Who doesn’t want their old car to look just as new, always? But it’s just not practical to get the car done by a professional detailer ever so often.
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ve got all the secrets that only professional car detailers know and we’re going to let you in on them.
Get ready for the best car detailing tips and tricks!
1.Rinse before the wash
The car’s surface and paint gets a lot of dust from the environment. If you straight away start scrubbing with soap and water, it is possible that the dust particles will rub and leave scratches.
It is best to rinse the car with a splash of clean water first and then proceed with the rest of the cleaning.
According to the car detailing experts at Spiffy, you should always start with rinsing your car. The car’s surface and paint gets a lot of dust from the environment. If you straight away start scrubbing with soap and water, it is possible that the dust particles will rub and leave scratches.
2.Microfiber for scrubbing
Cleaning sponges are absolutely outdated. If you want to clean your car like a professional ditch the sponge and use a microfiber mitten for scrubbing. The microfiber material is gentle and doesn’t capture dirt and grit like the sponge’s pores do. It is easier to clean and more durable too.
3.Use quality cleaning products
We cannot emphasize on the importance of quality cleaning products when it comes to giving your car a detailer’s finish. Don’t opt for household cleaning products like the dishwasher soap. These products are too harsh and not meant for cleaning the car. Use soaps and products specially made for car washes and suitable for your car.
4.Use separate rinse water
When you are cleaning the car make sure you keep two buckets of water; one for clean soapy water and the other one for rinsing. Always rinse the scrubbing mitten first and then soak it with soapy water for the next round. If you find the rinse bucket has become too dirty, throw away the water and fill it fresh.
5.Microfiber for drying
Microfiber is best suitable for cleaning the painted surface of your car. Use a microfiber cloth to wipe off once you’re done with the washing.
6.Drying the windshield and other glass surfaces
When you are drying the glass surfaces, you’ll realize that sometimes it’s difficult to figure out on which side you left a streak. The easy solution is to wipe the glass in a different direction on either side. This way you’ll know if the streak is to be cleaned on the inside or the outside.
7.Take care of the door seals
Once you’ve washed and cleaned the car thoroughly, don’t forget to lubricate the door seals. You can do this by spraying some silicone spray.
8.Vacuum the top first
You may feel that vacuuming the carpet first is better, because it gets the difficult job done first. But when you clean the dashboard and seats, you’ll be bringing a lot of dust back on the carpet. That’s why you should start with the top first and then proceed to the carpet.
9.Use the detailers brush
Car interiors comprise many grooves, especially on the console and the dashboard. Simply vacuuming over these areas will not give you the best results. It’s better to use a detailer’s brush to clean around such grooves as you vacuum.
10.Brush and vacuum the carpet
While cleaning the carpet, directly vacuuming it isn’t advisable. Use a stiff brush to clean the carpet as you vacuum. This will ensure you get all the dust that’s set deep in carpet in the vacuum.
11.The right dashboard protectant
Make sure you don’t use a silicone-based spray as your dashboard protectant. The silicone leaves a glossy layer that is likely to attract more dust and cause an unpleasant reflection on the windshield. You must always use matte finish dashboard protectant that is devoid of silicone.
12.Treating the vent
There’s a simple trick that professional car detailers use that leaves the car smelling fresh and new. They blast the vents with a can of compressed air. This cleans off any deposits of dust, dirt or moisture in the vents and gives a nice neutral smell to the care.
13.Fix the scratches before polishing
If there are minor scratches on the car, you can sand and fill them up with a rubbing compound. There are other simple ways to repair scratches too. Before you proceed with polishing make sure that the paint surface is even.
Looking for minor scratch repairs to major paint work for your Tesla? You can go to a Tesla certified auto body repair where certified Tesla technicians will take care of everything.
14.Treating the trim
You’ll notice that besides the shiny painted surface, your car has got lots of black plastic trims. If you ignore the trim and polish the rest of the car, it will look particularly shabby. That’s why you should treat the trim with a restoring product before you wax and polish the rest of the car.
15.Synthetic wax
The secret of the ultra-shiny “wet look” that the professionals won’t tell you is synthetic wax. High quality synthetic wax leaves a remarkable finish and stays on for longer periods than ordinary wax.
16.Dual-action polisher
If you really wish to rub and polish manually, you can always do that. But the fact remains that it’s not possible to get the best finish manually. If you can afford it, it makes much sense to buy a dual action polisher which is far more convenient and gives an envious finish.
17.Cleaning swirl marks
If you’ve not been advised of the proper cleaning and scrubbing tools we’ve discussed here, your car must have been left with ugly swirl marks. If you think that rubbing wax on these swirl marks will get rid of them, you’re mistaken. Professionals always use polish for removing the swirl marks.
18.Microfiber for a mirror finish
Once again we highlight our faith in the microfiber for car detailing. After waxing there’s bound to be some wax haze left. You should use a microfiber to wipe the wax haze in a circular motion for a sparkling finish on the car. If the cloth appears to have collected too much wax already, fold it and use the clean portion.
19.Clean the windshield and windows in end
It is important to save cleaning the windshield and windows for the last. That’s because when you clean the dashboard and spray it with the protectant, you’ll surely get the glass dirty again.
20.Roll down windows while cleaning
A lot of people lack a holistic cleaning sense. They’ll just clean the windows inside and outside and consider the job done. But there’s another side of the windows that needs cleaning. You’ve got to clean the top of the window glass too. Just roll down the windows and clean it thoroughly.
21.Clean the paintwork fortnightly
Ignoring car wash for too long can cause abrasions on the paint with all the dust exposure. The best way to maintain the paint on your car is to make sure you clean it regularly, preferably fortnightly.
