Collection: EXTERIOR CAR CARE

Choose your car wash soap around the condition of your vehicle and what you want from the wash.

For regular maintenance, High Foaming Car Wash provides a pH-neutral formula with lubrication for washing with a mitt. It works with a bucket or foam cannon, making it a practical starting point for drivers who want a dependable wash while maintaining existing paint protection.

For cleaning with added shine and water repellency, choose Wash & Wax Car Soap or Ceramic Car Wash. Wash & Wax deposits wax during washing, while Ceramic Car Wash uses a pH-neutral, silica-infused formula to enhance gloss and water beading. Both suit maintenance routines where you want the wash itself to contribute to the finished appearance.

For heavier contamination, match the pre-wash to the buildup. Low pH Pre-Wash Soap targets mineral deposits, hard-water residue, and salt-related contamination. High pH Pre-Wash Soap is suited to oily traffic film, grease, and organic grime. These are useful additions when your vehicle needs more preparation before the contact wash; you do not need to use both automatically. Follow each formula’s directions rather than mixing products together.

For foam application followed by pressure rinsing, Touchless Car Wash Soap helps remove contamination before a wash mitt touches the vehicle. It can simplify lighter cleaning, but persistent road film may still need a contact wash. Choose it with your equipment and the vehicle’s condition in mind.

The main difference is when protection is added and how much preparation the application requires.

Ceramic Car Wash adds silica-based water repellency during the cleaning stage. It is a convenient option for maintaining gloss and slickness as part of regular washing, including on vehicles with existing protection. A wash that adds protective properties serves a different role from a dedicated coating application.

Spray Wax is a separate finishing product for clean paint. Choose it when you enjoy adding a quick gloss-enhancing, water-beading layer after washing without the application process of a traditional paste wax. It suits routine upkeep between more involved details.

Ceramic Coating Spray with Graphene is the choice for a dedicated protective treatment or a maintenance layer over an existing ceramic coating. A properly applied treatment is designed to provide approximately 3–4 months of protection, with actual durability affected by preparation, washing, mileage, and weather. Apply it to clean, dry paint and keep the treated surfaces dry for at least 24 hours afterward.

For a simple routine, choose your maintenance wash and one dedicated protectant based on how you prefer to care for your vehicle. Adding every available product at every wash is unnecessary; correct preparation and application matter more than the number of layers.

View all ceramic coating and protection options

Start with the appearance you want, then consider how much emphasis you place on durability.

• Low Gloss Tire Shine: Choose this for a dark, understated satin finish that keeps the rubber looking naturally clean.
• High Gloss Polymer Tire Shine 2.0: Choose this for a more reflective, wet-look finish that makes freshly detailed tires stand out.
• Long-Lasting Acrylic Tire Shine: Choose this for a controlled, low-gloss appearance with an acrylic formula designed for durable adhesion. Its focus is lasting finish quality rather than maximum wet-look shine.

Preparation makes the difference between an even finish and a patchy one. Wheel & Tire Cleaner PRO removes road grime, tire browning, and old dressing residue before you apply fresh tire shine. Rinse thoroughly and let the sidewalls dry completely.

Spread a small, even amount of dressing over the sidewall rather than leaving a heavy layer. Remove excess and follow the product’s drying instructions before driving to help reduce sling onto the bodywork. Keep dressing off tire tread and braking components. For acrylic tire shine, removing previous silicone-based dressing residue is especially important for consistent adhesion.

Before changing products, check the application conditions. More product or a longer dwell time will not necessarily improve the result.

If ceramic spray leaves haze, check how much you applied. Work on cool, dry paint in the shade, use a light amount on one section at a time, and buff away residue with a clean microfiber towel. Excess product and oils or contamination left on the paint can interfere with a clear, even finish.

If wheel grime remains, use suitable agitation rather than extending the dwell time. Wheel & Tire Cleaner PRO specifies a 1–5 minute dwell without drying. Brush stubborn areas with tools suited to the finish, rinse completely, and repeat where needed. Letting cleaner sit longer is not a substitute for reaching dirt around spokes and recessed areas.

If foam starts drying before you can rinse, adjust your working conditions. Move out of direct sunlight, allow hot panels to cool, and work in manageable sections. The product must remain wet during its permitted dwell period; the maximum listed time is not a target when conditions are causing rapid drying.

If freshly washed paint still has orange specks, identify the contamination. Embedded iron particles may require Iron Remover rather than another pass with car shampoo. Use it when contamination warrants treatment, following its directions; it does not remove paint scratches or replace polishing.

