The best car cleaning kits
A cleaner car by Sunday lunchtime: kits for gleaming paintwork, grimy wheels and crumb-filled seats.
A car cleaning kit makes a good present because it's something people put off buying for themselves. The main choice is between cleaning products (shampoo, wheel cleaner, glass and trim sprays) and kit (mitts, towels, brushes and a bucket); the fullest sets have some of each.
Parkers' advice when it tested a wash kit: use a wash mitt rather than a sponge, and dry the car with microfibre rather than a chamois, because it's poor drying that leaves water spots, however good the shampoo.
What matters
- Inside, outside or both: check what each bottle is for.
- Mitts and microfibre towels are kinder to paint than sponges and chamois.
- Some kits are all bottles and some all tools; the fullest have both.
- A bucket in the box means it's ready to use.
#1 of 5
Best for interiors
Autoglym The Collection: Perfect Interiors Kit
£20–£30 Price range
Three full-size bottles for the inside of the car: a shampoo for seats and fabrics, Fast Glass for windows and mirrors, and a dressing that brings faded dashboards and door trims back to colour. Autoglym has been making car care products in Hertfordshire since 1965 and holds a Royal Warrant from the King.
What owners say: Owners say seats come up looking new, the glass cleaner cuts through grime and grease, everything dries quickly and smells pleasant, and it goes down well as a present.
A closer look: Vacuum first, then shampoo one seat at a time, testing on a hidden patch. Leave the glass till last to wipe off any stray spray from the other two. There are no cloths in the pack, so tuck a couple of microfibre cloths in with it if it's a present.
- 3 × 500ml bottles
- Interior Shampoo for fabrics
- Fast Glass for windows and mirrors
- Vinyl & Rubber Care for trim
- Made in the UK
Best for: Seats, dashboards and glass
- Cleans
- Inside: seats, trim, glass
- Cleaning products
- 3 × 500ml
- Cloths and tools
- None
- Bucket
- No
#2 of 5
Best wash kit
ShinyCar Premium 8-Piece Car Wash Kit with Bag
£29.99 RRP
Everything for a proper hand wash except the shampoo: two wash mitts, a thick 800gsm drying towel, two waffle cloths for the glass and three brushes, packed in a bag. Parkers' reviewers liked the overall quality and called the bag a nice touch.
What owners say: Owners say it makes easy work of washing the car and has everything they need, and they rave about the thick, plush drying towel and the handy bag.
Heads up: There's no shampoo in the kit, so add a bottle of car shampoo to go with it.
A closer look: The maker suggests two buckets: one of shampoo and one of plain water to rinse the mitt in, so the dirt stays out of the wash. The mitts and towels go in the washing machine afterwards; the brushes just need a rinse.
- 2 wash mitts
- 800gsm drying towel, 50 × 50cm
- 2 waffle cloths for glass
- Wheel brush and 2 detailing brushes
- Storage bag
Best for: A proper hand wash
- Cleans
- Outside: washing and drying
- Cleaning products
- None (tools only)
- Cloths and tools
- 2 mitts, drying towel, 2 waffle cloths, 3 brushes, bag
- Bucket
- No
#3 of 5
Best starter kit
AA Car Cleaning Kit (8 pieces, with 15-litre bucket)
£24.99 RRP
A complete starter set in its own 15-litre bucket: wash and wax shampoo, alloy wheel cleaner, glass cleaner and cockpit shine, with two microfibre cloths and a jumbo sponge. It covers the whole car, inside and out.
What owners say: Owners say the kit is good quality and good value for money.
A closer look: The bucket doubles as storage, so everything lives together in the garage between washes. Use the cockpit shine on the dashboard and door trims, and save the glass cleaner for last. It's a handy first kit for a new driver.
- 15-litre bucket
- 4 × 500ml cleaners
- Wash and wax shampoo
- 2 microfibre cloths and a jumbo sponge
- Cleaners made in the UK
Best for: New drivers and first kits
- Cleans
- Inside and out: paint, wheels, glass, dash
- Cleaning products
- 4 × 500ml
- Cloths and tools
- 2 microfibre cloths, jumbo sponge
- Bucket
- 15 litres
#4 of 5
Best for bodywork
CarPlan Demon 7-Piece Car Care Gift Pack
£24.99 RRP
Five one-litre bottles from CarPlan's Demon range: foam shampoo, Demon Shine, Demon Wheels, Demon Tyres and Demon Clean for plastics, plus a big sponge and an air freshener. Litre bottles last a good many washes.
What owners say: Owners call it superb quality and good value, say it leaves the car looking like new again, and like it as a birthday present.
Heads up: Check the caps are tight when it arrives, as a few owners have had a bottle leak in transit.
A closer look: Start with the foam shampoo to lift the grime, do the wheels and tyres, then finish with Demon Shine, which CarPlan says leaves a just-waxed look that lasts for weeks. Demon Clean works on plastics inside and out.
- 5 × 1-litre bottles
- Foam shampoo
- Demon Shine spray-on gloss
- Wheel cleaner and tyre shine
- Sponge and air freshener
Best for: Paintwork, wheels and tyres
- Cleans
- Inside and out: paint, wheels, tyres, plastics
- Cleaning products
- 5 × 1 litre
- Cloths and tools
- Large sponge, air freshener
- Bucket
- No
#5 of 5
Most complete
Auto Extreme 10-Piece Car Valeting Kit with Bucket (Rapide)
£20–£30 Price range
The most in one box: six cleaners (wash and wax, wheel cleaner, dashboard cleaner, spray wax, glass cleaner and tyre polish) with a wash mitt, drying towel, sponge and bucket, so there's nothing else to buy.
What owners say: Owners like having everything in one handy bucket, say the wash mitt picks up dirt nicely, and think it looks more expensive than it is, which makes it a good present.
A closer look: Do the wheels first, with a cloth kept just for them, so brake dust doesn't end up on the paintwork. Then wash, dry with the towel, and finish with the spray wax, glass cleaner and tyre polish, with the dashboard cleaner for inside.
- Bucket, mitt, drying towel and sponge
- 800ml wash and wax
- Five 720ml sprays
- Spray wax and tyre polish
- Inside and out
Best for: Everything in one bucket
- Cleans
- Inside and out: paint, wheels, tyres, glass, dash
- Cleaning products
- 6 (800ml + 5 × 720ml)
- Cloths and tools
- Wash mitt, drying towel, sponge
- Bucket
- Yes
How they compare
| Feature | #1Autoglym Perfect Interiors | #2ShinyCar wash kit | #3AA 8-piece kit | #4CarPlan Demon pack | #5Auto Extreme 10-piece |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for interiors | Best wash kit | Best starter kit | Best for bodywork | Most complete | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.9 |
| Price | £20–£30 Price range | £29.99 RRP | £24.99 RRP | £24.99 RRP | £20–£30 Price range |
| Cleans | Inside: seats, trim, glass | Outside: washing and drying | Inside and out: paint, wheels, glass, dash | Inside and out: paint, wheels, tyres, plastics | Inside and out: paint, wheels, tyres, glass, dash |
| Cleaning products | 3 × 500ml | None (tools only) | 4 × 500ml | 5 × 1 litre | 6 (800ml + 5 × 720ml) |
| Cloths and tools | None | 2 mitts, drying towel, 2 waffle cloths, 3 brushes, bag | 2 microfibre cloths, jumbo sponge | Large sponge, air freshener | Wash mitt, drying towel, sponge |
| Bucket | No | No | 15 litres | No | Yes |
| Best for | Seats, dashboards and glass | A proper hand wash | New drivers and first kits | Paintwork, wheels and tyres | Everything in one bucket |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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