Lather - Car Shampoo

Lather Car Shampoo has been developed as a pH neutral cleaner so, while it is extremely powerful, it will not degrade or strip any protection layers, whether that happens to be a wax, a ceramic coating or a sealant. This is what makes Lather extremely effective on maintenance washes where you’d like to keep your protection layers intact, as well as larger details where you may be polishing and adding protection later.    

While this pH neutral shampoo isn’t designed for this purpose on wheels that are heavily soiled with brake dust contamination, road salt and harsh traffic films, on light soiling and wheels that have been protected with Mint Rims Wheel Wax or our Caramics Wheel Protection Kit (where heavy grime won’t be able to bake on to the surface) it is possible to use Lather to clean wheels. However, we always recommend using Lather in a separate wheel bucket and reserving your regular Wash bucket and wash media for your bodywork only. In the absence of Revolution Wheel Soap, Lather can also be utilised as a handy lubricant for brushing-in other dedicated wheel cleaners, such as Reactive or Imperial, on more soiled wheels.    

Lather car Shampoo has been developed by professional detailers purely as a cleaning agent so, while it will reveal the natural shine of the paintwork underneath, it contains no waxes or glossing agents intended to create a false finish, add protection or increase water beading. In this case it’s to stop these characteristics interfering with other subsequent processes such as decontamination and polishing on larger details, where the extra surface coatings would have to be immediately removed for the process to be effective.   

The great thing about silica-based (SiO2) ceramic coatings is that they’re specifically developed to help your vehicle look better for longer. The hardy protection layer they install is essentially chemically bonded silicon dioxide, which is like glass, so it smooths the surfaces enough to prevent water molecules and grime from bonding. Regardless of application to paint, glass, vinyl or any other exterior surface, this is why they bead to the extreme and offer the longest lasting protection of any product. What’s most important here is that grime will sit on top of the ceramic layer rather than sticking, and this makes cleaning easier. But it’s still important to carry out safe maintenance to stop heavy grit and grime from being rubbed in and abrading the coating and the paintwork, causing the infliction of defects. Using coating-friendly pre-wash products, such as Citrus Power Bug and Grime Remover and Avalanche Snow Foam will also prevent damage to coatings because they don’t contain harsh acidic or alkaline cleaning agents that may etch into the top layer. It’s the same story for the shampoo you use in your two-bucket wash. Lather Car Shampoo is a great choice as it will never damage previously-applied coatings, but alternatively you can use Wash 'N' Gloss Car Shampoo or our Caramics Enhancing Shampoo to actively top-up and prolong the life and performance of your SiO2 coating as you wash paintwork, glass and all other exterior surfaces. Other products that are great for topping up during routine maintenance include Aqua Coat Hydrophobic Rinse Aid, Lavish Ceramic Foam, Caramics Gloss Enhancer, Caramics Glass Cleaner and Ceramic Spray Wax. When it comes to paint correction, all you have to remember is that Si02 coatings have to be allowed to chemically bond to the topcoat or lacquer layer, so it’s crucial to use a compound or a polish that doesn’t contain any waxes or fillers, because these extra layers will block the chemical bonding process. For paint correction, polishing and refinement before adding a coating, we’d recommend using products that only reveal a true finish, such as One Step All-in-One Compound, or our Revitalise System V2 Compounds (which are also available separately). Don’t forget that SiO2 coatings are extremely durable and can only be fully removed through abrasion, this means that polishing your vehicle using any abrasive after applying a ceramic coating will remove the Si02 layer, meaning that reapplication of protection will be required after you polish. For more on how to prepare a car for a ceramic coating, see our guide – Detailing and Ceramic Coating a New Car.

It’s important to look after any previously-applied wax layers as much as possible during routine maintenance, and the same rules apply as for looking after paint, lacquer and other sensitive exterior surfaces on any other detail. Wax protection is simply a top layer that’s impermeable to water molecules and it protects paintwork by installing a physical barrier, and by stopping grime (and water) from sticking, this in turn always makes maintenance washing easier. However, it doesn’t mean that the wax (and the paintwork underneath) can’t be damaged through improper wash techniques. Carrying out safe maintenance, including a thorough pre-wash, is crucial to stop heavy grit and grime from being rubbed in and abrading the wax or the paintwork, essentially stripping your wax and inflicting defects in the paint. Using wax, sealant and coating-friendly pre-wash products, such as Citrus Power Bug and Grime Remover and Avalanche Snow Foam will also help to prevent damage to coatings because they don’t contain harsh acidic or alkaline cleaning agents that may strip protection. As for the shampoo you use in your two-bucket wash? Well, that’s crucial, too. Our pH neutral Lather Car Shampoo is the ideal choice here, as it will never damage any previously-applied coatings, regardless of if they’re waxes, sealants or ceramic coatings. At this point of course, you can simply leave the vehicle, or choose to top up your protection for extra durability and shine. You can use your original hard wax or, for the ultimate in speedy details, utilise Radiance Carnauba Crème, or Glisten Spray Wax. Do not use abrasive products during maintenance, though, as these will remove the entire protection layer, requiring reapplication of your wax.