Automotive · Head-to-head
Adam's Polishes Car Shampoo vs P&S Detail Products Pearl Auto Shampoo
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Car Wash Soaps: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
Adam's states plainly that its pH neutral formula will not strip wax, sealant or a ceramic coating. Pearl is a pH balanced soap in trade sizes and is meant to be proportioned through a dilution device, which is what you want if you wash every week.
Adam's Polishes Car Shampoo
Buy itA pH neutral soap that states in plain terms that it will not strip wax, sealant or a ceramic coating.
- pH neutral formula stated explicitly, with the brand adding that it will not remove wax or sealants or degrade a ceramic coating.
- Described as usable in sunlight and formulated not to leave water spots, which is the practical failure most soaps cause.
- Concentrated, with the brand claiming more suds from less product.
- Sold in a gallon with a free 16 oz bottle on the page we checked, so it suits regular washing.
- No dilution ratio published, so cost per wash cannot be worked out from the page.
- No pH figure given, only the word neutral.
- Heavily fragranced and dyed, which some people would rather not put on paint.
P&S Detail Products Pearl Auto Shampoo
Buy itThe trade option: pH balanced, biodegradable, and sold in sizes that assume you wash more than one car.
- pH balanced and stated as 100 percent biodegradable, described as safe for all washing applications.
- Described as a concentrate that can be proportioned through a dilution device, so it is built for frequent washing.
- Quart, gallon and five gallon sizes, which is the range that makes frequent washing affordable.
- The brand quotes good foam stability and lubricity, which is the property that keeps grit moving rather than dragging.
- The page says it can be proportioned through a dilution device but gives no ratio.
- pH balanced is a weaker statement than pH neutral, and no figure is given.
- No mention of whether it is safe over ceramic coatings specifically.
Side by side
The 8 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| Adam's Polishes Car Shampoo Our pick | P&S Detail Products Pearl Auto Shampoo | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Weekly maintenance washing on a car that already has wax, sealant or a coating you want to keep. | Anyone washing weekly, washing more than one vehicle, or running a foam cannon that goes through soap quickly. |
| Price tier | $$ · mid-range | $$ · mid-range |
| pH claim | pH neutral, stated | pH balanced, stated |
| pH figure | Not published | Not published |
| Dilution ratio | Not published | Not published, page says it can be proportioned |
| Safe over existing protection | Stated: will not remove wax, sealant or coating | Not stated |
| Added protection | None claimed | None claimed |
| Sizes | Gallon with free 16 oz bottle | Quart, gallon, 5 gallon |
| Biodegradable claim | Not stated | 100 percent biodegradable |
| Intended use | Maintenance wash | Maintenance wash, proportioned |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the Adam's Polishes Car Shampoo if
weekly maintenance washing on a car that already has wax, sealant or a coating you want to keep.
Know before buying: no dilution ratio published, so cost per wash cannot be worked out from the page.
Pick the P&S Detail Products Pearl Auto Shampoo if
anyone washing weekly, washing more than one vehicle, or running a foam cannon that goes through soap quickly.
Know before buying: the page says it can be proportioned through a dilution device but gives no ratio.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the Adam's Polishes Car Shampoo - A pH neutral soap that states in plain terms that it will not strip wax, sealant or a ceramic coating. Choose the P&S Detail Products Pearl Auto Shampoo instead if anyone washing weekly, washing more than one vehicle, or running a foam cannon that goes through soap quickly.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Car Wash Soaps: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).