No hose required for spray-on star

06th April 2009

Sometimes, a quick solution is what you need to keep your car looking good – and that’s where waterless cleaners like the new Showroom Shine come in. Buyers now have a choice of wipes, but this product from Greased Lightning is a milky white liquid that is sprayed directly on to the bodywork.

Once applied, it is easy to move the product around the panel with a microfibre cloth, and it lifted the grime from our test car’s panels easily.

The only thing you have to remember is to keep turning the cloth, to ensure that any dirt trapped in the cloth doesn’t scratch the surface.

Buffing off with another cloth leaves a deep, glossy shine, and this beaded water well – even after a few days.

It also proved effective on alloy wheels, plastics and glass; just watch out for streaks and spots, though.

We don’t see Showroom Shine as a substitute for a bucket and sponge, especially on really filthy cars. It’s pricey, too. But for the odd occasion, this is a decent performer.