Do you have a car that looks extremely dirty on the outside and is also a complete disaster on the inside? Just like you take pride in how you dress and look, you should also take pride and effort in how your car looks as well. A messy car creates a bad image, especially if you are using it for work purposes. Thankfully, there are ways that you can clean your car both on the inside and outside to make it shine. This is called auto detailing and is something that you should consider doing at least once a year with your vehicle. Auto detailing will also improve the lifespan of your car as it will help keep away rust and other harmful things from the vehicle. Here is everything that you need to know about car detailing.
It Starts with Cleaning the Exterior
The first step towards Auto detailing is cleaning the outside and making it shine. A new car with a new coat of paint has a certain type of glow to it. As you drive the car more and more, this glow fades as dirt, dust, and other contaminants attach themselves to the paint and make it lose its shine. Cleaning the exterior of your car is one of the easiest things in car detailing and anyone can do it. The experts at DetailDIY say that the first and most important step towards cleaning the exterior is to pick up the right materials. You might think that any type of soap can do the job, but you would be wrong to think that. There are special soaps made for cars that will help limit the amount of scratches. Regular soaps will end up damaging your car and scraping away some of the paint. From there, ensure that you have microfiber clothes that work well on the paint you are using. Just like the soap, towels can scrape away some of the paint or scratch it as you are working, therefore you have to make sure you are getting a proper towel. For tires, there are tire dressings that you can use to restore the look of them and make them look brand new. Finally, for the glass, you can use any standard window cleaner to get the job done.
Once you have all of these materials, it is now time to start the actual wash process. Pick a day when it is nice outside and grab a hose and a bucket of soapy water and get to work. Make sure to clean every nook and cranny of the vehicle and dry it off when you are finished. Doing this can prevent rust from forming on the outer edges of the car and can keep it running properly and well for years to come. Make sure you take the time to clean the outside of your vehicle as your car will thank you later on.
Keeping the Exterior Protected
After you have fully cleaned the exterior of your car, you now have to take proper measures to keep it clean and protect it from any future damages that might come. This is where you can look into things like paint sealants. These work to help protect your paint from chipping and can also seal up any small scratches or chips that are already p[resent on your vehicle. Coating the paint with wax will help to have any dirt or liquid easily slide off the vehicle instead of being absorbed into the paint. Finally, something like a ceramic coating will help thicken up the outer layer of paint and strengthen it preventing any further damage. Along with that, a ceramic coating will help the paint coat shine and glow during the day. These steps are absolutely vital for maintaining your car because if you forget about them, your car will quickly become dirty again and need another washing. Once you have cleaned the exterior of your car, ensure that you get the right products to help it stay clean and protect it from any future damage.
Interior Cleaning
Once everything on the outside has been taken care of, it is now time to move to the inside. The first recommended step to be taken when auto detailing the inside of the car is to remove anything that is not bolted onto the car. This means taking out all of the carpets, cup holder containers etc. Once this is done, you can very easily go about removing any garbage and trash that is laying around the car. Now that all of that has been cleaned, you can now take a vacuum specifically meant for cars and clean out any remaining dust and crumbs in the vehicle. Don’t forget to use the vacuum on the carpets and cupholders you have removed as well. Finally, read the instructions and directions on how to clean the carpets and rugs in your vehicle as washing them incorrectly can result in damages. Don’t forget to freshen up the car as well with some air fresheners or a spray and then start to put everything back in the vehicle. Once this is all finished, your car should look like it is brand new on the inside and be free from any litter, dust, and dirty carpets.
Detailing a car by yourself can take a lot of time but is definitely worth every minute of it. How many times have you been disgusted by the interior or exterior of a car you have seen? Don’t let your vehicle fall into the same fate by taking the time to clean it on the inside and the outside, and finally give the outside the protection it needs to stay safe. This type of maintenance can save you a lot of money in the long run as you won’t have to worry about things like rust overtaking parts of your car. Not only that, but a good auto detailing will also impress your family and your friends and make you look more responsible. Present your car professionally and watch as it opens new opportunities for you. When was the last time you had your car cleaned?
Take great notes and look at all this car show photos in our gallery for great examples of people that really know how to do auto detailing.
