What Are The Best Car Wash Bucket Kits? – 2021
The best way to keep your car clean is to wash it yourself – and the equipment you use makes all the difference!
Instead of buying each item separately, many car lovers prefer the convenience and quality of a car wash bucket kit. It has everything you need to keep your car clean inside and out.
Which all-in-one car cleaning kit is the best choice? Here’s a look at our favorites for 2021 plus a complete guide on how to find a wash kit you (and your car) are sure to love:
Page Contents
- Car Wash Bucket Kit Reviews
- Our #1 Choice – Meguiar’s All-in-One Essentials Car Care Kit
- Our #2 Choice – Armor All 8-Piece Car Care Kit
- Our #3 Choice – Mofeez 9-Piece Car Cleaning Tools
- Our #4 Choice – Carrand 10-Piece
- Our #5 Choice – Aero Cosmetics Waterless Car Wash Kit
- Our #6 Choice – Gloyy Car Wash Brush Kit
- Car Wash Bucket Kits FAQ
- What is a Car Wash Bucket Kit?
- What Features Should I Consider?
- How Do I Find the Best Car Wash Kit?
- Final Thoughts
Car Wash Bucket Kit Reviews
Our #1 Choice – Meguiar’s All-in-One Essentials Car Care Kit
Meguiar’s 11-piece kit is packed with premium cleaning products for every section of your car, including paint, glass, tires, and the interior.
Pros
- 11-piece car wash kit
- Cleans both interior and exterior
- Quality Meguiar’s product
- Includes towels and wash mitt
Cons
- Doesn’t include wheel cleaner
Keep your car clean and beautiful with Meguiar’s 11-piece car wash kit. It includes a variety of microfiber cloths, a wash mitt, a drying towel, and several premium car cleaning products.
The Ultimate Wash and Wax cleans the outside paint while leaving behind a protective wax coating. Plus, you can spray on a coat of Ultimate Quik Wax for added protection and shine. The Perfect Clarity Glass Cleaner shines the windows while the Interior Detailer is safe for use on all interior surfaces.
All products are made by Meguiar’s, a trusted car company which has been around for over 125 years. Many of these products are sold separately, but the kit is the easiest way to own them all.
Our #2 Choice – Armor All 8-Piece Car Care Kit
Our second-favorite choice is an eight-piece kit from Armor All which features a variety of great products for cleaning and protecting your car.
Pros
- Includes washes, waxes, and cleaners
- Trusted Armor All quality
- Keeps tires clean and shiny
- Includes Wash Pad for cleaning the exterior
Cons
- Doesn’t include towels
Every car loves Armor All! Their wash kit features a wide range of cleaning sprays including Glass Cleaner, Multi-Purpose Interior Cleaner, Ultra Shine Wash & Wax, and Protectant. Plus, it’s one of the few kits to includes Tire Cleaner and Tire Shine.
Applying the wash and wax is easy with the included Wash Pad. It’s a large, microfiber pad which removes dirt and grime quickly but won’t scratch the paint. While the pad is high quality, we were disappointed in the lack of microfiber towels.
Keep the inside of your car clean, too. Aside from the Original Protectant and Multi-Purpose cleaner, the kit also includes a three-pack of Pure Linen Scent air fresheners.
Our #3 Choice – Mofeez 9-Piece Car Cleaning Tools
A nine-piece set of microfiber cloths and sponges which remove dirt easily but won’t scratch your car’s exterior.
Pros
- Great collection of microfiber cloths
- Includes duster for interior cleaning
- Safe for all areas of the car including glass
Cons
- The kit doesn’t contain soap or wax
It’s a complete pack of soft, durable microfiber towels and other tools for washing, drying and buffing the inside and outside of your car. The kit features a microfiber car wash sponge, three microfiber cloths, car duster, car wheel brush, window water scraper and more.
The high-quality cloths and sponge spread suds and apply wax with ease but won’t scratch paint or leave behind fibers. They’re safe for use on practically all auto parts and car surfaces including the exterior, leather car seats, windshields, air vents, and console electronics.
Note that this wash kit only contains cleaning materials but no cleaning products. You’ll have to provide your own car wash soap, wax, etc.
Our #4 Choice – Carrand 10-Piece
A large bucket kit which not only cleans but also helps keep both the interior and exterior of your car showroom-ready.
Pros
- The durable, high-impact bucket is one of the best
- Includes an excellent selection of towels, pads and a mitt
- Manufacturer trusted by the best car pros
Cons
- Doesn’t include soaps or cleaning liquids
The biggest feature here – literally — is the three-gallon bucket made from lightweight, durable plastic with an ergonomic grip handle. But what’s inside the bucket is pretty good, too. The 10-piece kit includes three microfiber towels, a microfiber wash mitt, two applicator pads and more.
Carrand has been making auto care gear for over 30 years, and they have a great reputation. The rags and, especially, the bucket are both top-of-the-line. However, the lack of soaps or cleaning products is disappointing.
Our #5 Choice – Aero Cosmetics Waterless Car Wash Kit
The unique waterless car wash kit includes a cleaning formula and microfiber towels which allow you to wash and wax your car in one easy step.
Pros
- Unique one-step wash and wax formula
- Includes four microfiber towels
- Great cleaning kit for travel and road trips
Cons
- Won’t add shine (only enhances existing shine)
- Doesn’t clean as thoroughly as traditional car wash soap
Aero Cosmetics’ Car Wash Kit is a little different than the others. It sprays on then wipes away to not only clean but also enhance your vehicle’s shine. You don’t need water or multiple towels.
