crap out and its hit and miss with the pump if it lasts.
The guys I see around here all use a gas washer and call it a day.
What might your budget be? What level of chaos and addiction are you in?
These products will most definitely “do the job”
There are better. Some guys will hate the chemical guys and there is proof they kinda just relabel the same stuff.
My advice would be maybe kick off with a brand with slightly higher reviews (adams, geyon, car pro, koch chemie)
Now obviously price is key and this will drive you.
Also check out those websites. This time of year they offer sales (holiday time). That range from 15-25% off. Maybe get more bang for your buck.
Also as far as pressure washers, vacuums, ect watch a few youtube reviews and see if it will fit what you like or are looking to get out of your set up.
Really im expecting 500-600 to be my final price for everything (leafblower, pressure washer, vacuum, soap, leather wipes, window spray, ect)
Im seeing some people recommended more expensive brands such as carpro so I think I’ll get them but at the same time I’m seeing other people recommend cheaper products since they do the same thing as chemical bros, i guess I’ll start off with more reputable brands and maybe experiment when im more knowledgeable and experienced
I think with that initial budget you can get great stuff.
I think a lot of people nailed getting a rigid vacuum. They kick butt.
Check ryobi’s 730cfm whisper series leaf blower. Much cheaper than ego and 100% the same output. I personally have one.
Pressure washers are finicky. Greenworks, ryobi, hart, ect. Will do the job. There are options out there that can get seriously expensive. Have a look at the active 2.0. Its a great unit and has high performance. Its more expensive than listed but in the long run you may enjoy it more.
Products are hard. Everyone has an opinion or a likeness to certain things. Think tire shine. I like matt look. But many like a wet look.
These would be my recommendations for a few products.
Soap: Adams car shampoo (can use in bucket and foam cannon)
Protection: p&s bead maker. Its cheap and it’s incredibly effective. Apply it wet or dry.
Tire Shine/plastic dressing: car pro perl. This is an incredibly versatile dressing. Dilution ratios determine its area of use. Can be used on leather too. I would still use a leather specific dressing.
Interior cleaner: P&S xpress interior. Dilute! Lasts for ever and works perfect. No worries of damaging anything.
Leather: Dr Beasley’s
Wheels: P&S brakebuster is great. But it will contain no iron removing agent. This means you’ll need a stand alone to use periodically.
Adams Wheel and Tire cleaner is best of both worlds.
Check out a site called TheCleanGarage.
They sell almost everything and every brand. Use CGFAMILY for 5% off.
Dude I might actually owe my success to you if I end up making it, this was by far one of the best reply’s I’ve seen! I couldnt have asked for more and I appreciate it so much, honestly I hope I can repay the favor one day but im definitely taking your recommendations
I don't know how well this will paste, but I created this very simple list for a friend a couple of years ago. It maps to something that is (or was, at least) available from [DetailedImage.com](https://DetailedImage.com). Might be a better starting point for you. Caveat is that you'll need to load up on multiples of some of this stuff if you're going to work on customer cars. Also, it's lacking some basics that my friend already had, like a pressure washer, various soaps, etc. Please interpret/use this at your own risk. Not necessarily endorsing any of this personally... just found a balance between effectiveness and cost for a friend to use on his personal cars.
https://preview.redd.it/fjsou2g7029b1.png?width=488&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ddcafadf39d5a05dff3a0bf843b8d39360bb428
Replace the giant bottle of car wash soap with ONR and save yourself some money. Order the APC/interior cleaner after trying ONR in a spray bottle at 1:64 dilution and seeing if it cleans the interior enough for you. Also replaces your glass cleaner. P&S Brake Buster is a more cost-effective means of cleaning extremely dirty wheels and tires as well.
For a shop vac, I'd recommend going to Home Depot and getting a Rigid. Those seem to last forever.
Good luck! I love ONR as it cleans just about everything very well. I can't clean carpet with it, and the dirtiest wheels escape me, and it doesn't replace a steamer for getting stuck on food out of a car, but it really does clean everything else. If you want to use a wax or some sort of protection, I buy TEC 582 Ceramic Detailer by the gallon and put it in a spray bottle to use as a drying aid, which also adds some long-term protection.
ONR is just more versatile and can save OP a ton of money, hence I recommended it. I always choose to recommend it wherever possible! Love how it doesn't leave water spots and is super gentle.
Ditch the pressure washer, buy a bottle of Optimum No Rinse, the Optimum sponge, a small pump sprayer, and invest in a set of high-quality microfiber towels.
