While car detailing may sound complex like the term might seem, it’s actually straightforward and refers to extensively taking care of the condition of your car from inside out. The process involves both the exterior and interior cleaning of your vehicle. One also needs some specialized car detailing products that could help achieve the purpose, such as protecting the paint job from exposure to sun’s UV rays and other contaminants. In short, car or auto detailing enhances your vehicle from inside out by reducing visible scratches and other roughness as well as giving your vehicle a renewed look.
Steps of Car Detailing
Car detailing is quite a complicated process that involves a lot of steps. In this article, we will discuss all the steps that involve both the interior and exterior detailing process, according to experts from Midnight Driver.
Exterior Car Detailing
If you’re one of those who like to boast their vehicle in public, then more likely your vehicle’s exterior is what you are concerned about. While car wash can make your exterior look squeaky clean, exterior detailing, on the other hand, involves harder and longer tasks to make your exterior shine like brand new.
Step 1: Car detailing products
First off, to do car detailing you’ll need detailing products. However, you should also make sure only to buy good quality detailing products to make sure you’re not putting your vehicle’s paint job at risk. Below you’ll need:
- Car sander
- A couple of buckets
- Soaps and mitt
- Clay bar
- Car buffer
- Polish and Wax
- Towels and Pads
- Wheel Brush and Wheel Cleaner
Step 2: Pre-wash
A thorough exterior car wash is essential before proceeding to the detailing process. The purpose is to remove any grim or dirt, so none of them can get into the sponge or mitt cause; otherwise, they could cause damage to your vehicle’s body. Experts also advise using a pressure washer instead of your regular garden hose to remove any dirt effectively.
Step 3: The wheels
Your wheels are the dirtiest part of your vehicle since they pick up the most dirt, so you also need to clean them more often. Clean your car’s wheel one at a time and make sure to apply a wheel cleaner before scrubbing the tire. Use a wheel brush and start rubbing in a circular motion. To effectively wash off all the dirt, better use a powerful stream of water.
Step 4: Body wash
One of the mistakes done by a lot of car owners is that they tend to use household products for car washing. Midnight Driver only recommends using car shampoo since it also protects the paint job. Moreover, don’t wash your car all at once but instead divide your car into sections and start washing one section at a time. Also, avoid too much pressure on surfaces to avoid damaging the paint. Once you’ve finished a section, rinse it off with water immediately to avoid soap stains.
Step 5: Claying
While this process is necessary, you only need to this only once or twice a year. The claying process effectively removes different types of contaminants in your exterior that has gathered up over time.
Step 6: Polishing
This process helps to get rid of small scratches, oxidation, and stains and keeps your paint job from going dull. While you can do this manually, it could be a daunting task, so you might want to use auto-buffering instead. Once the process is complete, wipe the surface with a soft towel.
Step 7: Waxing
Now that you are done with the washing and polishing, it’s time to put wax on your exterior, which will serve as a protective layer. Wax can also act as a water repellent, thus making car washing easier. By using a small pad, put some wax to it and scrub the pad gently in a back and forth manner into the exterior surfaces. Once done, give it time to dry. Use a smooth towel to remove any residues.
Interior Car Detailing
Interior detailing is also as important as the exterior detailing process to achieve the right car detailing. Below we have listed each step about the interior detailing process.
Step 1: Deep cleaning
All hard interior surfaces need to be cleaned, including the dashboard, doors, storage area, and all other interior parts. However, as we have mentioned at the beginning, you should only buy high-quality products from a known vendor to avoid damaging your interior. You can also use a brush with soft bristles to reach narrow areas. Use a steam cleaner to remove any dirt and grime effectively as well as to disinfect your interior.
Moreover, don’t forget to clean all the windows. However, it is highly important to avoid cleaning them in direct sunlight to avoid streaks. Clean also all the upholstery using a good upholstery cleaner.
Step 2: Carpet cleaning
Your vehicle’s carpet catches all the dirt as well as germs, so it is essential to keep them clean all the time. The process is quite simple as you only need to take them out and clean them like a regular carpet in your house. Install them back once they dried off.
Also, don’t forget to vacuum all the interior parts of your vehicle, including vents and arm-rests, to remove all the dirt. Apply also some UV protectant to protect your interior from the harmful sun.
Conclusion
By completing all the steps mentioned above, it’s a surefire way of making your beloved vehicle look new once again. Always learn from the experts, Midnight Driver Co has only one mission and it is to help you “Feel the Drive Feel the Clean”. The company is born by drivers who enjoy the midnight cruise at full speed through the city during its quietest hours. Team leader Johnny Chen focuses on the high standards of quality in its services, products, and detailing education to help those to realize the true potential of their own vehicles in the automotive detailing world. Get updated on their Facebook page to learn more about expert tips.
