How to Detail a Car (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-19 22:11

Detailing is not just about vacuuming and washing the car. Detailing means paying attention to small details that make a car look beautiful and worth being proud of. Start with the interior so you don't have to worry about messing up the exterior when detailing the inside.

Step

Part 1 of 2: Car Interior Detailing

Step 1. Remove the floor rug and vacuum the carpet, floor, trunk, upholstery, luggage rack (if applicable), and dashboard

Move the chair forward and vacuum the carpet underneath.

Start at the top, then work your way down. Dust or dirt that collects on top may fall to the bottom; on the other hand, dust or dirt that collects at the bottom rarely rises to the top

Step 2. Remove carpet or upholstery stains using a foam cleaner and scrub with a damp cloth or sponge

Leave it for a few minutes before wiping it dry with a towel. If the stain hasn't gone away, repeat. After using the cleaner for the last time, wash the area with a damp sponge and wipe again.

Make sure to dry the wet parts well. Moisture can cause mold and/or mold, which is not the purpose of car detailing

Step 3. Repair any holes, burn marks, or small permanent stains on the carpet by cutting the area with a razor or scissors

Replace with pieces you picked up from hidden places, such as under a chair. Use waterproof adhesive to stick it.

Warning: Always ask the car owner's permission before performing this step. If you'd like, show the car owner a sample repair to give you an idea of this process. If done well, this example will be quite convincing.

Step 4. Wash the rubber carpet and dry it

Provide anti-slip coating so drivers' feet don't slip and slip when they're doing important things like braking.

Step 5. Use compressed air and a detailing brush to remove dust that has accumulated on the buttons and crevices of the dashboard and interior doors

Step 6. Wipe the hard interior surfaces with a gentle all-purpose cleaner

Use interior upholstery like Armor All for the finishing touch.

Step 7. Clean the AC vent grille with a detailing brush

If you are not going to use liquid afterwards, the detailing brush should be made of a highly absorbent material such as a microfiber cloth, which can remove dust and dirt efficiently. Spray a small amount of vinyl over the air conditioning vent grille to make it look brilliant.

Step 8. Clean or use a chair shampoo

Cleaning the chair is important to get the fine details. But different chairs require different ways. Please note that after cleaning, you may need to vacuum the chair or the area around it again, as dust may scatter after this process.

• Interior fabrics: Interiors with nylon or other fabrics can be shampooed with a wet vacuum extraction machine. The cloth should be dried well after extraction.
• Leather or vinyl interiors: Interiors with leather or vinyl can be cleaned with a leather or vinyl cleaner and then lightly brushed with a leather brush. After that, the cleaning liquid can be wiped with a microfiber cloth.

Step 9. Use conditioner for leather seats, if necessary

If you clean a leather chair with a product, it's time to condition it so that the leather looks attractive and doesn't dry out or peel.

Step 10. Spray glass cleaner on windows and mirrors, then wipe clean

To remove stubborn dirt, use 4/0 wire wool on the glass. Use a plastic cleaner if the meter cap is plastic.

Always use a microfiber cloth when washing and wiping. If not microfiber, use a clean, lint-free cloth. You certainly do not want to leave the remnants of lint in the car after cleaning it

Part 2 of 2: Car Exterior Detailing

Step 1. Brush the rims with a wheel brush and wheel cleaner or oil remover

Clean the rims first, as this is where most dirt, dust, and oil collects, and you may need to leave the cleaning product on for a while. Allow the product to soak into the rims for 30 seconds to 1 minute before brushing.

• Acid-based cleaners should only be used on coarse-textured alloy wheels, if necessary, but do not use on polished alloy wheels or clear coat wheels.
• Shine the chrome wheels with a metal polish or glass cleaner.

Step 2. Wash tires with white wall tire cleaner (even if the walls are black)

Apply tire liner. For a shiny touch, let the upholstery absorb, or wipe with a cotton cloth for a matte look.

Step 3. Tie the electronic components with plastic under the hood

Spray an oil cleaner, then clean with a pressure sprayer.

Step 4. Beautify the non-metallic area under the hood with a vinyl/rubber shield

For a shiny look, let the shield absorb. For a matte look, wipe clean.

Step 5. Be careful with colored windows

Factory dyes are built into the glass itself, so you shouldn't worry too much about it, but commercial dyes are more biodegradable and can be damaged by cleaners containing ammonia and/or vinegar. Check your cleaner before applying it to tinted windows.

Step 6. Wash the exterior of the car with car cleaning soap, not dishwashing detergent

Park the car in the shade and wait for the surface of the car to cool. Use a thick, lint-free microfiber towel that will pick up dirt and keep it from getting inside the car's surface.

• Tips: Use two buckets - one with a foaming cleanser, the other with water - when cleaning. After you've dipped the cloth in the foaming water and cleaned the car, dip the dirty, foamy water in the bucket of water so you don't dirty the cleaning bucket.

  

• Dish cleaning detergent peels the polymer from the paint layer and speeds up the oxidation process.

  

• Starting from the top down, clean and rinse each section at a time. Do not let the soap dry on its own.

  

• Remove the spray tip from the water hose before the final rinse to minimize spotting.

  

• Use a chamois or towel to dry; Don't let the wind dry it, because soap will appear.

  

Step 7. Clean the outside of the window with glass cleaner

Freshly detailed car windows should shine and reflect, not dull and dirty.

Step 8. Remove dirt and mud from the wheel crevices with an all-purpose cleaner and a high-pressure water sprayer

Add a vinyl finish to the wheel crevices for a shiny effect.

Step 9. Remove any contaminants that have built up on the car with a molten clay bar

You can use a traditional clay bar to remove impurities such as sap, but liquid clay bars work much faster and are almost as effective.

Step 10. Apply polish or wax (if using both, apply and remove polish first) with a dual or orbital action polishing machine or by hand

Rotary polishing machines should be used by professionals.

• Polish is for a shiny look. Candles are protective.
• Use in a longitudinal direction. Do not move the machine in a rotary motion.
• Pay attention to the door frames, around the door hinges and behind the bumper, where you will need to make circular motions by hand.
• Let it dry like a mist. Then finish the car detailing using a polishing machine. Hard-to-reach areas can be polished by hand.

Tips

• A professional should repair any scratches that penetrate the clear coat into the pigment.
• Repair worn or torn parts of your vinyl seat with the repair kits available at most parts stores.