6 Best Car Detailing Sprays & Why They’re The Best
Many people love to use car detailing spray after a carwash to add gloss and protection to the paint. So, how do you know what is the best car detailing spray? Car detailing spray can come in many forms. Some are used to add protection and/or gloss to your car’s paint and others are used as a lubricant for claying or as a waterless wash to remove dust. It is important that you understand the intended use of the spray that you are purchasing in order to prevent negative consequences. For example, if you use a detailing spray that is intended to add gloss to your vehicle’s paint to remove dust, you could potentially scratch the pain or create swirls because a detailing spray that is used to add gloss may not contain enough lubricant to remove dust or dirt without scratching the paint. This is why you should purchase a few different types of detailing spray to cover all your bases, but which sprays are the best?
What are the best car detailing sprays?
The best car detailing sprays include:
- Adam’s detail spray
- Chemical Guys HydroSpeed Ceramic Quick Detailer
- Mother’s California Gold Instant Detailer
- Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Detail Spray
- Griot’s Garage Best of Show Detail Spray
- CarGuys Hybrid Wax Sealant
Once you choose a detailing spray or a few different types of detailing spray that is among the best available, you will need to know how and when to properly use the spray. Depending on the type of detailing spray you purchase, there are correct and incorrect times of when it is appropriate to use it.
Also, should you use the spray with a drying towel and let the spray sit and air dry? These are just a few of the questions that may be on your mind when you are deciding on what kind of spray to purchase and when you are actually ready to use the spray.
Let us break down in more detail what car detailing spray is, what the different types of spray are that are available for purchase, when each type of spray is supposed to be used, and how to properly use it. Also, let us take a look at some of the most trusted products that both detailing professionals and home users look to when they choose a car detailing spray to use in their shop or on their personal vehicles.
Best car detailing sprays of 2022
Now that we understand that car detailing sprays can come in different forms, can have different intended uses and that some of the sprays may be multipurpose, let us take a look at some of the most popular and best car detailing sprays of 2022.
1. Adam’s detail spray
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Adam’s brand is famous among professional detailers as they produce many high/quality products from car washing buckets to rolling work seats. So, when it comes to their detailing spray, you cannot go wrong with Adam’s detailing spray.
Adam’s detailing spray is a kind of all-in-one detailing spray that can be used in almost any situation. For example, this detailing spray can be used as a clay lubricant, pad primer, polish booster, gloss enhancer, wax booster, and as a waterless wash to remove dust, fingerprints, and water spots between washes without scratching the paint. People who use Adam’s detailing spray find that they do not need to purchase any additional detailing sprays.
2. Chemical Guys HydroSpeed Ceramic Quick Detailer
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This Chemical Guys HydroSpeed Ceramic Quick Detailer Spray can be applied to your paint, wheels, glass, headlights, taillights, and basically any portion of your vehicle’s exterior.
This spray can be used after a car wash or between car washes. Use this spray to also protect your vehicle from UV rays, extreme weather, and contamination from tar and other harmful chemicals that tend to bond to the paint of vehicles. The spray is easy to apply and contains ceramic self-cleaning properties.
3. Mother’s California Gold Instant Detailer
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This Mother’s California Gold Instant Detailer Spray is an economical detailing spray that helps to remove fingerprints, smudges, and dust while enhancing color and shine. This car detailing spray is easy to use and can provide long-lasting benefits when used regularly.
4. Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Detail Spray
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This Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Detail Spray is extremely popular among professional detailers. Although the spray can be used pretty much any time, for the best effect, it should be used after you have washed, dried, and applied traditional wax or sealant to your vehicle.
The PH-neutral formula can work to preserve any wax or sealant that you applied while maintaining vehicle shine. The spray also works to remove contaminants from your car’s paint. If you would like to use this car detailing spray for quick touchups between washes, that is ok too as the spray is highly lubricated and is safe to use on clear coats.
5. Griot’s Garage Best of Show Detail Spray
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This Griot’s Garage Best of Show Detail Spray is specially designed with a polymer formula this not only improves paint gloss and slickness, but it also is the best quick detailing spray to use between washes to remove dust, fingerprints, and other smudges within seconds. The formula is highly lubricated so it is safe to use anytime. Simple spray on and wipe clean with a clean microfiber towel.
6. CarGuys Hybrid Wax Sealant
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If you are looking for a detailing spray that also contains wax and sealant protection, then CarGuys Hybrid Wax Sealant Spray is a product you may want to consider. This spray can be applied to not only your car’s paint, but to any chrome, glass, headlights, tail lights, rims, wheels, and tires as well. The sealant and carnauba wax are perfect for maintaining a deep and buttery look to your car’s finish. After your car has been completely washed and dried, simply spray on and wipe off this hybrid wax sealant for one to three months of protection and increased shine. Feel free to reapply after every wash to maintain richness and protection.
