Here at Autobrite Direct, we’re passionate about cars, car detailing, and providing the best car cleaning products. As professional car detailers, we’ve developed a formula for achieving the perfect detail every time. It works for every kind of car, van, and truck.
Our step-by-step guide for car detailing walks you through the process of preparation, car cleaning, polishing, and protecting. We work methodically, completing each step before moving on to the next. Follow these steps below to detail your car at home.
Why You Should Detail Your Car
Detailing your car is much more than simply giving it a wash and vacuum. It is a step-by-step process to transform your vehicle back to pristine condition. It might be a daunting idea, but if you are a car enthusiast, trust us, you will love it! With a bit of practice and a couple of detailing courses, you will feel and see the benefits!
- Saves Money: Many people spend a fortune regularly taking their car to be professionally detailed, and while we would never discourage anybody from doing so, maintaining a vehicle yourself can drastically cut the cost. Provided you already own some of the more expensive equipment, such as a jet wash or a machine polisher, car detailing products are likely to cost less than a single professional detail, and of course, they will last for multiple uses.
- Gain Understanding: Getting started with car detailing means getting to know the products involved and selecting the best types for your vehicle. This learning curve will enable you to really deepen your understanding not only of the products but of the processes too, which will allow you to make better and more informed choices about the chemicals you expose your vehicle to.
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The Satisfaction: There is no better feeling for car care enthusiasts than seeing your vehicle fresh out of the detailing bay, looking shiny, clean, and restored to its former glory. When you undertake car detailing yourself, not only do you get to bask in this feeling, but you get the added glory of knowing that your own two hands have achieved this fantastic feat!
Step-By-Step Guide to Car Detailing
Prep, Prep & Prep
Probably the most boring part of detailing your car. BUT it’s arguably the most important step. Ensure you are properly prepared and have all the correct exterior and interior cleaning products and equipment. This means you won’t need to rebuy online. Plus, it’s a great way of seeing what you’re running low on. As well as this, it is important to prepare your vehicle. Start by rinsing your car thoroughly with water using a hose or pressure washer. These steps ensure that any loose debris, dirt, grime or mud is removed or even loosened. This prevents scratches during the washing process.
Wheels & Tyres
The first and probably most important place to start is with your wheels and tyres. These can often be overlooked, but are arguably the dirtiest part of the car as they come into direct contact with the road. Giving the wheels an in-depth clean is key to ensuring that the dirt does not contaminate the other areas of the car in the cleaning process.
We recommend starting off with a powerful cleaning agent, such as our Britegel Wheel Cleaner. This is our non-acidic wheel cleaning gel that clings to dirt, allowing the maximum penetration of dirt, grime, and dust. The sticky gel formula has tremendous cleaning abilities and foams up when agitated. Use this wheel cleaner and work into the wheels with our various-sized bespoke brushes for excellent levels of cleaning.
Pre-Wash
Always use a pre-wash which has been formulated to remove bugs and stubborn grime. This step ensures that contaminants are removed from the surface of the vehicle, which helps avoid rubbing them over your paintwork. Simply spray the pre-wash over the lower areas of the car and any areas that have become bug-splattered, and leave it on, but do not allow it to dry. We recommend our Citrus Wash Multi-Purpose Cleaner.
Snow Foam
Snow foam helps to break down more stubborn dirt and any loose particles from the vehicle. Use a snow foam lance to apply Magifoam all over your car and let it sit. Removing as much dirt as possible before contact washing helps to reduce the likelihood of inflicting swirl marks on the paint finish.
Shampoo
Once you have completed the contactless wash stage, your car is now well-prepped to begin contact washing with car shampoo. We recommend using the 2-bucket method to prevent dirt and contaminants from being reintroduced into your car’s surface. Fill one bucket with water and Decon Shampoo, and the other with clean water for rinsing your wash mitt. Gently wash your car’s exterior in straight lines or broad circular motions. Avoid applying excessive pressure, as it may cause swirl marks. Use a pressure washer or hose to rinse off the shampoo and dry with a microfibre towel.
Decontamination
Begin the decontamination stage with Just the Tonic Tar and Glue Remover, followed by Purple Rain Fallout Remover, which are excellent for removing leftover impurities and imperfections. To achieve a truly flawless finish, we would urge you to consider using our Claybar Fine Grade or Claybar Heavy Grade to help remove and pick up embedded contaminants that regular washing doesn’t.
Drying
The best way to dry your vehicle is to start at the top and work your way down. It’s important to work quickly to avoid any water spots, but be thorough, so no streaks are left.
Polishing
There are 2 ways to polish your vehicle, hand polishing or machine polishing. We recommend not using a machine polish if you are inexperienced, but you can enrol on our 2-day car detailing course, where you will learn to do this if you wish! Polishing helps restore the paint’s shine and eliminates minor imperfections, bringing out the true brilliance of your car’s colour.
Protect
After putting in the effort to get your car crystal clean, it’s so important to finish off the process by protecting your car. This is because we want all the hard work of removing the contaminants and dirt to be preserved. We recommend using a wax or a sealant for the best results.
Finishing
The final step involves the finishing touches, for example, tyre dressings for better colour saturation and cleaning your glass surfaces.
Interior Cleaning
Of course, making sure your car’s exterior is clean and protected is very important. But you don’t sit on the outside of the car. When you drive around, it’s important to ensure that your car’s interior is clean and polished. We offer an array of products for cleaning and protecting your car’s interior, including fabric and carpet care, leather care, and air fresheners. By preserving the interior of your car, you’re not only preserving your investment but enhancing your overall driving experience.
Buy Your Car Detailing Kit & Begin The Process!
So, there you have it! You know how to detail your car. If you’d like to buy the products suitable for each stage as a bundle, we have a range of car detailing kits available. Or, if you are interested in enrolling on one of our courses, you can book here.
