By Casey Brander
Washing the car is such a great Sunday lunchtime activity; sunshine, a bucket of soapy water, a sponge and the garden hose. But what do you do when you want to give it more than just a once over clean? Where do you start and how do you know what to use and where?
Detailing takes cleaning to the next level, beyond the usual wash and wax routine. In fact, detailing is just that, paying close attention to all the details of your car. The end result can be fantastic, making your car look like it just drove off the showroom floor and how wonderful it feels to drive a detailed car! So how do you start?
It is always best to work from the inside out. Start by removing the floor mats (vacuuming and washing them), cleaning the carpeting and upholstery and finish with a thorough vacuuming. Use the different nozzle attachments on your vacuum to get into as many places as possible. Repair any burns or holes in your upholstery using a repair kit from your auto shop. Clean all of the hard surfaces of the interior with a damp cloth and mild soapy warm water. Dress any leather with a good quality leather conditioner.
The dashboard will really give you a sense of what detailing is all about with all of those buttons, crevices and spaces you will need to get into to remove dust and grime. The easiest way to do this is to use a can of compressed air to blast away anything that shouldn't be there. Another couple of good tools to have is a cotton swab and a clean paint brush, they can help get into those really tight crevices. At this point, you use an Armor-All type product to put a little shine on the dash and consoles. Clean all the glass with a special glass cleaner, taking special care to remove any streaks when you are done using a dry soft towel. Now you are ready to move onto the outside of the vehicle.
Before you get busy with your soapy water and sponge, patch up any damage to the paintwork to ensure you get a glossy and perfect finish. You can purchase do-it-yourself paint repair kits that are very affordable and easy to use making your car look like its brand new when you have finished. Try the great one you can get through www.paint-chip-repair.com. When you are washing your vehicle, do it in a shady area, not full sun, and don't forget to get into all the wheel wells and inside the door jams to give it that finished look. Dry everything off with a chamois when you are done. Polish the vehicle to give it that final gloss; it also will help to protect the paintwork from further sun damage. Finish off the job with a coat of tire dressing and you are done with your do-it-yourself car detailing. Finish off that great Sunday with a nice quiet drive and show off your fantastic looking car!
Casey Brander - Car enthusiast and entrepreneur hoping to educate and help people who enjoy keeping their cars in mint condition because of the investment and because it's the right thing to do! Click on my website to find out how to make your car look great. http://www.paint-chip-repair.com
Source:www.isnare.com |
