Auto detailing is more than just washing a car. It involves a thorough cleaning and polishing of both the inside and the outside to make it look the best it can, provide protection tosurfaces. Regular auto detailing can help your car to look it's best, provides protection to surfaces and helps to preserve the resale value. If you are going to shampoo the carpet it is best to do the inside first to allow more time for drying. Cleaning the inside first will also prevent dust from getting on your newly detailed exterior when you remove the floor mats for cleaning.
Floor mats should be removed, shaken and brushed. Vacuum the floor mats, the seats, the inside of door pockets and the carpet, taking particular care around the base of the seats. If there are stains on the carpet or seats, then these should be shampooed. Clean the dashboard, console, glove compartment, door panels, door handles, steering wheel, gear shift, sun visors and rear shelf. Dress with vinyl protector or leather conditioner, as appropriate. Vents can be cleaned with q-tips. Clean and wax door jambs and skirts. Clean out ashtrays, wipe the pedals down and clean windows, rear view mirror and any visor mirrors.
Clean the inside of the lid, the outer lip and the water channel. If the spare tire fits in a well in the trunk, remove it and clean the inside of the well. While you have the tire out of the car, check it has the correct air pressure in it. If it is dirty, wash it down and wait for it to dry before replacing it. Clean and vacuum carpet or floor mats, and wipe down any vinyl or rubber matting in the trunk. Replace any items removed.
Often people forget the engine when cleaning a car, but it is an important part of auto detailing. Use a pressure cleaner to clean grease from the engine bay, but be careful not to knock any hoses off or cause any damage. Clean and polish any painted surfaces such as the inside of the hood and the engine compartment sides. Clean the outer lip of the compartment and the water channel. Hoses can be polished so that everything looks clean when the compartment is opened.
Wash the vehicle exterior starting with the roof and working downwards. Remove any tar from the bumpers, sides and side mirrors. Pay close attention to lights, the front grille and car badges or logos. Make sure you get into crevices between panels and the area around the gas compartment. Wax and polish paintwork. Be careful not to get wax on doorhandles. Degrease, clean and dress wheels and tires. Clean windows, side mirrors and the sunroof, if present. If the vehicle has chrome components these should be polished with chrome cleaner.
