Professional car detailing is the art and the craft of cleaning and restoring a vehicle to like-new condition. Car detailing services are much more precise and labor-intensive than getting a car wash. A car wash is normally an automated system that a car passes through to clean the exterior. Professional auto detailing is always done by hand, and includes exterior and interior car detailing services.
What Car Detailing Services are Included in Professional Car Detailing?
While anyone can detail a car by cleaning the inside and outside as best as they can, a professional detail is done by an experienced detailer with the right techniques and high quality products.
Exterior Car Cleaning
- Exterior wash and dry – This washing and drying process is done by hand. The detailer will spray and wipe down the body of the car with specialized products. This includes hand washing the rims, door handles, and glass.
- Paint Claying – A clay bar is used to remove any contaminants, overspray, or residue left after the car has been washed. Claying results in a cleaner and smoother surface, and helps increase the effectiveness of polish and wax.
- Polishing – Polishing buffs an abrasive compound onto the car’s paint to remove small layers of clear coat. This makes small scratches and swirls in the paint disappear.
- Sealing or Waxing – To give the car a glossy shine and to add a protective layer to the car’s paint, a sealant is applied. In some cases, wax can be used.
Other exterior services that can be added include trim repainting, engine detailing, headlight polishing, engine pressure cleaning, bumper repair, glass chip repair and paint touch up.
Interior Car Cleaning
- Vacuuming – Seats, carpets and mats, headliner, rear cargo area, and trunk are vacuumed to clean debris.
- Scrubbing and Brushing – This is done to remove stains on floor carpets and mats
- Steam Cleaning – Steam cleaning is a more effective method of removing tough stains in carpets and seats.
- Glass Cleaning – Cleaning the windshield and windows.
- Leather Trimming – A leather cleaner and soap are used to clean any leather parts in the vehicle.
- Perfuming – Many detailers spray a deodorant into the interior of a car to leave the car smelling clean and new.
Additional Car Detailing Services
Some professional car detailing businesses offer additional services to the ones described above. These services include:
- Paint correction – This is a process that takes away flaws on the top layer of a car’s paintwork like dull paint or oxidation. Most detailers use a rotary machine polisher to provide the best paint correction.
- Ceramic coating – Ceramic Coating is a liquid polymer applied to the exterior of a vehicle to add a protective layer to the car’s paint. This is often used as a premium wax alternative.
- PPF – PPF stands for paint protection film. PPF is a thin polyurethane film that helps to protect car paint from rock chips, small scratches, UV light, mineral deposits, acid rain, and more. This product and service offers more comprehensive protection than ceramic coating.
Why is Car Detailing Important?
Running a car through a car wash might wash the dirt off of it, but it doesn’t keep the car in pristine condition like a thorough detail. Unlike a car wash, detailing not only keeps a car clean, but it also protects a car’s paint and interior, so they’re not as vulnerable to natural elements and to use. Detailing is important because it extends the life of a vehicle and helps it maintain its maximum resale value. Regular professional detailing will help customers enjoy their cars, add value to their cars, and save money in the long-term.