Do you REALLY NEED a pre-wash? Pre-wash test!

Pre-wash products are a highly controversial product with many people arguing their effectiveness or lack thereof. In this video I'm putting 5 different pre-wash chemicals to the test against eachother and plain old water.
Please let me know if you enjoyed this video and if you have any other topics you'd like me to cover.
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[@SuperchargedLlama]

Cracking video! I'm absolutely amazed that people still say you don't need a pre-wash. I swear these are the people who've only used a pH neutral snow foam or something, because there's so much evidence to show that a good active pre -wash is a huge difference.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Thank you darling! Honestly I get so many comments suggesting I just pressure wash the car and pre-wash is a waste of money 🤦🏻‍♂️ Ever see a roadside car wash NOT use one? Didn't think so 🤣👍🏻

[@SuperchargedLlama]

@@SpeckyMcSporran I can see where they're coming from if all they've used is pH neutral stuff or mediocre citrus...but not trying anything else? Crazy isn't it!

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Bonkers!

[@r49309]

There are plenty of unnecessary detailing products out there designed to empty our pockets in pursuit of the sliver bullet (wheel shampoos, RTU clay lubes, tyre conditioners etc) but pre-wash is an essential step if you want to minimise swirls and scratches. Bilt Hamber Touch-less or AutoFoam are top performers and good value even though they use a fair bit of product if applying by foam cannon (pump sprayer works as well with benefit of more economical with product). Water alone does not clean and as an effective lubricant.

[@jamienevill1768]

I agree. A pre wash breaks down dirt and grime which can scratch the paintwork using a pressure washer alone. However, there's a bedazzling amount of unnecessary products out there.

[@OCDaddyZsolt]

Good test Specky, cheers. Another factor you need to keep in mind is that the panels are the dirties right behind the wheel and getting less dirty, towards the back (and then dirtier again behind the rear wheels). Most probably that's the reason behind the water only wash looks impressive, compared to the ones closed to the front wheel.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Very good point Zsolt!

[@owensteele1645]

Yes you should use a pre-wash before contact. I bring out two iK multi sprayers when washing the beloved family Polo. Koch Chemie Green Star at 4% for the body, and at 10% for the alloys, arches and lower areas. In the Winter months the rear tailgate and screen get plastered with filth after just one week, so I deploy the 10% mixture for the car's rear as well, over the Winter moths only. After this pre-wash stage, the car is always almost spotless prior to the contact wash using Bilt Hamber AutoWash at 2%with warm water.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Can't argue with your methods 👍🏻

[@DjNikGnashers]

I only use a pre wash on very dirty/grimy paint. And the one I use is Virosol, which is a citrus floor cleaner. It's very cheap, it's very strong, and it's readily available. It's just a strong industrial grade citrus cleaner, designed for floors, and I don't see anything different in it's ingredients, than some over-priced, detailing product.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Very interesting, I've used commercial all purpose cleaner/degreasers in the past but only on a car I didn't care about haha

[@DjNikGnashers]

@@SpeckyMcSporran It's safe, I dilute it about 1 to 5 and it's still plenty strong enough. Jon from Forensic Detailing actually reviewed it in his prewash multi test, it was about mid-range for cleaning but the cheapest on test.

[@bennevis21]

I use Sufex HD at 4% by a pump sprayer and put AG snow foam on top.

[@AndreasSchwarzinger]

Good video and, most importantly, noone can say you didn’t use enough product. 😉 But I have to say: The Dodo in the background needs a bit of love, it‘s laying there like a dead bird 🙈

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Haha it does!

[@stevegorman2898]

Next week, is it a Skon or a skone 😅. Nice video. Like the new intro, very smart

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Thank you! Not bad for a fiver 🤣 And it's "skon" ok? 😉

[@michaelbutler4219]

Very fair comparison Specky. I have never used prewash before, just the turbo lance on the pressure washer to get the dirt of. However, it does make sense that if the grime can have a soak before hand it will come off the panel easier. I'll give the Shineygarage a try, I may become a believer. Thanks for finding yet another use for Rimmats. 👍

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Thanks Michael, always looking to try new things and bring the information for everyone.

[@Geeky_detail_reviews]

Trying to still find “The One” I love searching (good job hey)

[@adrianlawrence7224]

That was a superb comparison! It tested extreme real world conditions. I think it's only necessary in extreme circumstances though. Nice to be aware they're not as fantastic as the manufactures would have us believe. Great content.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Thank you!

