In the automotive industry, detailing is a multi-million dollar industry. Detailing involves cleaning, polishing and waxing a vehicle to restore its original luster and shine. It also includes applying sealants and protective coatings to protect the paint. At some point, you may have seen a video or read an article about detailing and wondered: “How does one get into detail-oriented work?” Here’s a step-by-step guide to detail work, from someone who’s been detailing cars professionally for more than 10 years.
Why Should You Detail Your Car?
Detailing is the process of cleaning and repairing a vehicle’s surface to improve its appearance and extend its life. Detailing is an important part of automobile maintenance because it helps to maintain the overall appearance of the vehicle and its finish.
Types of Car Detailing
Types of car detailing include exterior detailing, interior detailing, and full service detailing. There are many variations of car detailing. The most basic form is exterior detailing, where a person simply cleans the vehicle. This involves washing and waxing the exterior of the car and possibly removing stickers. Interior detailing includes cleaning the interior of the car, such as the dashboard, door panels, seats, steering wheel, and center console. Full service detailing is one of the more expensive options and involves a complete detailing of the car, including cleaning and buffing the exterior and the inside, as well as shampooing the car.
Read also: How to Detail Black Car Paint
Tools Required For Detailing Job
A Vacuum Cleaner
A Small Brush or Pad
A Toothbrush and Toothpaste
A Bottle of Glass Cleaner
Spray-on Wax
A Bottle of Hand Soap
Micro Fiber Towel
A Bucket of Warm Water
A Bucket of Cold Water
Hand Gloves
A Bottle of Hand Sanitizer
Sponges
A Container for Cleaning Supplies
A Bucket for Rags
Plastic Bags
Paper Towels
A Bottle of Oil
A Roll of Tape
Pads for Wiping Down Windows
Spray Cleaner
A Bucket for Waste
A Broom
A Bucket for Scrubbing
Sponges
Scrubbing Pads
Cloth Rags
A Bucket for Water
Scrub Brushes
Scrub Pads
Read also: Car Detailing Storage Ideas
Safety Initiatives While Detailing a Car
Detailing cars can be a fun hobby if you do it right. However, it can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. The last thing you want is a huge mess, and a damaged paint job.
While detailing cars, you need to keep in mind safety precautions. As a detailer, you need to wear safety glasses, clean clothes, and safety shoes. But there are certain things that you need to avoid doing during the process of detailing cars.
Methods of Detailing
There are many methods to car detailing. These include professional cleaning, power washing, and waxing. You can choose one or all of these depending on your preferences. Power washing is ideal for removing minor scratches and residue that may be left over from the winter. Professional cleaning removes all the small bits of dirt that might otherwise collect in between your vehicle’s exterior and interior. Waxing, however, makes your vehicle shine and protect the exterior paint from fading over time.
Interior Detailing Process
This article outlines the step by step car interior detailing process used by the most professional detailers today. The process is divided into five parts:
Dashboard
There is no better way to prepare a car dashboard than to give it a detailed cleaning. While detailing a car is not difficult, it takes a lot of time to clean a car dashboard properly. It’s best to start with a windshield washer because it’s easy to remove dirt with a microfiber cloth, especially if you’re using a good quality cleaner.
• Clean front windshield wipers with an all-natural window cleaner
• Remove dirt with microfiber cloths
• Use a dry toothbrush on dirty areas
• Use a damp sponge for stubborn stains
• If you really want to clean your dashboard thoroughly, use the vacuum hose on the floorboard of the passenger side.
You can also use a small amount of a wax or car polish to provide a shine to the surface.
Door Panels
Car doors tend to get dirty fast. And it’s easy to see why. On average, cars are driven 10-12 hours per week. That means the doors are exposed to a lot of dirt and grime. The only way to clean the dirt off the door panels quickly is by washing them with a mild soap and warm water. Never use abrasive cleansers or harsh chemicals because they can damage the paint or even the paint coating on the door panel.
Here are some tips on how to clean your car’s door panels without ruining them:
• Get a toothbrush and cleaning kit.
• Remove door panels.
• Scrape out any grime or debris.
• Spray with an all-purpose cleaner.
• Wipe down panel with soft cloth.
• Remove all remaining debris with a stiff brush.
• Let panel dry thoroughly.
• Apply a coat of car wash.
• Let panel dry again.
• Apply a coat of wax.
• Wait until next week to wash.
• Wax all the other panels.
• Apply sealant.
• Wait until next week to wash.
• Wax all the other panels.
• Dry with fan and heat, if necessary.
• Wax all the other panels.
Be careful not to overuse your microfiber cloth; you want to avoid causing scratches.