It won’t clean as well as a full wash with a variety of specialized cleaning liquids. But it’s definitely a great product to take on the road. Plus, every use applies a UV protective coating.
The kit includes not only a full gallon of the “wash wax” formula but also a 16-ounce spray bottle, four microfiber towels, and two instruction guides.
Our #6 Choice – Gloyy Car Wash Brush Kit
A complete, portable kit from Gloyy with brushes, cloths and a foldable bucket.
Pros
- 10-piece wash kit with bucket, brushes, and scrubber
- Bucket collapses for flat storage
- Brushes and cloths clean interior and exterior
Cons
- Doesn’t include cleaning products
- The bucket can be difficult to collapse
It’s a great kit with a variety of basics to keep your car clean and shiny. At the heart of the kit is a durable, lightweight bucket which folds away when not in use. The kit also includes a tire hub brush, car cleaning sponge, vent brush and microfiber cloths.
You can wash away heavy-duty grim without worrying about scratching. The brushes and towels are safe for use on paint, windows, wheels and more. The duster brush cleans the interior.
Plus, the kit is an awesome travel buddy. Because the bucket folds flat, it can easily be stored under a seat or in the trunk.
Car Wash Bucket Kits FAQ
What is a Car Wash Bucket Kit?
Car Wash Bucket Kits include a wide range of gear for cleaning your vehicle. They can be general purpose kits which have everything you need to clean the inside and outside of your car. They can also be more specialized, such as kits which contain multiple cloths, a set of cleaning chemicals or another group of items.
Why buy a wash kit at all? Can’t you buy all this stuff separately? You can, but cleaning kits have a few advantages:
A pre-made kit is the easiest way to gather up a bunch of quality gear. You don’t need to make multiple purchases or sort through a ton of options. One kit has everything you need – and it’s all designed to work together.
Additionally, everything in a car wash bucket kit is designed specifically for automotive use. The brushes and cloths will be safe for interior and exterior cleaning. The soap will clean the paint without damaging. Never use household cleaning products such as dishwashing soap or non-micro cloths to wash your car. Household products can scratch, stain, and otherwise seriously damage your car’s paint and interior.
So, you’ve decided a car wash bucket kit is the best choice for cleaning and protecting your ride. How do you find the best one for your needs?
What Features Should I Consider?
Here’s what you’ll find in a typical car bucket kit:
Sponges
Only use microfiber sponges specifically made for use on cars. Microfiber is a strong, durable fabric. It won’t scratch your car’s paint, windows or finish.
Aside from a sponge, many kits will include a car wash mitt. They slip over your hand like a mitten. Car wash mitts are a better choice when cleaning hard-to-reach locations because you can use them without maintaining a firm grip. However, sponges are the better choice if you need to scrub a highly soiled area.
Check out 2021’s Best Car Wash Sponges to learn more.
Towels
Air drying leads to water spots and a dull appearance. After washing, you’ll want to dry the vehicle with towels. As with sponges and mitts, microfiber is the best towel option, too. They won’t scratch your car’s paint job. Plus, they won’t leave behind tiny little fibers.
Buckets
Not every “bucket kit” include an actual bucket. Many include a carrying case, but some kits consist of loose items.
You might find a wash kit with brushes and cleaning chemicals which you like but which doesn’t include a bucket. That’s okay. Don’t let the lack of a bucket prevent you from buying a particular kit. Buckets are easy and cheap to buy on its own.
Choose a plastic bucket. Metal ones can release small metal shavings into the water, which can then scratch your car. Three-and-a-half gallons is usually large enough for most cars while still being easy to carry. However, you might want to go a bit larger if you’re washing an SUV or any commercial-type vehicles.
Although it’s usually only sold separately, you might want to buy a grit guard. Placed in the bucket, a grit guard funnels dirt and heavy gunk to the bottom. Rinsing your sponge or mitt in the top of the bucket helps you avoid picking up any sharp material.
Soap
Only use soap specifically made for the area of the car you’re cleaning. Car wash soap is used to wash the exterior painted parts. Check out What is the Best Car Wash Soap? if your favorite kit doesn’t include soap of its own.
However, you’ll want to use windshield cleaner soap for the windshields, as car wash soap will streak and haze glass.
If your seats and floors are upholstered, you’ll need upholstery cleaning and an upholstery brush. Most people use an upholstery brush which attaches to a drill for high-speed stain removal.
Leather seats require special cleaning products as well. Be careful when cleaning leather as the cleaning products can stain if used in excess.
Never use dish soap or household cleaners to clean any part of your car. They can seriously mess up your paint, blur your windows, stain your interior, and cause other types of havoc. Only use products meant for vehicles, whether cleaning the interior or exterior. Even then, test every new auto care product in an inconspicuous spot.
How Do I Find the Best Car Wash Kit?
First, assess what you have and what you need. Do you already have a collection of high-quality microfiber clothes? Maybe a kit with cleaning products will serve you best.
If you don’t have any car cleaning supplies, or if all the supplies you do have could use an upgrade, choose a comprehensive wash kit.
Next, consider the quality of the items. Is everything in the kit high-quality? Some kits have great cloths but terrible brushes. Generally, the best way to ensure consistent quality across all items is to choose a kit from a manufacturer you trust.
When in doubt, give more weight to the physical items than the cleaning formulas. You’ll eventually run out of soap, wax, etc. If you didn’t particularly like the quality, you can always buy a different brand the next time. But you’ll have the brushes, clothes, bucket and other gear for much longer.
Final Thoughts
Car care doesn’t have to be a chore. The right gear makes cleaning your car easy and even fun. A car wash bucket kit is often the easiest way to gather up everything you need to keep your car clean. Say goodbye to a messy ride!