[@Mogsy28uk]

good video Craig, everyone has their opinion and right to use what they like -- but I use a good citrus/apc pre-wash and a layer of foam, does the job for me and reduces the crap left on the car before i do my wash. very handy when i just use one bucket now, with a guard and several MF mitts. I use IW Citrus Pre-wash diluted in 1L Pro bottle with some IW APX/insect strip and some AM APC - the foam layer on top I use is IW Powerfoam mixed with AM Foam, and and leaves my Outback nearly clean, bugs all gone from windscreen and front of car. I use the 15deg (yellow) nozzle for all my pre-wash stages.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Cheers Ian, I don't think I'd ever wash my car without some pre-wash. As someone else commented, even roadside car washes use a pre-wash so it must do something. 👍🏻

[@Geeky_detail_reviews]

Good evening buddy, great video as always keep them coming. We chat about these types of products weekly. None can remove all Traffic film.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Exactly, anything that was strong enough would likely eat off the lacquer 🤣

[@Geeky_detail_reviews]

@@SpeckyMcSporran definitely 👍

[@rianime9371]

Keep in mind he pressure washed the hell out of that water only section.

[@hartlanddetailer5670]

Thanks for your testing. To me, the power washing seem to be as good as any of them? I seldom use a power washer, unless vehicle is really bad? I use a foam gun & whatever shampoo I am using? If lower areas of the vehicle are bad, I may agentate with a very soft flagged tipped brush? On my own my cars, I seldom do a traditional wash, usually use ONR for weekly baths. Maintenance washes with a pH neutral soap or full detail will get a bath in a high pH soap (my own concuation).

[@dini1046]

You would love my work van as a test subject, it gets driven to New York City 4 to 6 times a month and it gets caked up with all sorts of nasty films.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Feel like a road trip to Scotland? 🤣

[@pigeonpoo1823]

Excellent video. Always prewash. I love autofoam and surfex, but their foaming abilities are lacking. I want a tad more. As such, ive found Autoglanz Foam+ and awaiting delivery. It looks like it could be the perfect solution. If i was any more excited to experiment id wet myself!

[@KarlHampson-TCB]

Great video again specky. Personally I use an APC and then a snow foam on top of that for my pre wash process. As you said it’s all about getting rid of as much grit and grim before your contact wash.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Cheers Karl, can't fault your methods!

[@gregplant8761]

Great Demo Specky! (And can’t go a day without listening to one of your podcast shows!) Personally I’m going to give Autoglym multiwash a go next as I like the versatility of tasks it can do other than a pre-wash.

[@kennyg4744]

I'm in agreement with you Specky. The more dirt that I can remove before the contact wash, the less chance of me creating scratches, swirls, marring etc on the paint when I wipe with my wash pad. Personally I use a good APC in summer months and Citrus in winter months. I do though cover the car and after 3 or 4 minutes, put GT V2 snow foam over the top of it and allow to dwell for 5 or 10 minutes without letting it dry. Then the force of the pressure washer roughly at the speed you showed, methodically covering every part of the panel, forces the dirt off the car. Similar to how has been discussed on the Specky and Paul talk detailing podcast.............available on all popular podcast platforms 🙂

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Haha cheers for the plug Kenny! 🙌🏻

[@clintsaines9274]

That's what your soapy mitt is for.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

You carry on pushing dirt and grime around with your soapy mitt while we remove the worst of the grime first.

[@clintsaines9274]

@@SpeckyMcSporran I can remove all that without that stuff.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I didn't say you can't, but do you really want to drag it around the paint? That's the point, nothing to do with cleaning but cleaning safely.

[@tonyhill1916]

At its not always possible to work on a car that's not in direct sun, which is the best pre wash that can be applied in sunlight without harming the paint if it dries on. If the answer is none, then what's the answer?

[@decker0373]

Evening Specky, nice content there. Whilst I don't really care whether people think it's worth it or not (i do prewash before contact) I am more curious by the attitude of some people who seem to have difficulty in formulating a salient point without resorting to playground behaviour, very bizarre indeed. All the best bud.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Cheers Lee, all the best! 🙌🏻

[@ashhunt3514]

Just picked up a bottle of “Elbow Grease” it’s a cheap as chips APC. Going to try it for the arches etc as I’ve spent way too much money on detailer pre washes 😂

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Elbow grease is powerful stuff!

