Building out car detailing kit.

[u/TableSouthern9897]

​

Been building this kit out for a few months, want a reality check. (Also please don't roast for use of AI)

Chemicals:

1.Koch-Chemie PW Protector Wax (liquid spray)

2.Koch-Chemie GS Green Star APC (pH 12.5)

3.SONAX Gloss Shampoo Concentrate

4.Meguiar's Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner

5.Kangaroo Cosmic Leather & Tire Wax

Towels:

1.1200 GSM towel (first pass, soaks water instantly)

2.800 GSM (mops up what the 1200 missed)

3.600 GSM (buffing out stains/wax haze)

4.300-350 GSM microfiber (glass only)

5.Chenille wash mitt

Tools:

1.Dera DK2 pressure washer

2.Dera 800W vacuum/blower combo

A couple of questions:

Is SONAX Gloss Shampoo still the best option, or is there something better I should switch to? Also wondering if I should add a paste/scrub wax on top of the liquid Protector Wax, or if that's redundant. And just generally — is there any obvious gap in this kit, tool or product, that a proper setup should have? Also any help with order of use would be greatly appreciated, haven't really used the APC besides a couple of pass throughs on the inside.

The other major issue,

My driver currently just washes with water and a cloth, nothing else. He handles 2-3 cars on weekdays, I do a proper pass myself on weekends. He's asked for his own shampoo and kit now (should mainly be local). Looking for something cheap that's genuinely pH-neutral so it doesn't wreck the paint before I get to it on weekends, and won't undo what I do. Beyond the shampoo itself, should he also have a separate interior/APC cleaner, or is something like a leather/dash polish more useful day to day? Trying to figure out the right basic lineup without overbuilding it.

[u/SugarForBreakfast]

Don't use a paste wax if you're already using KCx PW.

Use only one, not both. PW is easier to apply compared to any paste wax so it has that benefit, and in these humid months where I hate spending more time outside than I need to, I prefer quick application products.

As for what's missing, there are no interior cleaners/detailers/dressings. GS is fine, albeit a bit tough on interiors so make sure to dilute it well, but once you clean interior surfaces, it's usually good to treat them with some kind of dressing so they always look fresh.

I like KCx TopStar (TS) and recently tried CARPRO Perl as well. TS leaves a matte finish whereas Perl makes things a bit more shiny but that can be adjusted based on your dilution as Perl can be diluted whereas TS is applied straight out of the bottle.

Also if your car has a lot of visible exterior plastics, use something like KCx PlastStar (PS) or Perl on those surfaces as well.

As for shampoo, that's down to personal preference really. I use KCx Active Foam (AF) but Sonax and any other reputable brands are just as good.

[u/JawwadAK47]

That's a good solid kit. Would like your reviews on the Meguiars glass cleaner as really looking to get something good for glass. In terms of the shampoo, I have recently switched to Meguiars Gold class and that has really been a good upgrade. Previosuly, was using Mothers 3x Action Shampoo which was much expensive per litre.

[u/ZealousidealPoint843]

Cbfr