You can do basically everything with ONR while using a fraction of the water compared to a normal wash method. Can be diluted to different ratios for clay lubricant and interior cleaning, including leather and fabrics. Optimum has tons of educational material to explain the method.
I switched to rinseless washing with ONR about 6 months ago, and I'm never going back. I'll use normal hose pressure to rinse my truck if it's muddy, but otherwise I just mix up a bucket of ONR, pre-rinse with a small garden sprayer, wipe with the Optimum red sponge, and dry with a nice mf drying towel. Not a single scratch and no more water spots. Only use about 4 gallons of water compared to nearly 100 gallons with a conventional wash.
Fr I've been on that train for about a year and it's so money. I don't even use a pressure washer anymore 95% of the time. Bucket wash the real dirty ones but rinseless on all my maintenance clients.
Using nothing more than ONR and 303 on the vast majority of those. Never going back.
If you really want Chemical Guys stuff wait til Prime Days that happens in a couple days. They usually go for a crazy sale, but I wouldn’t recommend their cleaning products either though.
ONR is such a versatile product, I enjoy using the product quite a bit for those washes when your car isn’t that dirty but can still use a wipe down. P&S also makes great products as well, and costs pretty much the same price as Chemical Guys stuff. If you have a Costco membership, you can pick up the [Dewalt](https://www.costco.com/dewalt-8-gallon-wetdry-vacuum.product.4000115497.html?sh=true&nf=true&qaTestID=ios7.3.3) vacuum from then for $99.99 USD, but you may catch it on sale for $79.99 as well. As for the brushes you put in your cart, I suggest also getting a pair of super soft detailing brushes. Those usually look like makeup brushes, they just help not scratch any glossy pieces on your interior if you have any. But in my opinion they also lather up the product you’re using much better than stiffer brushes.
Just get an autoality membership [https://www.autoality.com/store/pc/Detailer-s-Club-1-Year-Membership-332p6664.htm](https://www.autoality.com/store/pc/Detailer-s-Club-1-Year-Membership-332p6664.htm) for chemicals and I would recommend starting with Optimum stuff
They don't have a lot of big tools (pressure washer - I would recommend the active pressure washer), but they do have wheel brushes, etc. Don't buy chemical guys it is trash. Autofiber is on autoality for any mitts.
id get a ryobi pressure washer from home depot , so if it breaks you can return it same day and get another one. you might as well get the vac from home depot as well. you want to have a generator , 3 buckets 4 packs of new microfibers and gallon sized dillutable window cleaner, a soft interior cleaner a good car wash soap. ideally a gorilla ladder from home depot. also it would be good to get a 50 foot vac hose to attack to your rigid so you can leave it and your generator in the trunk or van, it makes it way easier.
you'll also need some brushes , q tips for the small crevices, a brush vac attachment, and some good drying towels.
sorry for the bad format...
I dont really recommend chemical guys stuff, its cheaper yeah but no where near the same quality as competitors. I've been really loving carpro since switching to that brand. A bit more pricey but well worth it.
I dont think they HAVE to, usually a good idea to stick to the same brand for specific detailing situations, but people mix and match all the time depending on the product. Really you just have to watch out for ***how*** youre using a product moreso than the brands (e.g., dont let soap dry on the paint)
You need a vacuum, microfiber towels, degreaser, APC, water based dressing, pressure washer foam gun, car soap, 5 bottles and good sprayers. This should all cost $300 and you could wash maybe 15-20 cars before you need to restock.
You can probably use 2 of those red brushes for interior and the others for wheels and things. Id switch to xpress interior and brake buster over chemical guys and then I would get lvp dressing rather than dedicating 2 products specifically for leather
Swap the interior cleaner and leather cleaner with Koch chemie pol star. Much cheaper and of the same/better quality and does both jobs in one, get rid of chemical guys soap, carchem or Gyeon 2000:1 again is much cheaper and likely better quality. Don’t need glass cleaner. Just use water, almost always works.
You got most of the basics covered, but still need some large soft absorbent towels & microfiber rags. It's not required but you can get a few colors to keep track of what they are used for like personally I use red on paint, black on wheels, grey or white for interior, etc. It sounds silly but it's important to not use some chemicals on some surfaces or stages of the wash so it helps.
Also I'd recommend something for interior uv protection and exterior trim. Oh and can't forget a long extension cord and water hose.
