It’s fair to assume most people don’t care about what the best buckets are when it comes to car cleaning products. If they own one it’s often bought without much thought and on the basis that it’ll hold water, won’t break the day you buy it and doesn’t cost too much cash. Very logical we’d all agree.
However, is it time we stop treating buckets as an afterthought? I mean they’re an essential aspect of car cleaning and if you’re wanting to spend some extra cash on fancy car shampoo and microfibre towels, then maybe it’s time to invest in a better bucket (or two).
We’ve looked at the best buckets for car cleaning; looking at price, capacity, quality, whether a grit guard will fit in them, and storage.
The best buckets at a glance:
Editor’s pick: Meguiar’s Yellow Large Car Wash Bucket – Buy from Amazon.
Best budget bucket: Faithfull Tools 14 Litre Bucket – Buy from Amazon.
Best bucket for storage: Sammart 10 Litre Collapsible Bucket – Buy from Amazon.
The best buckets:
Editor's pick
Rrp: £17.73
Rrp: £17.73
Pros
- Well made
- From a master in car cleaning
Cons
- Grit guard is separate
Best bucket and grit guard combination
Pros
- Big capacity
- Durable construction
Cons
- Not as high quality as others
Best budget bucket
Rrp: £5.36
Rrp: £5.36
A 14-litre capacity isn't the largest amount of space you can get, but it should be more than enough to wash an average car.
Pros
- Simple as a bucket gets
- Good enough capacity
Cons
- Doesn't come with any extras
Best bucket for storage
Rrp: £9.63
Rrp: £9.63
At least that's what the team at Sammart were thinking because the 10-litre bucket it makes collapses into a neat fold. This means that in theory, you could slot it in between your pots and pans. You could even have it flat, creating space for other items.
Pros
- Easy for storage
- Clever design
Cons
- Capacity is very small
Best practical premium bucket
This 20-litre item is more than ideal for containing all the water mixed with car shampoo. Using the two bucket method, it may even make more logical sense to always have the branded one as the bucket containing the shampoo.
Pros
- Great quality bucket
- Good capacity
Cons
- Doesn't come with any extras
What’s the double bucket cleaning method?
If you’re interested in getting better results from your car cleaning regime, then one of the best changes you can make is to introduce a second bucket of water into the cleaning process. This effectively means you’ll have one filled with water and shampoo, whether the type of shampoo is eco-friendly or not is down to you. And the second for rinsing your wash mitt, so it is clean when you place it back onto your car. Some detailers even recommend a third bucket for exclusively cleaning the wheels when going over it with an alloy wheel brush (notoriously the dirtiest part of the cleaning process).
We’ve tried the double bucket method and anecdotal evidence suggests it’ll give your car better cleaning results. Use a single bucket and the suds from the shampoo will mask the deposits and dirt you’re adding to the water when cleaning. The second bucket will show just how dirty your wash mitt gets while washing your car.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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