Alkaline pre-wash for bug splatter: Auto Grooming Indigo Core

After driving in the rain for several days, the car had dust, bug remains, and all kinds of grime stuck to it. For this self-service wash, I added a pre-wash step to soak and lift the dirt before the main wash.

The product I brought to the self-service car wash was Auto Grooming AGD Cube Wash Line Indigo Core Pre-Wash.

How were the container and fragrance to use?

The container design caught my eye first. Instead of the cylindrical car-care bottles you normally think of, it came in a square cube shape.

The purple-toned container was easy to spot among my other car-care products. It holds 800 ml, and it felt generously sized when I picked it up. Along with the bottle itself, it came with a cap-shaped lid that makes pouring the contents easier.

I liked how neatly it lined up when I had several car-care products laid out.

The product description calls it a FIG & MUSK fragrance, starting with fig and adding iris, rose, jasmine, musk, and amber. When I used it, I noticed a subtle scent rather than the strong smell typical of cleaners.

What dilution ratios are listed for a sprayer and foam lance?

According to the product guidance, the recommended dilution is 1:10–1:20 for a foam lance and 1:100 for a pump sprayer. At the self-service car wash, I prepared it in a sprayer.

What grime did I use it on, and how?

Before the wash, the front bumper had lots of bug remains from driving.

There were bugs on the hood and along the sides of the car too. The front and rear windows were also hazy from grime.

I care a lot about the pre-wash process because I worry about rubbing straight away with a wash mitt while dust or sand is still on the paintwork. Indigo Core is introduced as an alkaline pre-wash that breaks down organic grime such as built-up dirt and bug remains. According to the manufacturer, it does not contain sodium hydroxide.

I sprayed it over the entire vehicle with a pump sprayer. A light musk fragrance spread while I was using it.

I sprayed it thoroughly over the areas with bug remains and debris too. Rather than rinsing immediately after application, I waited a little while to let the grime soak.

After letting the grime soak, I rinsed it thoroughly with high-pressure water.

How much grime was removed after the high-pressure rinse?

When I use a pre-wash, I tend to look closely at how much grime remains on the paintwork after rinsing. This time, I could see that much of the dust and road grime visible before spraying had been cleared away before the main wash.

It worked well for first soaking bug marks and stubborn grime that would not come away easily with water alone. Still, a single pre-wash did not remove every bit of grime. I followed it with the main wash using car shampoo and a mitt.

What did I like after finishing the main wash?

Once I had finished the entire wash, I compared it with the car’s starting condition.

Before washing, the paintwork looked slightly dull because of the dust and grime. After the pre-wash, high-pressure rinse, and main wash, the surface was much cleaner and the original look of the paintwork came back.

Removing the grime first and then using the mitt gave me peace of mind while washing. I was pleased to add that extra step before the main wash on a day when the car was especially dirty.

After finishing the full wash, I could confirm that the bug remains and grime had been cleared away.

In this test, applying it with a pump sprayer was not difficult, and I liked the subtle scent and easy-to-organize container too. For me, it was a worthwhile product for soaking grime before the main wash on a car with lots of bug remains or road grime.