Detailing your car at home — and yet still getting professional results — has never been easier. From waxes to washes, today’s car detailing products have been engineered to ensure that your painstaking efforts aren’t remembered as paint-scratching errors.
A gorgeous glow, an immaculate interior, and the accompanying glory are yours if you can just avoid some common car detailing mistakes. The key thing to remember is that the best ways to detail a car involve both patience and care.
A water hose, a couple of buckets, a Wash Mitt, car wash soap, and The Absorber are all you need to get started. To wash your ride it is recommended to use detailing car washing products.
Beyond that, knowing how to detail a car or auto detailing tips includes knowing that these 10 common mistakes must be avoided:
1. Don’t use dish soap or other household detergents.
Soaps not made specifically for car washing can strip away waxes and finishes and be too harsh on your paint job.
2. Don’t wash your car in direct sunlight.
Soapy water will dry before you can rinse it off.
3. Don’t use the same bucket for soap and rinsing.
Squeeze your dirty Wash Mitt out in a separate bucket before dipping into soapy water to get more suds.
4. Don’t forget to clean the tires/wheels first.
Ignore this and you will be splashing grime from the dirtiest parts of your vehicle onto freshly washed surfaces. Clean the soap and rinse buckets and start fresh after washing the tires, too.
5. Don’t dry your car with a regular towel.
Baby your finish with The Absorber instead of grinding dirt and dust particles into it.
6. Don’t wipe missed spots with the drying towel.
If you spotted dirt after completing your washing stage, wash the area again. Trying to instead wipe it clean with a drying towel could embed dirty particles into your paint, scratching the surface.
7. Don’t apply wax or polish directly to the car’s surface.
Instead, apply it to or pour it on the applicator to ensure you don’t get dark spots and uneven streaks.
8. Don’t over wax.
Anything after a second coat is a waste, likely to be wiped away.
9. Don’t skip the polishing.
You’ve come this far; why not smooth out the surface of the paint and make it shine?
10. Don’t use an ammonia-based glass cleaner for the interior.
Chemicals from the spray can damage dash surfaces or discolor the upholstery. Using an efficient Dash Gear microfiber cleaning cloth makes cleaning the inside of your vehicle equally easy.
When it comes to tips for car detailing, knowing what NOT to do is crucial, too. Car detailing is one task for which you definitely don’t want to start from scratch.