What exterior car care products do I need to maintain my vehicle at home?

Start with a car wash soap, a wheel and tire cleaner, clean wash media, a drying towel, and a paint protectant. UNLOCKD High Foaming Car Wash and Wheel & Tire Cleaner PRO cover routine cleaning, while Spray Wax or Ceramic Coating Spray with Graphene provides a separate protection step. Add Glass Cleaner for exterior windows and a tire dressing if you want a finished sidewall appearance. Specialist treatments such as Iron Remover are worth adding when the vehicle has contamination that regular washing leaves behind.

Can I use UNLOCKD exterior products on PPF, vinyl wraps, or matte paint?

Compatibility depends on the individual formula and the surface; the entire exterior collection should not be treated as universally suitable for PPF, wraps, or matte finishes. Check both the product directions and your film or vehicle manufacturer’s care requirements before application. Matte and satin surfaces need particular attention because gloss-enhancing waxes, ceramic sprays, and dressings may affect their intended appearance. If compatibility is not explicitly stated, contact UNLOCKD with the product name and exact finish rather than assuming that approval for glossy automotive paint also covers your vehicle.

How much UNLOCKD car wash soap should I use, and how many washes will a bottle provide?

For High Foaming Car Wash, the published starting amount is approximately 100 mL in a 20 L wash bucket, or approximately 100 mL added to a foam cannon bottle with water. At 100 mL per prepared wash solution, a 500 mL bottle provides about five uses, a 1 L bottle ten, and a 4 L jug forty. Using separate foam cannon and bucket solutions during the same wash increases total consumption. These estimates apply to this soap; follow each product’s own directions rather than using one dilution across the collection.

Do I need a pressure washer, or can I wash my car with a bucket and hose?

You can use UNLOCKD High Foaming Car Wash with a bucket, clean wash mitt, and a suitable water supply for rinsing. A pressure washer becomes relevant when choosing a compatible foam cannon or using Touchless Car Wash Soap, whose application process involves foaming followed by pressure rinsing. A touchless wash may still leave stubborn traffic film that needs a contact wash. Choose products around the equipment you have, and check a foam cannon’s connection and operating requirements before purchasing it for your pressure washer.

Which exterior products should I use for road salt and winter grime?

Choose according to the contamination present. UNLOCKD Low pH Pre-Wash Soap targets mineral deposits and salt-related residue, while High pH Pre-Wash Soap addresses oily traffic film, grease, and organic grime. Rinse away loosened contamination and follow with a suitable contact wash when necessary. You do not need both pre-washes at every cleaning, and they should not be mixed together. During Canadian winters, regular cleaning remains important even on protected vehicles: a ceramic spray can help with maintenance, but it does not replace removing accumulated salt and road film.

How long does Ceramic Coating Spray with Graphene last, and should I apply it after every wash?

UNLOCKD Ceramic Coating Spray with Graphene is designed to provide approximately three to four months of protection when properly applied, so reapplication after every wash is generally unnecessary. Actual durability depends on surface preparation, kilometres driven, storage, washing methods, and weather exposure. Apply a light, even layer to thoroughly cleaned, dry paint, buff away residue, and keep treated surfaces dry for at least 24 hours. If water repellency declines, clean the vehicle thoroughly before assessing whether another application is needed rather than continually adding product over road film.

Do I need Iron Remover if my car already looks clean after washing?

Only when iron contamination warrants treatment; Iron Remover does not need to be part of every maintenance wash. Embedded brake dust, rail dust, and other ferrous particles can remain after shampooing, sometimes appearing as tiny orange specks on light-coloured paint. UNLOCKD Iron Remover targets this contamination before further preparation, such as claying or applying protection. It does not replace every decontamination process, remove scratches, or repair rust damage. Assess the vehicle’s condition and exposure rather than automatically adding iron removal to every wash or assuming visible shine means the surface is contamination-free.

Is Wheel & Tire Cleaner PRO suitable for aftermarket wheels?

UNLOCKD Wheel & Tire Cleaner PRO lists clear-coated, chrome, painted, and powder-coated wheels as suitable surfaces when used as directed. Aftermarket wheels can have different finishes, so confirm the wheel manufacturer’s care requirements, especially for refinished, damaged, or unlisted surfaces. Work on cool wheels, pre-rinse, allow the cleaner to dwell for the specified 1–5 minutes without drying, and use an appropriate brush where needed. Rinse thoroughly and repeat stubborn areas instead of extending the dwell time. Its non-acid formulation does not mean every wheel finish is automatically compatible.