[@Makaveli1888]

I’ve been using elbow grease for close to nearly ten years and I think it’s great stuff. It’s cheap and it’s a great addition to have in combination with the rest of my gear.

[@peter7582]

That stuff makes a good bug remover

[@Makaveli1888]

Yeah good at that and giving the engine bay a quick once over, doing the fuel filler cap, inside the door shuts etc. Even used it for prep before painting small things like a friends mirror caps and loads of other stuff. Love it it’s a great product.

[@jeffmason4559]

In the winter months I’ll jet wash the worst crud off then throw neat Yum citrus all over the lower part of the car and then cover it in foam. You can see the muck coming off, and I don’t expect it to have cleaned the car, but it does get a lot of dirt lifted when I jet wash it off prior to washing the car. Plus I just really like throwing foam everywhere, it appeals to my inner child!

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I'm totally with you Jeff! 👍🏻

[@mact153]

B h touchless is all i use , and its job done

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I still haven't tried it yet🤦🏻‍♂️

[@kwl189]

​@@SpeckyMcSporranyou got to try it for sure. Totally biodegradable and knocked it out of the park. So good especially for contactless pre rinsing in the winter. Autofoam is even better but leaves a film on that needs a contact wash to remove.

[@decker0373]

​@kwl189 a couple of really interesting points there. Firstly, I've not used it yet, but love AF so I'll definitely get Touchless in the future. I didn't know about the free rinsing angle, that's good to know. The other thing, you referred to contact less washing in the winter, are you just applying a prewash and Touchless, no hand wash, no drying, etc? I'd love to know your method, if you're happy to let me know.

[@M.E63]

Haven’t started watching the video yet but of course you need a pre wash, years ago I never knew this but when I started buying higher end cars I started detailing which was around 8-9 years ago Update: half way through the video, what stood out to me was the control section

[@johnbrown3951]

I usually use a pre wash in winter time and if the car is really dirty I over lay a snow foam or I use an Alkaline snow foam rinse then a snow foam to neutralise it which works a treat for me. I'm not sure I could ever leave my car dirty for that length of time. I can barely last two days without washing if it is dirty. Mind you with the dry spell we have had the cars remain only dusty and it is tricky finding shade to do a detail and now the forecast is rain for a fortnight so I guess no major details for a while.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Cheers John, I'm glad I have my gazebo now to provide some shade 👍🏻

[@johnbrown3951]

@@SpeckyMcSporran can you give me details of yours where you got it, size and price. Thanks.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I don't know the brand, it's a 3m X 3m pop-up gazebo without sides I bought last year from Wowcher for £60.

[@johnbrown3951]

@@SpeckyMcSporran That was a bargain. Wowcher!!!!

[@johnbrown3951]

@@SpeckyMcSporran Thanks for taking the time to reply to my questions.

[@ashc3765]

I use Gyeon foam on my daily that gets a wash once a fortnight and it’s cleans almost all of the visible grime off my car.

[@Detailing_Reviews]

Great video, some good testing there

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Cheers Paul!

[@callumchurch3219]

A test I’ve fancied trying is, getting a snow foam garage therapy, BH touchless etc and trying them in a spray bottle not in a foam Lance and seeing the difference in results

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I'm tempted to do the same myself 👍🏻

[@callumchurch3219]

@@SpeckyMcSporran touchless with a PIR of 4% in a spray bottle or pump sprayer would give even better value for money be interesting to see if the it’s foam that gives it its performance

[@Tim955w]

I use this method and can find no difference compared to using a lance at the same PIR when spraying through an IK sprayer in the cooler months, or when it's not to windy as the product easily blows away from the vehicle when applied via a hand held sprayer. In hotter weather the product dries out so quickly so i find lances better for warmer weather. Using hand sprayers in the right conditions also saves a lot of product😊 my personal preference is to use the thinner snow foams via a hand sprayer (BH) as i find the thicker ones come out a bit bubbly and don't seem to uniformly wet the panels as well. Good luck.

