Auto detailing goes beyond washing and waxing, focusing on restoring the interior and exterior of a vehicle to a like-new condition. Interior detailing includes thorough cleaning of carpets, upholstery, and vinyl areas, while exterior detailing involves cleaning wheels, polishing rims, and fixing paint chips and scratches.
Auto detailing is separate from washing and waxing, although some auto centers offer these services together. In general, a wash and wax job is just that: the exterior of the vehicle is cleaned and waxed. The details go further, and although they are concentrated on the interior of the car, it also involves some exterior work.
Interior Auto Detailing: The magic of detailing is taking the time to clean and restore your vehicle to as close to new condition as possible. This involves full vacuuming, sometimes aided by removing the front seats. The upholstery is also vacuumed.
After vacuuming, carpets, rugs, and upholstery are thoroughly cleaned. Depending on the condition of the vehicle, this could involve any number of products from upholstery foam cleaners to carpet shampoo to spot cleaners. A wet/dry vacuum can be used on cloth seats. Auto detailing removes most stains and makes your carpet and seats look new by preventing any existing physical damage.
Vinyl areas inside the car, such as the dashboard, door panel, and console, are first cleaned, then treated with a conditioner to keep the vinyl flexible. The steering wheel covers and pedals are not fitted to prevent slipping. The acrylic face of the speedometer is polished to a shine, and any small scratches are erased.
Q-tips are often used in auto detailing to clean air conditioning louvers and heater vents. The seams on the console that collect dust and dirt are also cleaned in this way. Finally, the glass is thoroughly washed and cleaned. It should be free of streaks or films that may reflect low angles of sunlight or nighttime headlights and affect vision.
Exterior Auto Detailing: On the exterior of the vehicle, detailing involves cleaning the wheels and rims of brake dust and grime. The rims are then polished and the sidewalls of the tires are treated. Any wax residue is carefully cleaned around the vehicle’s chrome decals or plates, and the windows can be treated with a rain repellent. The engine is also cleaned, either with steam or degreasers. The underside of the hood and rails are also cleaned and polished.
Finally, chips or scratches in the paint can also be fixed with auto detailing. Each spot is cleaned of wax and carefully sanded with wet/dry grit or a fine sanding block. The correct automotive touch-up paint is applied in layers, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. The area is sanded again, then polished and waxed. When done correctly, auto detailing leaves one hard pressed to find the original stain.
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