Even if you have a regular maintenance routine for your car, it will eventually need a more thorough cleaning if you want to keep it looking its best long-term. That`s where detailing comes in. Getting your car detailed at the shop can cost a pretty penny, but if you know the right techniques it`s easy to detail your car right in your own driveway. If you want to save yourself a trip to the shop (and some extra dough in the bargain), check out these easy car detailing tips. For women who are already used to cleaning their own cars, detailing is just a more in-depth version of the process—and those who tend to rely on a shop for their detailing might be surprised how easy it can be.
1) Clean from top to bottom and inside to outside. Detailing a car isn`t just about how it looks on the outside. You also want to make sure the interior is just as clean when you`re finished. Go at the car`s interior first, dusting from the top to the bottom then removing the floor mats and vacuuming the upholstery. Doing things in this order will keep you from having to clean the same area more than once, since dust might fall from the ceiling to the floor and things you clean from the inside of the car could dirty a freshly-washed exterior.
2) Use compressed air to remove dust from crevices. The small cracks between pieces and around the buttons on your dash are places that can attract and hold dust, and they can be almost impossible to clean with regular cloths and cleaning solutions. A quick burst of compressed air will clear these spots out with a lot less effort on your part. You can then follow up with a cloth dampened in all-purpose cleaner to wipe away the dirt you`ve blown out with the compressed air.
3) Use the right cleaners for the materials. Rugs, seat, ceiling, dash—they`re all included in a full detail. How you clean each component will depend on what material it`s made out of. If you have upholstered seats, for example, a carpet shampooer is a great option, but this could damage leather or vinyl. Check your manual if you`re not sure what kind of materials are used in your car rather than just guessing.
4) Don`t neglect the wheels. The rims and tires on your car take even more abuse than the rest of it, and they need the same TLC you`re giving to its other areas. Start by using a degreaser on the rims, letting it sit 30 to 60 seconds before wiping it with a wheel brush. Once this is done, hit the whole side of the tire with whitewall tire cleaner, even if you have black-wall tires.
5) Finish things off with a protective wax or polish. Washing your car`s exterior will make it look great in the moment, but waxing and polishing will maintain that vibrant sheen after the fact, and can even protect your car from future dirt and damage. For the ultimate protection, try a nano polishing product, which bonds with your car`s paint to prevent dirt from ever taking hold.
Detailing your car can be a time-consuming process, but if you want your car to look like new there`s really no shortcut. The good news is, you don`t need to detail your car every time you clean it. Doing it too often can actually be detrimental in the long term. If your car gets regular use and doesn`t off-road or do other things that will make it particularly dirty, a full detail every three months or so should be plenty. If you follow the five tips above, you`ll be thrilled by how clean your car looks and feels, both inside and out.
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