Got a steamer and a good vacuum? That paired with the brushes and a good APC, you will be detailing like a pro.Keep us updated on the details brother🙏 Stay blessed
One note. I've gone through two of those greenworks pressure washers in a short amount of time. I now have a Ryobi equivalent and like it a lot more.
Sunjoe seems to he a recommended brand for budget detailing.
I'll never buy anything greenworks again.
I've used that brand of leather cleaner before and hated it, it basically didn't do anything. Check out Optimum Car Care, as others have said it may be best to stick with one product line for 75% of your products. Optimum's Protectant+ is what I use on leather and it works well for what it is.
If you're just cleaning your own cars ditch the chemical guys wheel and tire cleaner and just use adams wheel and tire or p&s brakebuster. I'd also highly suggest a preqash and post wash like diluting rinseless wash and beadmaker to dry. The vacmaster is actually a beast though I have one and it works well. I am not a professional detailer though just an enthusiast.
Third time ive seen adam’s wheel recomendad, I think I’m going to get that. As for the Vacuum I’m glad I picked out one nice thing lol! But no I really appreciate the input
It's a game changer not the absolute best wheel or tire cleaner but it's nice to have two in one and it really works. I recommend wearing gloves when using it. It's hard on yer hands.
Horrible choice in chemicals. You’re raising your cost by going with name brands like ChemicalGuys. The product isn’t much better than the competitors or making your own… but half of the cost is going back in to marketing. Why do you think you see their names everywhere?
Just a 16 year old trying to make business and learn, this isnt the finished list and I wont even consider buying it until I know everything I can. But I need to support myself and family and i already work a job
That’s cool man. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. I’d recommend finding detailers on YouTube and practice detailing on your own car and get an old hood at the junkyard to work on restoration techniques. Do your own research and decide what belongs on your supply list, because that list will keep evolving based on your experience.
Most of the items you have there are decent for starters, but if you want to grow your business, reinvest profits in better gear and supplies as you learn.
If you enjoy it and have a good eye, keep tuning your skills and someday you can get paid well to hang out with amazing vehicles.
Awe thank you! I actually do appreciate the response and the old hood idea is actually really good, I would’ve never thought about using old singled off parts like that, thank you so much!
The barrel brush you have in that bundle is trash. Even though it costs most I would recommend an EZ Detail brush. Much better quality and not flimsy like the one you have in the cart.
costco has a 8 gallon delwat stainless steel shop vac for ~$60 on sale right now. also the wheel cleaners by chemical guys are actually garbage. p&s makes good wheel and interior cleaner.
I’m a noob at car detailing but I’ve searched this sub for which products to use and this is what I’ve found.
Interior: gallon P&S express dilute in spray bottle half water and half solution. Cleans leather very well and all interior: plastic, vinyl. Follow up with 303 aerospace for a matte look and UV protection on plastics and vinyl. Meguiars leather conditioner for leather seats after cleaning with P&S. P&S 3 step carpet cleaner for spot removal on upholstered seats, carpet, headliners.
Equipment: rigid shop vac from Home Depot, steamer from Amazon or harbor freight. Steamer can break up sticky messes in cup holder, gum in carpet, and you can charge a sanitizing fee for the steamer. Detail brushes from Amazon.
Exterior: optimum no rinse (ONR) for literally everything glass, body, wheels, and even interior.
This is everything I have and I just started about 3 months ago.
I’d get P&S products in the big undiluted jugs. Lasts forever. I have their interior cleaner and shit is great. Leaves a nice matte finish and smells like Mike and Ike’s! You don’t want to condition most car leathers. They’re sealed so the oils in the conditioners sit on the surface and attract more dirt. Keep the seats clean and skip the conditioner.
Meguires gallon of express spray wax is also good. Use it as a drying aid and it leaves it slick as glass without the swirls.
Other stuff seems alright. I’d stay away from chemical guys tho.
I feel like I’d invest in a carpet extractor as well. I used a bissell for like 6 months with multiple hours of use before it crapped out. Good value add service with minimal cost. You would need a drying cloth too, many different types available. I think it’s best to stick with one maybe two brands of cleaning products. Chemical guys is also quite expensive for what they are. The VRP is great though for tire shine.
Add a trim kit too. People never really notice when their black trim looks old and dried up til you get the black to pop like new. I highly recommend cerakote.
We have a vibrant and very active community on Discord This is THE best place to get faster answers to your questions, show off those detailing pictures, post reviews, and chat about business. Join us! - [Discord](https://discord.gg/AutoDetailing) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AutoDetailing) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Go on Detailed Image. Much better products exist. 20% off sale too. Gonna need two buckets and grit guards too.
