If you’re a car enthusiast, you might know the wonderful feeling of sitting in a newly-detailed car. The almost new interior, a shining exterior that makes people stare, and an enticing driver experience provide a lot of happiness. However, detailing your car might seem like a task that only a professional could do. In this article, we are going to provide a step-by-step guide on how to detail a car so you can transform your car and make it look like it just came out of the showroom.
What is car detailing?
Car detailing is not just cleaning your car, it’s a process that consists of several steps like cleaning, restoring, etc. Detailing involves not just renovating the exterior but also the interior so your car looks good from the outside as well as the inside.
Car detailing: Necessary tools
Before embarking on your detailing journey, assemble the necessary tools and supplies:
- Microfibre towels
- Soft-bristle brushes
- Wheel cleaner
- Car wash soap
- Clay bar
- Polishing compound
- Wax or sealant
- Interior cleaner
- Vacuum cleaner
- Glass cleaner
- Applicator pads
- Tire dressing
- Plastic and rubber protectant
Car detailing process
Starting with the exterior
Pre-wash
Enhancing the exterior involves several steps. The first is to pre-wash the car and remove any dirt stuck on it. You can use a car wash solution and gently scrub the surface with a sponge and then rinse it off.
Decontamination
Decontamination involves using a clay bar to add smoothness to the surface of the car. The clay bar removes tar, sap etc., which contaminate the car and make the paint feel rougher. You can also use a clay lubricant over the paint.
Polishing and wax
If your car exterior has minor scratches, you can use a polishing compound to remove them. After polishing, you should apply a wax or sealant to protect the surface to protect it from harmful sun rays and other pollutants present in the air.
Wheels and tires
The next step is to clean the wheels using a soap solution or a wheel cleaner and then apply the tire dressing to the tires.
Cleaning glass and trim
You can use a glass cleaner to clean glass efficiently and protect trims with the help of a plastic and rubber protectant.
Cleaning the interior
Vacuum
Use a vacuum cleaner to clean dust from unreachable areas. Make sure you clean everywhere, from under the seats to below the carpets.
Wipe the dirt off
Using a microfibre cloth, clean the interior surfaces such as the dashboard and door panels and remove dust from vents and steering wheel. You can use a brush in case it is hard to remove the dust with a cloth.
Cleaning the fabric
For cleaning car seat fabric, you can use fabric shampoo that makes it much easier to wash off the dirt without making a mess.
Cleaning the leather
Cleaning the leather is very important and must be done with utmost care. Make sure you use a specialised leather cleaner that has the perfect pH, and then follow it up with a leather conditioner to avoid cracking up the leather.
Glass and mirrors
You can clean the glasses and the mirror using a glass cleaner, repeating the same process that you followed while cleaning exterior glasses.
Eliminating the odour
Use a good quality air freshener to remove the bad odour from the car.
Besides cleaning the interior and the exterior areas, you can clean the chrome of the car using a dedicated polish and bring back the lost shine. For headlights and taillights, you can use a restoration kit to improve performance and efficiency.
Car maintenance
Detailing the car is not the last process, you also need to maintain it regularly to ensure that the shine stays:
- Wash the car regularly.
- You can also use a detailer spray to avoid losing the shine.
- Protect the car from sun damage.
- Protect the interiors by vacuuming them regularly.
FAQs
Is car detailing similar to car washing?
No, car detailing involves lots of cleaning processes to clean each and every corner of your car and bring back the shine that it lost over the course of time.
How often should I detail my car?
It totally depends on how much you use your car and the damage it faces, but you should generally detail it every 3-4 months.
Can I use normal soap to clean my car?
Although you can use a normal soap to clean your car, it is generally advised not to do so because a normal soap damages the car wax and degrades the shine and smoothness over time.
When should I use wax or sealant on my car?
It is generally advised to use a wax or sealant on your car every 3-4 months.
| Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com |