[@jamienevill1768]

My father has owned quite a few white cars over the years. Always difficult to keep clean anyway. A few years ago, when he got his latest one, I 'cleaned' it using just the pressure washer. Once dried, there was hardly any difference, so I always use a pre cleaner of one brand or another ( I'm not biased towards a specific one) now. Now for a tale. At a company I used to work at, the boss asked the works know all to wash his wife's rather dirty black car. Said know all used only the pressure washer from the maintainance department. When the boss came back, it was still filthy and covered in traffic film! Suffice to say, he wasn't pleased. I volunteered to do it, using the valeting materials I had in my car. Proper job and one satisfied boss, who suggested I should do it for a living, which I later did.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Thank you for this story! 🙏🏻

[@colinmilne4634]

Have seen 2 or 3 other KZbinrs do very similar comparisons and they have all shown that the chemicals do something. Some products were only fractionally better than pressurised water so maybe not worth money or time - but other stronger products made a significant difference and should have made the contact wash safer as a result. My personal experience is that my pathetic power washer is helped by a decent prewash. Others with better pressure washers may not need the same help?

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

That's a good point. Pre-wash chemicals definitely help and I wouldn't wash without them, but it's a personal preference for those that choose to use them or not.

[@colinmilne4634]

@@SpeckyMcSporran Would the water only have looked so good if the narrow (higher pressure) nozzle had been used to rinse the prewashes on the 1st attempt? The extra pressure on that 1st water only may have given that extra bite.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I get what you mean, but I was trying to show the performance of the chemicals without too much assistance from the pressure washer.

[@jamesbartlett5005]

" it was just a little pre wash at most"

[@andyrantshumanphilosopher7571]

Surfex hd just does it. I use it as "pre wash" and wheel cleaner.

[@patrickhostler5939]

Great test sir. Personally I’ve only ever used an Auto Finesse snow foam as a pre wash, and I just wasn’t that impressed if I’m honest… I think a good blast with a Jet washer is, for all intents and purposes, nearly as good, it’s cheaper, and, yes… less chemicals (so environmentally a bit friendlier)

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

PH neutral snowfoam won't have much impact, you may see better results from a snowfoam with greater cleaning ability.

[@ceasar5871]

try koch chemie green star or sfm as a pre-wash, they are beasts.

[@VIW3784]

Always better to know you’ve at least tried to clean as much dirt off as possible in the first place before you potentially massage grit and grime into the paint, be in snow foam or pre-wash I think it’s always a good idea to be cautious, no one is ever going to scratch their car and say “Damn I didn’t use enough snow foam” or whatever. Good comparison, it’s cleaner than when you started too! 😁

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Cheers my man! 🙌🏻

[@tmphotography8443]

As I said on Insta it depends on how dirty the car is in terms of do I need something strong to lift ground in dirt , or something to just moisten and start to get it ready for rinsing off that will do the trick . I had heard a couple mentioned to be quite strong yet in the test maybe didn't do as well as I'd of expected. Like you said hard to see clearly , tis on my phone shattered at work , but this is where you need to put a level of trust in the reviewers opinion. Interesting though mate . Are we also saving the interior for a test by not cleaning it too ?

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I hate interiors 🤣

[@tmphotography8443]

@@SpeckyMcSporran I'm very much you gotta sit in it so it's gotta be comfortable and somewhere you want to be . Also not transferring the sh*t from in the car into the house . That's why I get so wound up at work with some cars . I have asked if they can fail mots over the state of some . Pigs wouldn't live in em so dirty

[@Jin-Ro]

I think Pre-wash is a self-deluded con at this point. I almost got pulled onto the bandwagon until I started looking at the costs. £30 for the pre wash fluid, £50 for the good snow foam bottle, maybe £20 for the quick release adaptor, better if you have a short gun so £70 for that, and the nozzles, £10. Then I thought, I'm washing my car. It doesn't matter if you pre-wash or not, your car will be just as clean after you wash it than if you didn't pre-wash it, so what's the point? It all sounds a bit ridiculous.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Snowfoam is the most expensive way to use a pre-wash. You could buy a simple citrus based pre-wash and re-use an old trigger spray bottle.

[@nigelbryant5932]

Great job Specky, you seem to use a lot of product? I always use different products to gauge results. A lot of well known products don’t seem to have the desired effect. I always use a pre wash.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I was asking a lot of all the products due to the level of baked on grime and traffic film. If it were less grimy then I'd have used less product, but I wanted to give everything a fair chance.

[@BMan100]

..man I wish Autoglym didn't pull out of Canada... so much nice stuff we didn't get.