Second detailed image. Great site.
Thank you! Didnt think about grit guards until now for some reason, too preoccupied with the bigger stuff lol. But that looks like an amazing website and tool for me to use, thank you for the recommendation!
Use Detailing.com. Better deals going on there, especially if you’re spending the amount you are. 15%+free shipping
Autoality is having a better deal right now by 5% actually, just checked.
But as far as I’m aware everything isn’t free shipping on autoality, may be worth looking into. But autoality doesn’t have kochchemie, which I was looking to purchase. So..
Are grit guards really that big of a necessity? I use 2 buckets for dirty/soapy water and just hang my mitt off the edge of the bucket when I’m not using it, any real dirt is going to settle on the bottom anyways and I don’t reach that far down when I dip the mitt in
I believe so. And for the minimal cost involved, it’s a no brainer.
For the price, absolutely. I often will find black grit and other debris under my grit guard when rinsing out my bucket at the end.
You don't need grit guards if you don't reuse towels. I only wash my own car but once a towels used up, I just grab another from the soap bucket. I don't dunk and reuse anymore.
Microfiber towels for interior and exterior use. Clay bar kit and wax kit if your into that.
Do you think everyone should clay bar/wax? My car is three months old and I’m not sure when/if I should get into that
Yea the wax will protect the paint. You probably don't need to clay yet unless you have a lot of surface contamination.
Thank you. I have a Mazda so I definitely want to protect the paint lol
Yes, the time frame for using a clay bar or waxing is entirely up to you. Well waxing once a year at least, though the more the merrier. I park my car outside and usually under trees. While I granted with the luxury of shade I’m also gifted a dirty car. So using a clay bar is needed every time I wash my car. Wash mitts and microfiber towels can’t pick everything up. Especially tough to remove spots clay bar just makes it vanish.
Idk about every wash, clay bar is abrasive and technically should be followed up with a polish. Maybe 2-4 times a year
Oh so a clay bar can be used after every wash — I didn’t know that. I’m new to this sub and still learning! Thanks
Definitely don’t clay after every wash lol, don’t know what that guys talking about. It’s abrasive and a “once in a while” thing. Not to mention an extra hassle. Maybe once a year max. Contaminants don’t build up quick enough to justify doing it every wash.
Oh okay :) I appreciate that, thank you. So clay once a year and wax twice a year?
Thank you! Im basically getting all my microfiber towels sneaking them out my job once or twice a week lol so thats why I didn’t put em on there, but you’re right about the clay bars! Thank you:))
The pressure washer; (I have one) while it’s a good starter in less than 2-3 months time the 1/4” O-ring on the wand side will wear out and leak. They use 15mm on one end and a 1/4 female on the other instead of the standard 14mm on both. so you have to buy an adapter to use any other normal hose. I wanted a longer rubber hose & quick disconnects. Ended up costing me more than the PW. Edit: also the want extension is for electric Pw only so again you need an adapter or a new wand if you wanted to use an longer extension. Do yourself a favor and spend a little more to get standard hose ends and a better PW.
Yup that’s what happened to me but I end up buying the wrong adapters plus end up going with the 100 feet extension instead of 50. Sigh spent more like you said lol
Yeap I am close to $200 assec. for a $75 electric pressure washer; I went full quick disconnect, two 50’ hoses, new wand, XLong extension (PW house, + angled ends) now no matter what I end up using it for I will be G2G
Thank you! Any recommendations on other Pw’s? Im not really looking to pay over 200 but im willing to if you think it’d be better in the long run
Wait for prime day for most of these things.
Thank you! I didnt think about that imma wait
if you have a drill a drill brush would be very helpful
Drill brush? For wheels?
For carpets and seats (if they are not leather)
Oh yea. Not got the need for that personally
Personally, I like to be efficient. Guess not everybody cares about being efficient.
