Three additional soaps to add to the mix..........................
P&S Wide Open – I have to say, P&S make some great products, but soaps are not their specialty. Pearl is mediocre, Frostbite doesn’t have the cleaning power they claim, and while there is some charm to Inspiration Radiance, it comes across as a dated product. So, can Wide Open redeem the brand?
Wide Open was launched with a range of off-road specific products a few years ago. This soap was designed to be a high suds, high foaming product that can break down mud quicker and easier than the low-foaming Pearl. P&S have also included rust inhibitors to help protect “exposed metals or scratched paintwork”. Wide Open is termed “pH balanced”, but I tested it at about 8.9, which would explain where the superior mud-cleaning ability comes from. For reference, Pearl comes in at 7.5 and Frostbite 10.3.
Despite this being aimed at the off-road market, Wide Open can be used on any vehicle that needs a little more cleaning power. In that regard, Wide Open would be a similar in concept to Meguiar’s Hyper Wash. It will put down a thick layer of foam that holds onto the paint really well, which is a complete contrast to what Radiance and Pearl will do. The big surprise though was how bloody slick this soap feels, which is backed up with decent free rinsing properties. With a 946ml bottle of Wide Open sitting about $10 above the same size of Pearl, its money well spent as its far more concentrated, considerably slicker and will foam for days. If only it had a scent, it would be almost perfect. Wide Open is easily P&S’s best soap.
Lubrication – 8/10
Cleaning Ability – 9/10
Scent – Virtually undetectable
PH Level – 8.9 (measured)
Consistency – Runny
Overall Rating – 8/10
Koch Chemie Active Foam – This soap has been on the market for a few years now, but only in larger bottle sizes and priced out of the market. However, with a recent change in distribution, Active Foam is now much more attainable than before and is finally available in smaller 1-litre bottle sizes.
Within the KCx soap range, the pH 9.5 Active Foam sits as a happy medium between the gentle pH balanced GSF, and the sledgehammer Super Foam with its pH of 12.0. It also sits alongside Auto Shampoo with its pH of 9.0, but Active Foam is by far the better soap for a few key reasons……………
First of all, unlike Auto Shampoo, this soap actually foams! That foaming ability helps it sit on the paint for longer, in turn delivering superior cleaning ability before a wash mitt hits the paint. In that regard, I've found Active Foam an excellent pre-wash snow foam, it would make a great winter soap for that reason. Active Foam is also a great wheel cleaner, being much nicer to work with than a typical alkaline or iron-remover type wheel cleaner.
But it’s the scent that will hook you, it’s heaven on earth! The sandalwood scent is at its best during and after foaming, and it will linger for hours after………………its extremely addictive.
Lubrication – 9/10
Cleaning Ability – 10/10
Scent – Sandalwood, simply delightful
PH Level – 9.5 (claimed)
Consistency – Runny
Overall Rating – 10/10
Koch Chemie Ceramic Effect Shampoo – This soap has only just hit the market, which is a competitor to products like Carpro Hydr02 Foam, P&S Inspiration Radiance and Gyeon Bathe+. Like those, CES provides cleaning ability and lubrication, while leaving behind a glossy protective layer in the process. KCx even suggest CES will provide UV protection.
I’m not the biggest fan of this style of soap, mainly because you compromise the cleaning ability and foam quality, while only getting a minor gloss/slickness/hydrophobic improvement……………..jack of all trades, master of none. However, CES seems very well-rounded, easily one of the best of its type on the market in offering moderate cleaning ability, decent slickness and some very impressive hydrophobics. And like most KCx products, the cherry-almond scent of CES smells lovely. However, this soap was not designed to be foamed, which means using it as a traditional bucket wash only. Also, don’t expect CES to offer heavy-duty cleaning ability, in situations like that, you would pre-treat with something like Active Foam or Bilt Hamber Touch-less beforehand.
I really like this soap. The gloss, slickness and hydrophobic properties it provides would put some spray sealants to shame, let alone other soaps of its type. As an occasional-use topper to your coating or sealant, CES is certainly a very nice product to use.
Lubrication – 8/10
Cleaning Ability – 6/10
Scent – 8/10 (cherry-almond)
PH Level – 6.0 (claimed)
Consistency – Runny
Overall Rating – 9/10
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