What is car detailing spray?
When you start looking at different detailing sprays for sale, you may notice there are some products that call themselves detailing sprays and some products that are called spray waxes.
This can be confusing because not all detailing sprays can be used to remove dust, smudges, and fingerprints from your vehicle’s paint, and some spray waxes could also be used to clean dust from your vehicle. This is why it is extremely important that you read the instructions and reviews of any product that you intend to purchase in order to prevent unnecessary damage to your vehicle.
At their most basic definitions, car detailing spray is supposed to be used in between washes to remove light layers of dust, fingerprints, and other smudges. Car detailing spray contains enough lubricant that using it to remove dust or dirt from your vehicle’s paint will allow you to do so without scratching the paint or creating swirls.
Spray wax is a spray that can be applied to the body of your vehicle that adds a protective layer of wax or polymer to make your car shine. Spray waxes are not supposed to be used to remove dust, dirt, fingerprints, or other smudges, however, some spray waxes like AMMO Spit is a spray wax that also doubles as detailing spray that can be used both to remove dust and to add a protective layer.
This is why you pay close attention to the product description and instructions of use to make sure that you are using the correct detailing spray or spray wax at the correct moment. Doing so can prevent some serious damage to the paint of your car.
What are the different types of car detailing spray?
Again, always make sure you are fully reading the product description and instructions of a detailing spray before you use it. There are four main types of car detailing spray and some products may be multipurpose. Here are the details about the four main purposes of car detailing spray.
Light cleaner
Some car detailing sprays are advertised as waterless washes. A waterless wash detailing spray is the safest type of spray to use for removing dust, fingerprints, smudges, and water spots from your vehicle’s paint without scratching it. The waterless wash car detailing spray can be used in combination with a clean microfiber towel to remove blemishes on your paint between car washes. Again, make sure the spray includes in its instructions that it is safe to use for removing dust and other blemishes between washes.
Add gloss and shine
Car detailing sprays that advertise that they add gloss and shine to your vehicle should only be used immediately after you have washed and dried your car.
These detailing sprays often contain different waxes or silicone in them to give your car that wet look that will make it pop when it rolls down the street. These types of sprays are often used by vehicle owners who bring their cars to car shows and exhibitions.
Add protection
Car detailing sprays that contain wax and/or sealants in them can be used after a car has been washed and dried to add a layer of protection to your vehicle’s paint.
These types of car detailing sprays do not add as much protection as a traditional wax or sealant, however, if you are short on time after you wash your car, you can apply one of these car detailing sprays and it will add some level of protection that should last a couple of weeks. It is important to note that if you have the time, applying a traditional wax sealant is the best way to get the most protection for the longest period of time possible.
Lubrication for claying
What exactly is claying when it comes to car detailing? Claying is a process of removing contaminants from your vehicle’s paint that has bonded to the surface and that cannot be removed by soap and water alone. When you clay a vehicle, you also open up the pores of the clear coat in a way that will allow waxes and sealants to seep in deeper to provide extra protection and increase the shine.
If you would like to include claying into your car detailing process, then you will need to purchase a proper piece of car detailing clay along with a property detailing spray that is designed specifically for claying.
Car detailing spray that is used for claying will contain extra lubricants to ensure that the piece of car detailing clay does not scratch the clear coat when it is being used to remove bonded contaminants from the surface.
How to use car detailing spray
As mentioned before, there are four different types of car detailing spray and it is important to understand how and when to use each type. Some products may also contain some overlap when it comes to intended use, so be sure to read the instructions of any product you intend to use on your vehicle.
When it comes to basic car detailing sprays, it is important that you never apply the spray on a dirty vehicle unless it specifically says it can be used as a waterless wash.
Most detailing sprays should only be used on a clean car, although they can be used on either wet or dry cars as long as it is after they have been washed.
However, if you are planning on applying a traditional wax or sealant, then you will want to wash the car, fully dry it, apply your wax or sealant, and then finish it off with the detailing spray.
If you are not applying a traditional wax or sealant, then you can use the quick detailing spray while you are drying the vehicle or after the vehicle is completely dry.
Either method is fine, however, if you use the detailing spray, if there are any wax or sealant properties in it, they will be diluted by the water when applied which may provide less protection and the shine will not be as great. If your car detailing spray advertises that it adds gloss and protection, then it is best used once the vehicle is completely dry.
If you have a car detailing spray that is to be used as a clay lubricant, then you will want to make sure that your vehicle is clean and still wet. Apply the clay lubricant detailing spray to the hood or a panel as well as the bar of clay you are using. Make sure you have applied the spray generously.
Finally, glide the clay bar over the body of the car using straight line motions. Once complete, give your vehicle a full rinse with cool clean water.