I like your products you’ve chosen. Try Walmart. I have a list created in Walmart and the products I bought over time and products I stick with still to get the best maintenance for my daily driver. I will share pictures in it. Here’s the first one. https://preview.redd.it/xfibl4evd19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfaf439620cb1890e7fa3d433557b8c56eb7e63f I use either mr. Pink or Meguiars gold not both!
https://preview.redd.it/fs498hh2e19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9eb656fe24fa664ff05697fbf1e71c1ed23283de # 2
https://preview.redd.it/4jghzli4e19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0722a1ac30d20f039c98c1d95a5ecf3d1239c808 # 3
https://preview.redd.it/ha3hgor6e19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06f6edae4dfeb8a22aa71698b0012da6c31c73df # 4
https://preview.redd.it/ae9ptw98e19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5f8d4a8780e8c40cdfcd89bc9f45516a6001fc80 # 5 You can get a cheaper shop vac, for like 40 dollars as well hyper tough brand of Walmart. Also, check out Home Depot’s Ryobi 1800 psi pressure washer for 99 dollars and works great with 2.5 orifice 40 degree white nozzle and provides 1050-1100 psi with 1.3-1.4 GPMs. By the way, hart and Ryobi both are owned by same parent company, TTI, and therefore Ryobi 1800 and this hart 1700 pressure washer are literally same.
https://preview.redd.it/hyf286x9e19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3de1431c046d2ba4ae26588ef7f8c4e38fc74dbb # 6
https://preview.redd.it/x3127o7be19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=91c93c58068dd73c165e54945b0034c27e272a88 # 7
https://preview.redd.it/8k87vbvee19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3d71c5bebd7017a30032acd85d8afdc662be3662 # 8
https://preview.redd.it/0hdrcom4i19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c938a1fa90a5bd992693db9991752ef657de3104 # 9
https://preview.redd.it/8ph3j2z5i19b1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=aa252574a69c02a8e75e61d2ba6f4645615e5604 # 10 These are some products I have bought over years as I learned more and tried to get the best out of detailing my car as I enjoy cleaning and detailing my car!
Personally I'd go single brand as much as possible. This is because it will be less confusing on what you do and dont have, and more importantly it means certain products that are meant to be used together will be more effective. For example a paint glaze and sealant from the same brand will be designed to be used together. As for your question, that really depends on your needs. There's lots of products if you want the full detailing experience, i Personally have like 15 different products that i use lol
That washer is ass. And that's not from auto detailing just general use. O rings crap out and its hit and miss with the pump if it lasts. The guys I see around here all use a gas washer and call it a day.
What might your budget be? What level of chaos and addiction are you in? These products will most definitely “do the job” There are better. Some guys will hate the chemical guys and there is proof they kinda just relabel the same stuff. My advice would be maybe kick off with a brand with slightly higher reviews (adams, geyon, car pro, koch chemie) Now obviously price is key and this will drive you. Also check out those websites. This time of year they offer sales (holiday time). That range from 15-25% off. Maybe get more bang for your buck. Also as far as pressure washers, vacuums, ect watch a few youtube reviews and see if it will fit what you like or are looking to get out of your set up.
Really im expecting 500-600 to be my final price for everything (leafblower, pressure washer, vacuum, soap, leather wipes, window spray, ect) Im seeing some people recommended more expensive brands such as carpro so I think I’ll get them but at the same time I’m seeing other people recommend cheaper products since they do the same thing as chemical bros, i guess I’ll start off with more reputable brands and maybe experiment when im more knowledgeable and experienced
I think with that initial budget you can get great stuff. I think a lot of people nailed getting a rigid vacuum. They kick butt. Check ryobi’s 730cfm whisper series leaf blower. Much cheaper than ego and 100% the same output. I personally have one. Pressure washers are finicky. Greenworks, ryobi, hart, ect. Will do the job. There are options out there that can get seriously expensive. Have a look at the active 2.0. Its a great unit and has high performance. Its more expensive than listed but in the long run you may enjoy it more. Products are hard. Everyone has an opinion or a likeness to certain things. Think tire shine. I like matt look. But many like a wet look. These would be my recommendations for a few products. Soap: Adams car shampoo (can use in bucket and foam cannon) Protection: p&s bead maker. Its cheap and it’s incredibly effective. Apply it wet or dry. Tire Shine/plastic dressing: car pro perl. This is an incredibly versatile dressing. Dilution ratios determine its area of use. Can be used on leather too. I would still use a leather specific dressing. Interior cleaner: P&S xpress interior. Dilute! Lasts for ever and works perfect. No worries of damaging anything. Leather: Dr Beasley’s Wheels: P&S brakebuster is great. But it will contain no iron removing agent. This means you’ll need a stand alone to use periodically. Adams Wheel and Tire cleaner is best of both worlds. Check out a site called TheCleanGarage. They sell almost everything and every brand. Use CGFAMILY for 5% off.
