For many of us out there, our cars are sort of an extension of our own self-expression. While we may not use them every day here in the Essex area, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take good care of our vehicles. In fact, there are even ways to improve upon them or have certain things touched up through the years.
As you may have already known (or guessed), this is known as car detailing. It’s something that may not get talked about too often, but that certainly doesn’t diminish its value. In fact, you can click for more info if you’re curious about some of the specifics of the process. Still, we’ll be covering it as well, as far as some examples and the details are to be aware of.
If you would like to learn more, make sure to stay tuned! There’s a lot to cover, after all, especially considering how many different parts of a vehicle can be detailed.
What is Car Detailing?
To start, let’s take a look at what car detailing is in the first place. Putting it as simply as possible, car detailing is a thorough and comprehensive cleaning, restoration, and finishing process of a vehicle to enhance its overall appearance and condition. What does all of that mean in a practical sense, though?
Well, one key thing to keep in mind is that it involves deep cleaning and restoration of both the interior and exterior of a car, with the aim of restoring it to its original or near-original condition. Car detailers use specialized tools, products, and techniques to clean, polish, and protect surfaces in the vehicle. This could include the paint, windows, wheels, upholstery, and other parts of the vehicle.
What might a service include? Well, just a few examples are washing, waxing, polishing, interior vacuuming, steam cleaning, leather conditioning, and paint correction. Of course, there are other treatments involved that help to ensure the car looks and feels new. It is a more comprehensive and meticulous form of cleaning compared to a regular car wash, which admittedly doesn’t cost quite as much either (as you can read about here: https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Your-Car).
How it Works
While it may cost more than taking your vehicle through a car wash, there’s a good reason for that. In fact, a lot of folks consider detailing a much higher value purely because of all the different aspects involved. How does the process really work, though?
Bear in mind that the specific techniques and routines may vary depending on the detailer and the specific needs and condition of the car. Still, here are the general steps involved in detailing:
Inspection
Most of us are already familiar with inspections, at least to an extent. You can read more about them on this page, but thankfully, there’s nothing to “pass” or “fail” when a detailer does an inspection. Rather, the intent here is to examine the vehicle carefully in order to identify any problem areas, damage, or specific concerns that need attention.
Exterior Cleaning
After the inspection, this is the next step. Usually, the car is washed to remove dirt, dust, and grime from the exterior surfaces. A high-quality car shampoo or specialized cleaning products are used, along with tools like microfiber towels, brushes, and pressure washers, to ensure a deep and gentle cleaning without scratching the paint. That’s what you’re paying for, to an extent.
Paint Correction
This step tends to depend on the current status of your vehicle and how much has been damaged in the past. If there are any visible scratches, swirl marks, or imperfections on the paintwork, a paint correction process may be performed. This involves using polishing compounds, machine buffers, and abrasive pads to remove or minimize such imperfections and restore the paint’s shine and clarity. You can always ask your detailer for more details if you want them.
Polishing and Waxing
Once the imperfections have been fixed, the detailer will typically move onto this step. The vehicle’s paint is polished to enhance its gloss, remove any remaining minor imperfections, and create a smooth and reflective surface. A high-quality car wax or sealant is then applied to protect the paint from UV rays, oxidation, and other damage while providing a glossy and water-repellent finish, all of which you can inquire about once again.
Final Touches
As a brief aside, keep in mind that this list isn’t fully comprehensive. Depending on your detailer and the state of your car, there could be plenty of other steps involved. With that said, the final piece is, of course, when they put the final touches on it.
After completing the main steps, the detailer inspects the car again to ensure all areas are appropriately cleaned and restored. Some examples of last touches could include dressing tires, polishing chrome or metal accents, and adding air fresheners.