[@sidewalkdancesgym]

I’m posting this before I’ve watched 😮 But if you think you don’t need a pre wash, just think, scratch and shines/hand car washes ALWAYS leather the car with TFR. If those guys and girls didn’t need to use/pay for a chemical, you can bet your best wax they wouldn’t bother. They definitely wouldn’t bother if it didn’t work.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Excellent point! 👍🏻

[@geraldfitzgibbon7428]

Wooohooo.specky is here

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

It's me! I'm back! 🤣

[@AntEloftheHouseofEl]

Good video Specky. Although it does need caveating a tad. I'd never recommend ANYONE uses a TFR on a regular basis. Also, the GT snow foam was probably at a disadvantage. Its meant to be applied as a foam so that it can emulsify and encapsulate the dirt, whereas the others were formulated to be applied as a liquid. I guess, ultimately, it's really up to the individual. I still like a good layer of Surfex HD just before I apply my snow foam.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Nothing wrong with that mate 👍🏻

[@peemick]

interesting vid, well done as always. Obviously you didn't have the king of prewashes in there, the mighty Bilt Hmaber Auto Foam ! lol :) In the spring/summer I really like using a citrus prewash, not just cause it smells nice, as I feel it works better on more biological dirt, and BH AF in the winter as that works better on greasy, salty film. I've been using KKD citrus magic 10:1 in the lance. A lot of these thing depend on the variable, how dirty, how much protection, how much pleasure in the washer. Couldn't agree more on the common sense :)

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I want more pleasure in my washer 🤣🤣

[@peemick]

@@SpeckyMcSporran Your obviously using the wrong pleasure washer then. hehehe, also spoopid auto correct lol

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I just want a pleasure washer now haha! I'm planning on a second video featuring BH in the test to keep the viewers happy.

[@peemick]

@@SpeckyMcSporran bh have auto foam and touches, different formulations. Maybe speak to ava about the pleasure attachment hehehe

[@Quint1975]

Pretty much up there with one of the most important steps in my opinion..

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I agree but there are many who don't believe it's worth it. I like to cover it from all angles.

[@BarryCoombs1]

Totally agree with this. I use Gtechniq's APC at 5% then Snowfoam over that with Garage Therapy's V2 SF. I don't know which is having the most effect but I'm not bothered as the panels are now so much cleaner before the 2B contact wash and my rinse bucket is so much cleaner at the end of the wash that I know I'm doing something right. When I started with the 2B method years ago I used be proud of how dirty the rinse bucket was thinking yeah, just look at all the dirt I've collected there! Now I know I wasn't removing anywhere near enough dirt off before the contact wash. You live & learn!

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

That's a great point! Remove more traffic film and the bucket is cleaner which means it needed less effort and you dragged less grime around the panel!

[@BarryCoombs1]

@@SpeckyMcSporran And that’s where any kind of protection comes in as it’s helping to keep the dirt from sticking to the panels making life easier for your pre wash to do it’s thing.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

100% 😁👍🏻

[@rockingarchangel]

This test is mostly irrelevant without bilt hamber touch less or surfexHD

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Why?

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

Waiting for rimmats to have them delivered to USA so I can get them. I normally use Surfex HD or Ethos APC.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Rim Mats are awesome!

[@adrianmoore3118]

BH touchless best on the market.

[@KischteBier]

After a thorough handwash your car IS clean. So why spend extra time and money? I understand that detailing freaks like to insert a step just for the fun of it and in order to justify using another fancy product. But it is unnecessary for getting the car clean. Therefore your somewhat backhanded comment at the end that some people like their car to be really clean and others are happy with just giving it a whirl with a wash mitt is actually missing the point.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

Actually you missed the point of mitigating the risk of damage to your paint. Anyone can make a car "clean" but HOW you clean is the point. You don't see it the way others do, but doesn't make them wrong. Cleaning a car is subjective, not about everyone doing the way YOU say it should be done hence my closing words.

[@neilhibbert5201]

Hi mate please don't leave your car for that amount of time your not doing the this for car😢 poor car it needs some love😂

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

I know, it was painful but it'll get a full polish soon 👍🏻

[@Jalalabuabed]

You are right, but it is a kind of marketing for you, that's will help your service to gain more money, It gives the customer the impression that the service provider is professional and uses valuable materials to serve him.

[@greymark420]

Have to say that none of those products were particular impressive.

[@SpeckyMcSporran]

It was a big ask for all products involved. Perhaps your expectations are too high?

[@greymark420]

@@SpeckyMcSporran Not sure about that. The products are designed to remove a significant amount of dirt. If the vehicle is already reasonably clean, then a pre wash may not be necessary and these types of products are not required.

[@1stfrompuertorico568]

First!!!