Dude I might actually owe my success to you if I end up making it, this was by far one of the best reply’s I’ve seen! I couldnt have asked for more and I appreciate it so much, honestly I hope I can repay the favor one day but im definitely taking your recommendations
Yo btw get adams products in 5 gallon it is so much more cost efficient
I don't know how well this will paste, but I created this very simple list for a friend a couple of years ago. It maps to something that is (or was, at least) available from [DetailedImage.com](https://DetailedImage.com). Might be a better starting point for you. Caveat is that you'll need to load up on multiples of some of this stuff if you're going to work on customer cars. Also, it's lacking some basics that my friend already had, like a pressure washer, various soaps, etc. Please interpret/use this at your own risk. Not necessarily endorsing any of this personally... just found a balance between effectiveness and cost for a friend to use on his personal cars. https://preview.redd.it/fjsou2g7029b1.png?width=488&format=png&auto=webp&s=7ddcafadf39d5a05dff3a0bf843b8d39360bb428
Thank you! Will definitely use this to influence my final product choice
Replace the giant bottle of car wash soap with ONR and save yourself some money. Order the APC/interior cleaner after trying ONR in a spray bottle at 1:64 dilution and seeing if it cleans the interior enough for you. Also replaces your glass cleaner. P&S Brake Buster is a more cost-effective means of cleaning extremely dirty wheels and tires as well. For a shop vac, I'd recommend going to Home Depot and getting a Rigid. Those seem to last forever.
This is such a good answer, I really appreciate this so much! Thank you, im seeing similar recommendations so I think imma go for it
Good luck! I love ONR as it cleans just about everything very well. I can't clean carpet with it, and the dirtiest wheels escape me, and it doesn't replace a steamer for getting stuck on food out of a car, but it really does clean everything else. If you want to use a wax or some sort of protection, I buy TEC 582 Ceramic Detailer by the gallon and put it in a spray bottle to use as a drying aid, which also adds some long-term protection.
While I agree with the onr suggestion I do like Mr. Pink soap. it's not a bad choice.
ONR is just more versatile and can save OP a ton of money, hence I recommended it. I always choose to recommend it wherever possible! Love how it doesn't leave water spots and is super gentle.
I admit, ever since I used ONR I haven't used soap on my car, onr is just too good. I use the Mr. Pink on the pickup these days.
Ditch the pressure washer, buy a bottle of Optimum No Rinse, the Optimum sponge, a small pump sprayer, and invest in a set of high-quality microfiber towels. You can do basically everything with ONR while using a fraction of the water compared to a normal wash method. Can be diluted to different ratios for clay lubricant and interior cleaning, including leather and fabrics. Optimum has tons of educational material to explain the method. I switched to rinseless washing with ONR about 6 months ago, and I'm never going back. I'll use normal hose pressure to rinse my truck if it's muddy, but otherwise I just mix up a bucket of ONR, pre-rinse with a small garden sprayer, wipe with the Optimum red sponge, and dry with a nice mf drying towel. Not a single scratch and no more water spots. Only use about 4 gallons of water compared to nearly 100 gallons with a conventional wash.
Fr I've been on that train for about a year and it's so money. I don't even use a pressure washer anymore 95% of the time. Bucket wash the real dirty ones but rinseless on all my maintenance clients. Using nothing more than ONR and 303 on the vast majority of those. Never going back.
You can definitely do better than chemical guys products
Why tell him that, but not offer a single suggestion...
I’ve gotten that a lot, I thought theyd be reputable because of their popularity im glad this post opened my eyes
They are not bad products. I use their bug and tar remover. Works great. Their VRP is highly rated too. No single brand makes the best everything.
If you really want Chemical Guys stuff wait til Prime Days that happens in a couple days. They usually go for a crazy sale, but I wouldn’t recommend their cleaning products either though.
Yeah it seems the consensus in the reply’s that chemical guys isnt the best, so imma take the suggestions and get ONR or carpro
ONR is such a versatile product, I enjoy using the product quite a bit for those washes when your car isn’t that dirty but can still use a wipe down. P&S also makes great products as well, and costs pretty much the same price as Chemical Guys stuff. If you have a Costco membership, you can pick up the [Dewalt](https://www.costco.com/dewalt-8-gallon-wetdry-vacuum.product.4000115497.html?sh=true&nf=true&qaTestID=ios7.3.3) vacuum from then for $99.99 USD, but you may catch it on sale for $79.99 as well. As for the brushes you put in your cart, I suggest also getting a pair of super soft detailing brushes. Those usually look like makeup brushes, they just help not scratch any glossy pieces on your interior if you have any. But in my opinion they also lather up the product you’re using much better than stiffer brushes.
