The Process of Professional Auto Detailing

When you bring your car to an auto garage for car wash & detailing, you might wonder what auto detailers do to your vehicle. What makes a professional detail worth it? Read on to learn about the process of auto detailing:

Exterior Cleaning

Professional car detailers are meticulous in their work. They use the right tools and methods to ensure that they don’t damage the car they detail.

• Washing – Detailers give the car a good rinse and then spray it with car wash soap. They have specific products for each part of the vehicle. Heavier cleaners are used for the wheels, while milder car wash soap is used for the body to ensure cleaning will not damage the paint. In the washing stage, professionals use clean microfiber towels to wipe off dirt and grime and ensure they will not leave scratches when washing your auto.

Professionals also use a different set of towels for the wheels. Wheels can be the part of the vehicle with the most dirt and grime. If they use the same towels for the body, they might end up scratching the car’s paint.

• Drying – After the washing session, detailing professionals dry the car. Some shops have blowers, while others prefer using clean microfiber towels. They wipe down the vehicle thoroughly and don’t leave a panel untouched.

• Claying – Once the car is dry, they use a clay bar to pick up any remaining dirt and grime embedded. Professionals lubricate the surface, then rub it with a clay bar. Claying helps them in the next step.

• Preparing and Inspecting – This is the stage where detailers give the car one more quick rinse. After doing so, they inspect the paint’s condition. Professionals use LED lamps and check each panel, looking for imperfections that need correcting. They look for swirls, scratches, and fading.

• Polishing – If professionals find some paint imperfections, they will move to the polishing stage. First, they remove the scratches by using a dual-action polisher. There are different buffing pads and compounds for each kind of imperfection. Some cut deeper in the paint, and others only clear the surface.

Detailers also make sure that there is enough thickness left in the paint to be safe when polishing. Some old cars have a very thin clear coat, and others don’t have any at all. They use a paint testing device to measure how thick the paint is before polishing.

• Final Touches – The last areas that need cleaning are the windows. Using a squeegee and a window-cleaning solution, detailers will make sure that the glass is clear from streaks and water spots. They will also apply tyre dressings to the wheels to hydrate and make them shine.

• Protecting – The final stage in the exterior detailing process is paint protection. Detailers apply a final protective coat of wax to the car’s paint. Some coatings can make your vehicle more hydrophobic so that they will repel dust and grime from the exterior. A coat of wax also makes future car washes easier since the car will remain clean for longer.

Interior Cleaning

Once the car’s exterior has been cleaned, professional detailers will then clean the interior. They will clean, protect, and rejuvenate the inside of your vehicle.

• Dashboard – Professional detailers will start from the top, wiping the dashboard down. They use an interior cleaning solution that is safe for surfaces like leather and plastic. A detailer’s brush is used to loosen up the debris that the vacuum will then suck up. Professionals might use a steam cleaner for grimy surfaces to heat and loosen up the dirt. They will then add a protectant that will help prevent fading.

• Seats – The cleaning will depend on what kind of seats a car has. If the vehicle has leather seats, they will use a high-quality leather cleaner and apply some leather conditioner. Other seats might have grime that has soaked in the foam. They will scrub and agitate the seat, then vacuum it using an extractor.

• Centre Console – This is the area that traps a lot of dust and debris. Detailers will use a vacuum to remove the dirt from cupholders and other crevices in the centre console. When too much grime has built up, sometimes a steam cleaner is required to dislodge the dirt. The heat from steam cleaning also helps in sanitizing the surfaces.

• Carpets and Floor – The last thing is to vacuum all the dirt and debris that have fallen to the floors. If the car has removable mats, it can get scrubbed, and power washed outside.

Professional detailing makes sure that the whole car is clean. Detailers will make the exterior shine and make the interior feel fresh. There are a lot of steps that professionals take to clean your vehicle thoroughly, and it might take a long time, but professional detailing is worth it. Contact your local car wash shop for car wash & detailing today!

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