Update: stupid easy method.
Products/Tools: Purple Power Vehicle and Boat Wash; Meguiars Fast Finish; Costco Kirkland Microfiber towels; Chem. Guys chenelle mitts (green are cheapest); Adams Foaming Pump sprayer (not "multi") or inexpensive electric pressure washer with Foam Cannon; Meguiars All Purpose Cleaner; Griots Interior Detailer. All fo these can be bought at Walmart, Amazon, or O'Reillys (you might have to order the Meguiars gallon bottles).
For a car, 3-5 mitts are necessary or you need to spray off a mitt each time you use it. Don't use a bucket with soap as you will always (regardless of how many you use) a) dilute the soap making it ineffective; and b) introduce SOME dirt to the car when you reapply the mitt. The PPVBW has a high pH and does remove old or poor wax, but it, unlike most other car soaps, also removes road film. You won't clean your car effectively with regular car soap. Dawn is a BAD idea (needs hot water to be most effective and has some abrasives), by the way, and PPVBW is cheaper.
Use the foam applicator or pressure washer, one section at a time, GENERALLY top to bottom, but with a clean mitt, this isn't a huge deal. Rinse, dry, and finish with Fast Finish. Easy to apply and provides as good or better protection than almost any wax type product on the market short of ceramic coating. There is honestly no reason to use anything else UNLESS you feel a need to go ceramic. But that doesn't fall under stupid easy -- nowhere close.
For tires and interior, Meguiars AP cleaner. I don't recommend degreasers on tires and neither do tire OEMs. For wheel cleaner, most of the stuff at Walmart is within 10-20 percent of each other. I use an acid based cleaner but not everyone wants to do that. No, the AP cleaner (cut 10:1) is NOT too harsh for leather but it may be a bit much for dashes. I like Griots Interior Detailer. Note that Griots sells an Interior CLEANER and Detailer product. Never used the Cleaner but have a bottle or two to test. Probably won't buy it long term because it can't be diluted but I like the Detailer product. Simple and effective for dashes.