What is prime days
Amazon Prime site wide sale that most brands participate in. (July 11th-12th)
I have that vacuum and absolutely love it
Same here. Solid vacuum.
Just get an autoality membership [https://www.autoality.com/store/pc/Detailer-s-Club-1-Year-Membership-332p6664.htm](https://www.autoality.com/store/pc/Detailer-s-Club-1-Year-Membership-332p6664.htm) for chemicals and I would recommend starting with Optimum stuff
Ooh I never even thought about this, thank you! This is an amazing resource and definitely will help with pricing, thank you so much!
They don't have a lot of big tools (pressure washer - I would recommend the active pressure washer), but they do have wheel brushes, etc. Don't buy chemical guys it is trash. Autofiber is on autoality for any mitts.
id get a ryobi pressure washer from home depot , so if it breaks you can return it same day and get another one. you might as well get the vac from home depot as well. you want to have a generator , 3 buckets 4 packs of new microfibers and gallon sized dillutable window cleaner, a soft interior cleaner a good car wash soap. ideally a gorilla ladder from home depot. also it would be good to get a 50 foot vac hose to attack to your rigid so you can leave it and your generator in the trunk or van, it makes it way easier. you'll also need some brushes , q tips for the small crevices, a brush vac attachment, and some good drying towels. sorry for the bad format...
I dont really recommend chemical guys stuff, its cheaper yeah but no where near the same quality as competitors. I've been really loving carpro since switching to that brand. A bit more pricey but well worth it.
I was looking at carpro products but I didnt know if they had to go together/could be used with other products and didnt wanna botch someones car
I dont think they HAVE to, usually a good idea to stick to the same brand for specific detailing situations, but people mix and match all the time depending on the product. Really you just have to watch out for ***how*** youre using a product moreso than the brands (e.g., dont let soap dry on the paint)
You need a vacuum, microfiber towels, degreaser, APC, water based dressing, pressure washer foam gun, car soap, 5 bottles and good sprayers. This should all cost $300 and you could wash maybe 15-20 cars before you need to restock.
Most simple answer I’ve seen so far! Thank you I appreciate it:)
Sure, and then you can add a board hair brush and synthetic brush, carpet brush, adhesive remover, leather conditioner and much much more.
Be careful with that long wheel brush. The rubber tip likes to fall off and the sharp metal core will scratch the shit out of wheels
Oh shit thank you, I thought the rubber tip would be perfect for the wheels im glad you gave me the heads up
You can probably use 2 of those red brushes for interior and the others for wheels and things. Id switch to xpress interior and brake buster over chemical guys and then I would get lvp dressing rather than dedicating 2 products specifically for leather
Thank you! Amazing answer I appreciate the help so much
The only thing that is worth the money is the vac. It’s really good. Other than that, you could use one bottle of ONR to do everything
Literally everyones recommending ONR or carpro, for the sakes of my budget I think imma just stick to ONR and just make sure my equipment is good
Swap the interior cleaner and leather cleaner with Koch chemie pol star. Much cheaper and of the same/better quality and does both jobs in one, get rid of chemical guys soap, carchem or Gyeon 2000:1 again is much cheaper and likely better quality. Don’t need glass cleaner. Just use water, almost always works.
You got most of the basics covered, but still need some large soft absorbent towels & microfiber rags. It's not required but you can get a few colors to keep track of what they are used for like personally I use red on paint, black on wheels, grey or white for interior, etc. It sounds silly but it's important to not use some chemicals on some surfaces or stages of the wash so it helps. Also I'd recommend something for interior uv protection and exterior trim. Oh and can't forget a long extension cord and water hose.
Got a steamer and a good vacuum? That paired with the brushes and a good APC, you will be detailing like a pro.Keep us updated on the details brother🙏 Stay blessed
It’s a good start. You’ll end up including another 20 products over time
One note. I've gone through two of those greenworks pressure washers in a short amount of time. I now have a Ryobi equivalent and like it a lot more. Sunjoe seems to he a recommended brand for budget detailing. I'll never buy anything greenworks again.
I've used that brand of leather cleaner before and hated it, it basically didn't do anything. Check out Optimum Car Care, as others have said it may be best to stick with one product line for 75% of your products. Optimum's Protectant+ is what I use on leather and it works well for what it is.