Seats
• While cleaning your car seats, there are several things you need to be sure to do. First, make sure the seat is dry before cleaning it. Also, make sure the seat is completely dry after cleaning. If there are any rips or tears, use repair tape to fix them. The seat is your children’s safety net. If they start to bleed in your car, you should be able to stop it. Make sure your car seats are safe by cleaning them regularly.
• Use a vacuum and warm air to clean the fabric, then use a soft cloth to buff it out.
• For leather seats, wipe with a damp sponge or towel and let dry naturally.
• Remove sticky spots by soaking a lint-free cloth in lemon juice or vinegar and rubbing it on the seat.
• After washing your car seat, use an old toothbrush to brush the surface of the fabric with a soft bristle brush.
• To clean the foam padding, spray a solution of vinegar and water on the seat, cover with a plastic bag, and let sit for 5 minutes. Then soak a clean, lint-free cloth in the solution and clean the foam.
Read also: How to Remove Stains from Leather Car Seats
What if your car seat has deep spots? It might need wet cleaning
Deep Cleaning Your Car Seat Properly – A simple task like cleaning your car seat is one that needs to be done correctly to avoid possible dangers or discomfort to your child. While it may seem obvious, there are many things that can go wrong when performing a proper deep cleaning of your car seat.
Use a wet vacuuming instead of a regular vacuum cleaner for your baby. With a wet vacuuming, you can use a lot of cleaning solution and it works better than a dry vacuum cleaner. Wet vacuums are a popular choice because they are safe for kids and don’t produce any dust. They work by sucking up the dirt and leaving water behind. This prevents the water from evaporating and turning into a mist. They can help with removing even the smallest of crumbs.
Steps to use wet Vacuum Cleaner for Deep Cleaning
• Take the vacuum and suck it up.
• Get a sponge to soak up the stains.
• Apply a little water and a little soap.
• Run the vacuum again.
• Squeeze out excess moisture.
• Dry the spot with a towel.
Car Carpet
We’ll start with a basic overview of the carpet cleaning process. Carpet cleaning is really more than just vacuuming up dirt and dust; there are a lot of things that need to be considered. The two main categories of cleaning include surface cleaning, and steam cleaning. Surface cleaning involves removing dirt and grime from the surface of the carpet fiber. Steam cleaning, on the other hand, focuses more on removing deep stains from the carpet, and the steam loosens the dirt to help it fall away more easily.
Removing Dirt and Grime From The Carpet
Carpet cleaning is a messy job but if done correctly it can be one of the simplest ways to restore the appearance of your vehicle. The first step in cleaning your carpets is to determine if they are dirty. Dirt can be removed from your vehicle’s interior using water, soap, and a vacuum cleaner. After thoroughly cleaning all the dirt, rinse your car’s interior surfaces with a spray cleaner.
Next, use a scrub brush or sponge to remove any stubborn stains or dirt. Once the exterior of your car is completely dry, use a solution of vinegar, baking soda and water to eliminate odors. Finally, to remove any residue left behind by the cleaner, use a solution of vinegar, baking soda and water.
Removing Deep Stains From The Carpet
To remove deep stains from the carpet, I recommend using the steam cleaner method. There are two types of steam cleaners available. One is a hand held, and the other is an extractor unit. The hand-held models are easier to operate because you don’t need to hold a handle. The extractor units have the advantage of being more powerful than the hand-held models. Either kind of machine will remove the dirt from the carpet.
Steam clean carpet: Cleaners are designed to clean dry soils. They’re not good at cleaning wet ones. But that doesn’t mean you can’t use steam cleaning to clean them out. First, apply an enzyme cleaner. Wait 30 minutes, then steam clean the carpet with your extractor or handheld cleaner. It’s worth noting that steam cleaning is better suited for stains that have dried out completely.
• Before starting the carpet steam cleaning procedure, use a good quality all purpose cleaner or fill your Steam cleaner with hot water. for removing the old stains. You can use a mixture of water and vinegar for this purpose.
• Add a few drops of ammonia and let it sit for a few minutes.
• Add the stain remover to your Steam cleaner.
• Leave the area to sit for 10 minutes.
• To cleanse the floor using steam cleaner, place the nozzle at the end of the carpet, and then start the cleaning cycle. It will clean the entire surface.
• Use a clean cloth or rag to wipe the area.
• Use your vacuum to pick up any remaining debris.
