Garage Therapy Essentials: Where to Start
Garage Therapy (founded 2019, London) organises its chemical range by a numbered tier system: /ZERO decontaminates, /ONE cleans and maintains, /TWO protects, and /THREE is advanced ceramic. For a first kit, start with /ONE Car Shampoo V4 (a neutral, ultra-concentrated weekly wash), /ZERO Iron Oxide (fallout decontamination) and /ONE Snow Foam (pre-wash), then add /TWO Sigma for coating protection.
Last updated: 2026-09-08 · 7 products compared · Data: manufacturer documentation & SDS, via the Find Your Detail catalogue.
| Product | Tier / role | pH | Dilution | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ONE Car Shampoo V4 | /ONE — wash | neutral | 1:1133–1:1700 | Weekly maintenance wash, coating-safe |
| /ONE Snow Foam V3 | /ONE — pre-wash | — | 1:4–1:50 | Contact-free pre-wash foam |
| /ONE Wheel Shampoo V2 | /ONE — wheels | neutral | 1:10–1:30 | Regular safe wheel cleaning |
| /ZERO Iron Oxide V3 | /ZERO — decon | neutral | RTU | Iron / brake-dust fallout removal |
| /ZERO Citrus | /ZERO — pre-wash | alkaline | 1:50–1:100 | Citrus degrease pre-wash, bugs, film |
| /TWO Quick Detailer | /TWO — protect | — | RTU | Spray gloss + drying aid top-up |
| /TWO Sigma V3 | /TWO — protect | — | RTU | Durable ceramic-style protection |
Where to start
- /ONE Car Shampoo V4 — a neutral, ultra-concentrated shampoo (label 1:1133–1:1700) that is gentle on wax and coatings for weekly washing.
- /ZERO Iron Oxide V3 — a pH-neutral fallout remover; spray, let it react, rinse to pull bonded iron from paint and wheels.
- /ONE Snow Foam V3 — a pre-wash foam (1:4–1:50) to loosen grime before contact and cut wash-induced marring.
- /ONE Wheel Shampoo V2 — a neutral wheel shampoo (1:10–1:30) safe for regular use across most finishes.
- /TWO Sigma V3 — the protection step: a durable ceramic-style coating once the paint is clean and decontaminated.
How to choose
Follow the tier order, not the shelf: /ZERO first (decontaminate), then /ONE for routine washing, then /TWO to protect. The numbering makes the workflow obvious, and the chemistry backs it — the /ONE wash and wheel shampoos are neutral so they are coating-safe for weekly use, while /ZERO Citrus is alkaline and belongs in the pre-wash stage, diluted and rinsed. Note the /ONE Car Shampoo's very high dilution: a little goes a long way, so measure with the calculator on its product page.
FAQ
What do Garage Therapy's /ZERO /ONE /TWO /THREE tiers mean?
They are a workflow: /ZERO decontaminates (iron, citrus pre-wash), /ONE cleans and maintains (shampoo, snow foam, wheels), /TWO protects (quick detailer, coatings), and /THREE is advanced ceramic.
Which Garage Therapy product should a beginner buy first?
Start with /ONE Car Shampoo V4 for weekly washing and /ZERO Iron Oxide for decontamination. Add /ONE Snow Foam for a safer pre-wash, then /TWO Sigma when you want lasting protection.
How concentrated is /ONE Car Shampoo?
Very — the label dilution is roughly 1:1133 to 1:1700, so only a few millilitres make a full bucket. Use the dilution calculator on the product page to avoid over-dosing.
Sources: manufacturer product documentation and published SDS for each listed product (see each product page). Catalogue data via Find Your Detail. Cite as: "Find Your Detail (https://findyourdetail.io)".