Last month, I covered the newest iteration of Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wash & Wax in our Spotlight series as an affordable soap that sounded promising. After the folks at Meguiar’s were kind enough to fire over a bottle for me to try out, I finally got around to washing my car a couple of days ago. In the weeks since that original Spotlight, my BMW 330i got absolutely filthy, so the wash and wax had its work cut out for it.
The intriguing part behind this hybrid solution is that it combines soap and wax into one easy-to-use product, making an exterior detail much quicker than meticulously doing everything separately. With car wash products that promise to do it all, you need to temper your expectations, since it’s not going to compete with a professional detail using a clay bar and full ceramic coating. But for the layman like myself who just wants a clean car, it’s right up my alley.
For the new wash and wax, Meguiar’s recommends using a foam cannon with a 6:1 water-to-soap ratio for maximum suds. Unfortunately at my apartment, I don’t have access to a power washer or air compressor or anything else needed for a legit foam cannon, so I was stuck using a bucket of water and a microfiber mitt, with two ounces of soap per gallon of water, according to the brand.
While mixing the Meguiar’s solution and water in the bucket, I’ll admit, it was very sudsy and I had high hopes for how well it was going to cover my car, even without a foam cannon. But once I started using the solution and cleaning the car, I was a bit disappointed with the lack of suds after a few dunks into the bucket. The brand suggests firing a high-pressure stream of water into the bucket to make it more soapy, but I had little luck until I added a bit more soap from time to time. Not a big deal, but the suggested ratio didn’t quite work out for me.
That said, in terms of actual cleaning, I couldn’t have been happier with how well it worked in real time. All that dirt and grime that built up for over a month was wiping away with very little elbow grease, and I could feel the slickness of the ceramic part of the solution. On the back of the bottle, it recommends washing your car a few panels at a time if it’s drying too quickly, and I had to do exactly that to ensure a smooth finish.
But the cool part about doing it panel-by-panel was that I got to see how well it worked in front of my eyes. Within no time, the ceramic finish on the panel I just cleaned caused the water to bead up as expected, and it just ran right off. Juxtaposed next to unfinished body parts, it was clear the hydrophobic effect was doing its job and the ceramic coating was working its magic.
After about 20 to 30 minutes, I was finished with the whole car and got to drying. Using a microfiber towel, I gently wiped away the beads of water while most of it just ran off. Once dry, I was happy to see how well it shined. I haven’t used any sort of wax product since I bought the car late last year, and this is the best it’s looked since the day I left the dealership.
Next time my Bimmer is due for another deep clean, I’ll get my hands on a foam cannon and use this soap again. Since I’ve only just used it for the first time, I’ll have to see how long the wax lasts, and I’ll update this story if anything major happens in either direction.
I’m also going to try out the brand’s all-new interior cleaner that was just released this year. So if you’re into detailing and keeping your ride clean, check back later to find that review. If there are any car care products you swear by, drop us a line at tips@carid.com and we’d be happy to check them out!
