person auto detailing car

As you sit in your car, you notice that it is not as clean as it should be. There’s even grime between the seats! It’s time to clean your car!

Don’t be too hard on yourself because most car owners do not clean their car often enough. Car detailing experts suggest that you should get the inside of your car detailed at least once a month, and more often if you eat food or have pets inside your car!

Before you decide to burn it down like Cheryl’s “she shed”, there are a few things to know about auto detailing. Keep reading for our quick and dirty guide to cleaning your car both inside and out as well as why you should do it more often.

Why Detail Your Car

Yes, a dirty car is gross and smelly, but there are more reasons why you should detail your car way more often than you do right now! Here are some great reasons to keep up with cleaning your car.

Keeping the paint clean and waxed, it will resist damage much longer. If your paint wears down or gets chipped, the metal underneath will rust and make the exterior of your car look like swiss cheese if not repaired!

Regular automotive detailing keeps the car looking its best inside and out. This will earn you a bigger resale check when you decide to sell or trade-in your car.

A well-maintained car will also last longer. Dirt and grime will break the little mechanisms in a car. For instance, the rails the seat sits on will not move as they should when caked in dust and dirt.

Another thing that the professionals do when they detail your car is cleaning the dust, dirt, and debris out of your engine area. Doing that makes the engine run cooler because it gets better airflow.

The number one reason to detail your car more often is because it feels better to drive (or even ride in) a clean car! Driving up in a sparkling clean car will give you a pep in your step.

Interior Auto Detailing

The first thing you should tackle is the interior of your car. Be careful which products you are using (if you are detailing the car yourself) to make sure your cleaning products won’t stain or damage your car.

Here are a few of the processes used to detail the interior of a vehicle:

  • Vacuum the floorboard, all the seats, and the cargo area (or trunk). Remove any floor mats before vacuuming and get into all the cracks and crevices for the most thorough clean.
  • Steam cleaning gets rid of any stains or built-up grime in the floor mats or upholstery.
  • Leather reconditioning completed by hand with saddle soap to remove any dirt. Then they apply a leather conditioner to leave your leather soft and supple.
  • Glass cleaning with a special cleaner (protects any window coatings or tint)
  • Air freshening with perfume or deodorant leaves your car smelling brand new

Detailing the Exterior of Your Car

After the interior is sparkling clean, it’s time to move on and clean the exterior of your car. There’s more to do here than a quick scrub-a-dub-dub. 

These are some of the procedures professional detailing companies use to clean the exterior of a car:

  • In exterior car detailing, the washing is often done by hand and the special attention paid to the rims, door jambs, and glass. Then they dry the car as fast as possible to prevent water spots.
  • Hard to remove spots, oversprays, or other impurities are easier to remove with a clay bar.
  • Hand polishing to bring back that new car sparkle
  • The final touch is a sealant or wax applied to make the shine longer-lasting

Diy Detail vs. Hiring a Professional

If you have the time and don’t mind putting in the elbow grease, you can always detail your car by yourself. DIY detailing will save you money and you don’t need to leave your car in anyone else’s care. For everyone else, there’s professional car detailing businesses!

Some detailing businesses will come to you while you are at home or the office and detail your car while you watch. Other companies have a brick and mortar business model, but they have access to more cleaning machines and supplies than the mobile versions.

Choosing the best car detailing company is tough because there are so many to choose from, and you want to hire trustworthy people. Check out detailing shop blogs like this article by Auto Spa America where they list all the services they offer to keep your car sparkling clean! The best car detailing companies will have their reviews on their website as well.

We Have You Covered From Bumper to Bumper

Think of your car as an extension of your home. Whenever you feel the need to clean your house, you should also tidy up your car.

Some people enjoy doing their own auto detailing, but others prefer to leave it to the professionals. No matter how you choose to detail your car, keeping it clean protects your car’s aesthetics and value over the long run!

Since auto maintenance doesn’t stop at detailing your car, there is much more to learn about taking the best care of your vehicle. Don’t worry, because we have all the automotive knowledge you need! Check out the rest of our blog articles today!