Steering wheel
In most cases, using a cleaning agent on the steering wheel of a car is a bad idea. It’s not just because steering wheels tend to be made of plastic, but also because the surfaces of the wheel are very slippery. However, if the steering wheel is particularly dirty or damaged, washing it with soap and water could be a viable option. Soap and water can be used for steering wheels in a variety of ways, including rubbing the wheel in circular motions with the palm of the hand to get into cracks. In this case, a cleaner could apply a light coat of cleaner directly to the surface.
Center Console
After you remove the cover plate from your car’s center console, you may notice that there is usually a film of dust, grime, and gunk coating its surface. While cleaning the console is certainly helpful, you should also take some steps to keep the console clean and free from germs and bacteria.
• Make sure your vehicle is well-stocked with tools and supplies before you start.
• Make sure to keep the items where they belong, in the center console.
• Start with the areas that are most used, and move around as you go.
• Start with a bucket of warm water and detergent.
• Pour a little bit of detergent into the bucket, then fill the rest of the bucket with water.
• Add a drop or two of dishwashing liquid to the bucket.
• Add a little bit of vinegar, which helps break down grease.
• Now add a splash of hot water and a few drops of baking soda. This will help get the water moving.
• Finally, add a splash of soap.
• Fill the car with air, and run a soft brush through it. Rinse and repeat until the inside is spotless.
• Give it a good scrub with a wet sponge and clean cloth.
• Spray it down with a hose.
Exterior Detailing Process
There are many reasons why detailing car exteriors should be done. The first reason is to protect the car against the elements. Second, the exterior of the vehicle is the first thing to be noticed by others when driving past. Therefore, if the exterior looks dirty and unkempt, others will assume that the vehicle itself is also in need of a cleaning. If this is the case, they may end up thinking of another car for sale in this dealership.
To give your vehicle the perfect look, you need to consider the followings Exterior Detailing.
Washing The Vehicle
I have been into cars for quite a while. For me there is a connection between the interior and the exterior of a car. When I wash my car it means I am getting ready to clean the outside of the car. Washing the exterior of the car is important because we don’t want dirt and dust to enter the vehicle. The dirt and dust can easily damage the car’s paint. If you have the windows rolled down, open the windows to let the fresh air flow in. This will help the car smell nice.
You have to start with a clean car. So if you haven’t washed it in awhile, get a bucket of warm soapy water, wash the car with a soft-bristled brush, and rinse with clear water.
- Spray surfaces with wax remover.
- Spray windows, hoods, mirrors with exterior cleaner.
- Clean all windows (front, back, side windows).
- Clean all door handles, mirrors and hoods.
- Use a clean towel to remove excess wax.
- Wipe excess wax with a clean cloth.
- Clean mirrors with mirror spray.
- Clean door handles with door handle cleaner.
- If dirt has built up, use a soft brush or rag to gently clean.
- Wipe excess cleaner off with a clean cloth.
- Clean Brake Dust from wheels.
- Wax your wheels and wheel wells if desired.
- Remove wheel covers to clean underneath.
- Use tire shine and buff your tires with a clean towel.
- After washing, use a wax to protect the finish and shine the car.
- Polish headlights, taillights and other light areas.
- Polish license plate with a clean towel.
- Polish chrome with chrome polish.
- Polish alloy with wax.
- Clean under hood with engine cleaner.
- Clean air filter.
- Fill gas tank.
If you want to get really good at detailing, invest in a hand-held detailer. You can buy one online or use an airbrush from home.
Once you finish washing the exterior of the car, use a dry towel to remove the excess water. Then wipe the car with a clean towel. To make the car look more appealing, use some clear window cleaner. Spray the cleaner on the glass and let it sit for a couple of minutes. Use a clean rag to wipe the glass.
Finally, use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the car for a fresh and clean look.
Car Detailing Mistakes You Should Avoid
After all, the car’s paint is supposed to last, right? But even if you keep it pristine with a regular detailing, eventually the paint is bound to show signs of wear.
These are the most common mistakes people make when maintaining their cars.
• Forgetting to clean underneath the car.
• Stripping the wax/polish off of the car.
• Using a cheap polish and stripping the paint with it.
• Not cleaning the inside of the car properly.
• Leaving a wet spot on the car
• Skipping the detail
• Using an incorrect cleaning solution
• Applying too much paint
• Cleaning too often
Final Word
When it comes to detailing cars, make sure you have a good toolbox of equipment and tools to use. In addition to using the proper supplies, a detailer must use a certain level of patience. A detailer cannot expect to have a perfectly clean car after one detail. It takes time, dedication, and patience to get a perfect finish on a car. That being said, there are a few tools and supplies that are essential to any detailer’s toolbox.
Read also: Amazing Techniques for Painting Suspension Parts Like a Pro
