When you spot a car that’s well-cared for and has been washed and waxed, it’s easy to see that the owner loves taking care of their vehicle. The deep colors of the paint can shine through, and the metallic glow of the tires adds to the overall appearance of the car.
Detailing Your Car Like a Pro
While everyone would love to have their car shining like it just left the professional car detailers, not everyone can afford it. To save money, you can perform all of the same steps the pros do and have your car looking its best in no time at all.
1. Remove All Loose Items
Before you start deep cleaning your car’s interior, it’s important that you first remove all loose items. These include electronics, tools, and sports equipment. Be sure to check every nook and cranny. This includes the trunk, glove compartment, cup holders, and footwells. Items can be found under the seats as well.
2. Start Cleaning From the Top
Although it may seem natural to vacuum the carpets and upholstery first, professional car detailing services start at the top. Begin by brushing the air vents and cleaning the steering wheel, dashboard, and other controls. Once the excess dirt has dropped to the lower areas, the vacuum will pick it up. If you vacuum your carpets first, you will have to redo them after dusting and wiping down everything else. This tip will save you time and energy.
3. Look for Hidden Dust
Even though you may not notice it, dust particles can hide in the interior of your car. To get your car’s interior clean, it’s important that you first inspect every surface. Use a small brush to remove dust that’s hiding in the corners and hard-to-reach areas of the car. If the dust is caked-in, you can use a wet cotton swab to wipe it away without scratching the surfaces in your vehicle.
4. Move the Seats
You will be surprised at how much dirt and debris can accumulate underneath your seats. Move them all the way forward and then back to give you access to cleaning and vacuuming underneath them. You may find loose change, trash, ticket stubs, and receipts.
5. Vacuum Carpet and Upholstery
The amount of time that you spend driving can contribute to the accumulation of dust and dirt in your car. Even though you can vacuum the carpets and floor mats, these can’t remove the embedded particles that are still there.
Professional car detailing services use a variety of tools, such as a high-powered vacuum and a large brush, to thoroughly clean and remove dirt and debris from the interior of your vehicle. Once you get all of the dirt and debris removed, consider using carpet shampoo or a steam cleaner to take things a step further and get your carpets extra clean and fresh.
6. Clean Plastic Surfaces
After you have thoroughly cleaned the interior of your vehicle, the plastic surfaces may look clean, but they will still need a good wash to stay in good condition. You can use various types of soap and rags for cleaning. These will help remove dirt and grime that accumulated over the years.
7. Clean the Windows
After you have thoroughly cleaned the interior of your vehicle, it’s important that you also clean the windows to keep them looking their best. Having good visibility is important when it comes to driving, and using a specialty glass cleaner can help keep the windows looking their best.
8. Wash and Apply Ceramic Coating
Now that the interior is spotless, it’s time to clean the outside of your vehicle. First, wash off any debris and dust on your vehicle. This includes cleaning off any bug splatters you might find. Next, wash your car with an appropriate cleaner and rinse thoroughly. Now that it’s clean, you can dry it using microfiber cloths. These help dry your car without leaving unsightly streaks. To finish off, use your favorite ceramic coating. This should be applied using fiber car cloths.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, keeping your car looking professionally cleaned is not too difficult. With a little hard work and the right supplies, you will have a clean vehicle to drive around in.