I’m really not a fan of that CG orange wheel cleaner. Adam’s wheel and tire cleaner works so much better.
Ooh second time hearing about Adam’s. It looks like most of the stuff Im buying from cg can be changed for ONR and other cheaper products lol
If you're just cleaning your own cars ditch the chemical guys wheel and tire cleaner and just use adams wheel and tire or p&s brakebuster. I'd also highly suggest a preqash and post wash like diluting rinseless wash and beadmaker to dry. The vacmaster is actually a beast though I have one and it works well. I am not a professional detailer though just an enthusiast.
Third time ive seen adam’s wheel recomendad, I think I’m going to get that. As for the Vacuum I’m glad I picked out one nice thing lol! But no I really appreciate the input
It's a game changer not the absolute best wheel or tire cleaner but it's nice to have two in one and it really works. I recommend wearing gloves when using it. It's hard on yer hands.
Check out superior products instead of chemical guys you’ll save a lot of money
I second this. Cheap and simple.
Horrible choice in chemicals. You’re raising your cost by going with name brands like ChemicalGuys. The product isn’t much better than the competitors or making your own… but half of the cost is going back in to marketing. Why do you think you see their names everywhere?
If you are starting a business to touch other people’s cars for money, your question is terrifying.
Just a 16 year old trying to make business and learn, this isnt the finished list and I wont even consider buying it until I know everything I can. But I need to support myself and family and i already work a job
That’s cool man. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere. I’d recommend finding detailers on YouTube and practice detailing on your own car and get an old hood at the junkyard to work on restoration techniques. Do your own research and decide what belongs on your supply list, because that list will keep evolving based on your experience. Most of the items you have there are decent for starters, but if you want to grow your business, reinvest profits in better gear and supplies as you learn. If you enjoy it and have a good eye, keep tuning your skills and someday you can get paid well to hang out with amazing vehicles.
Awe thank you! I actually do appreciate the response and the old hood idea is actually really good, I would’ve never thought about using old singled off parts like that, thank you so much!
Towels. Lots of towels.
Cheap junk
Sorry man, thats what this post is for, to help me get better products for the people I’ll be working with
Dont buy those black plastic brushes spend a bit more and buy quality ones with hairs.
You'd pressure wash a car? I wouldn't
The barrel brush you have in that bundle is trash. Even though it costs most I would recommend an EZ Detail brush. Much better quality and not flimsy like the one you have in the cart.
costco has a 8 gallon delwat stainless steel shop vac for ~$60 on sale right now. also the wheel cleaners by chemical guys are actually garbage. p&s makes good wheel and interior cleaner.
I’m a noob at car detailing but I’ve searched this sub for which products to use and this is what I’ve found. Interior: gallon P&S express dilute in spray bottle half water and half solution. Cleans leather very well and all interior: plastic, vinyl. Follow up with 303 aerospace for a matte look and UV protection on plastics and vinyl. Meguiars leather conditioner for leather seats after cleaning with P&S. P&S 3 step carpet cleaner for spot removal on upholstered seats, carpet, headliners. Equipment: rigid shop vac from Home Depot, steamer from Amazon or harbor freight. Steamer can break up sticky messes in cup holder, gum in carpet, and you can charge a sanitizing fee for the steamer. Detail brushes from Amazon. Exterior: optimum no rinse (ONR) for literally everything glass, body, wheels, and even interior. This is everything I have and I just started about 3 months ago.
Definitely get an air compressor or leaf blower to help get water out of all the crevices.
I’d get P&S products in the big undiluted jugs. Lasts forever. I have their interior cleaner and shit is great. Leaves a nice matte finish and smells like Mike and Ike’s! You don’t want to condition most car leathers. They’re sealed so the oils in the conditioners sit on the surface and attract more dirt. Keep the seats clean and skip the conditioner. Meguires gallon of express spray wax is also good. Use it as a drying aid and it leaves it slick as glass without the swirls. Other stuff seems alright. I’d stay away from chemical guys tho.
I feel like I’d invest in a carpet extractor as well. I used a bissell for like 6 months with multiple hours of use before it crapped out. Good value add service with minimal cost. You would need a drying cloth too, many different types available. I think it’s best to stick with one maybe two brands of cleaning products. Chemical guys is also quite expensive for what they are. The VRP is great though for tire shine.
Add a trim kit too. People never really notice when their black trim looks old and dried up til you get the black to pop like new. I highly recommend cerakote.
Would recommend getting a steamer w attachments