Car wash pre-wash for water spots and grime: AutoGrooming 3-product set

Water spots and set-in grime left after rain had been bothering me, so I tried dividing up my car-wash products according to the type of contamination. The products I used this time were three items from Auto Grooming’s AutoGrooming lineup.

How do the three pre-washes and car shampoos differ?

Indigo Core Pre-Wash is an alkaline pre-wash, while Blue Edge Shampoo is a mildly alkaline car shampoo. Red Dissolve Dual Wash is a product that works as both an acidic pre-wash and a shampoo. I liked having both alkaline and acidic products, which meant I could combine them according to the vehicle’s contamination.

Does soaking contamination with Indigo Core make washing easier?

I used Indigo Core Pre-Wash to loosen contamination such as dirt dust, dead bugs, and grease.

After diluting it in a foam lance and applying it over the whole vehicle, the foam stayed on the painted surface for a long time. It was especially easier to remove dirt dust and bug marks from the lower sections. Loosening the contamination before a mitt wash also made me less concerned about scratches, though I did not verify an actual scratch-prevention effect.

The fig floral musk scent felt clean and cozy, and the lingering fragrance lasted a long time too.

How do Blue Edge Shampoo’s mitt feel and dilution ratio compare?

I used Blue Edge Shampoo for a bucket mitt wash. As a mildly alkaline car shampoo, the first thing I noticed in use was how smoothly the mitt moved over the painted surface.

The foam held up well even when the wash took a while. The mitt moved smoothly, so the work felt less demanding.

The listed dilution ratios were 1:1000 for bucket washing and 1:10–1:20 for a foam lance. It produced rich foam even with a small amount, which I was happy with from a usage standpoint too.

Personally, what I liked most was the scent. It starts with the fragrance of ripe figs, followed by subtle rose and jasmine, and ends with lingering musk and amber notes.

What kind of contamination did I use Red Dissolve for?

Red Dissolve Dual Wash is an acidic product for managing mineral or inorganic contamination after rain. I saw it as a product to use when water-spot care is needed.

It was convenient that one product could be used for both pre-washing and shampooing.

When I used it, the foam came up rich and dense. It felt like it was thoroughly loosening the contamination.

A sweet fruity scent and creamy coconut fragrance spread subtly. To me, it had almost none of the harsh chemical smell typical of car-wash products, so it was comfortable to use.

How were the square containers for storage?

All three came in square containers with the Cube Wash design. They did not roll around in the trunk, so I could store them securely. I was pleased not only with how they performed, but also with their scents and container shape.

What order should you use for set-in grime and rain contamination?

The suggested usage order for each situation also helped distinguish the products. When set-in grime is severe, the routine is to loosen it first with Indigo Core Pre-Wash, then do a mitt wash with Blue Edge Shampoo. When water-spot care is needed after rain, the order is an alkaline pre-wash followed by Red Dissolve Dual Wash.

When both set-in grime and rain contamination are severe, the suggested routine is Indigo Core Pre-Wash, Red Dissolve Dual Wash, then Blue Edge Shampoo. Being able to divide up the products by their roles according to the type of contamination was the satisfying part of this lineup for me.