How to do auto
detailing

Auto detailing has been around for along time. This information is designed to educate people who have the motivation, but lack the know-how, to detail their own vehicles. It will show a general "how-to" from start to finish. Detailing is hard work, with the average car requiring four or more hours. Remember that the amount of time it takes will be the same whether you use high-grade products or low-grade products. Do yourself and your car a favor and spend the little extra to get the best. And a note of caution about the "As Seen On TV" products: most are neither that easy nor that good. The simple truth is, there is no shortcut to having a nice-looking vehicle. It is hard work that you can't magically convert into a simple process. If you want it to look good, you have to work!

Equipment

A) Towels-You will need at least eight clean towels to do the job. One or two will be used to dry the vehicle, others to remove wax, and still more for the interior. If you can find the old diaper-type cloth, use them, because they make excellent rags for polishing the finish. Once you've finished, remember to wash your towels in hot water and detergent, dry and fold them, and put away for the next time. It is important that you have a set to use on a regular basis.

B) Brushes-You will need several different varieties and sizes. First a 1" soft-bristled brush with bristles cut down to 1/2" length. Next, a stiff-bristled tire brush. Also, you'll need a 1" round semi-firm bristled brush. A long-handled wheel well brush is a good idea. If you have an old toothbrush, you may want that too.

C) Wash bucket - Get a nice plastic bucket with a good handle. Metal is OK, but remember, you run the risk of scratching the car with any metal object.

D) Natural or synthetic sponge-This is what you will use to wash the car, so the bigger the better. It's important to keep your sponge clean; plan on washing it along with your towels to keep it in good shape. A bug sponge with a nylon covering is important to remove tough spots. Remember to use it sparingly because it can harm your car's finish.

E) Auto Vac or equivalent - The stronger ones are the auto vacs that run on direct current, and plug into the cigarette lighter. Many times they are stronger than your Wet/Dry Shop Vac. Plan to have a nice one that works well, because they're very handy to use on the interior.

F) Newspapers and Q-Tips - The newspapers will be used for cleaning the windows and the Q-Tips will be needed to get into tight spots and to remove excess wax from around the molding, etc.

Detailing the engine

Because engines can be so tough to clean, you will want to do this task first, before washing the rest of the vehicle. If you can't find a heavy-duty degreaser, use a 50/50 mix of kerosene with water as a degreaser. With the engine warm apply the kerosene mix or degreaser to stubborn grease deposits before you wet it down - water will dilute the mix and reduce its cleaning strength. Use a brush to remove any stubborn deposits from the valve covers. You may want to repeat this step several times as needed. If you get some degreaser on the paint, rinse immediately. Citrus-based degreasers are good for this type of chore. One non-citrus product, Purple Stuff, is one of the best on the market.

Once you are satisfied with the degreasing and have rinsed well, start up the motor and let it run for a while with the hood down so the heat can evaporate much of the water. Have a rag handy to degrease the parts you had covered earlier.

Now it's degreased, and ready for rubber dressing. Silicone will work best here. Spray everything well except the belts. You may want to apply some wax to the painted areas. If you don't prefer to get a shiny look, you can wipe the silicone down - just let it soak in for a while first.

The engine cleaning is one of the hardest parts of detailing an auto. Do yourself a favor and keep it clean by going over the engine every third or fourth wash job to the exterior. This will keep it from becoming such a monumental task every time.

Washing the vehicle

Washing your car should be like giving your baby a bath. Use a CLEAN large sponge and a pH balanced brand name car wash. Don't use anything harsh like laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent on your car, because it can wipe out the finish.

Wet the car down first to knock off any dried mud. If you have to, scrub with a bug sponge, but not too hard. Rinse areas before you wash the vehicle. Body side mouldings can be scrubbed with a soft brush and all-purpose cleaner, but make sure you keep it off the paint. It can be harmful to your finish.

The wheels and tires should be done first, before the body. Wheels collect brake dust very easily so you will need a small brush and a good all-purpose cleaner. Don't wet down the wheels and tires first, because you want to make sure the chemical is strong and not diluted with water. Don't overlook the underside of the vehicle and wheel wells. A good policy is, if you can reach it, clean it. These underside areas can get very dirty and cleaning them can be a real plus.

First of all, make sure your car is in the shade to make sure its surface is cool. When washing, start from the top and work your way down. Rinse the vehicle a couple times as you work your way down. It is also important to keep the entire car wet until you finish. Never allow the water to dry on any surface. This is what leaves water spots, which can be difficult to get off.

When drying the vehicle, start by using the edge of your hand to wipe off as much of the water as possible. Then work on the glass surfaces with a nice soft towel, and then the metal. It is important to get all of the water off the car, don't let the water dry up on the surface. Once a towel is soaked, put it down and get another. Use as many towels as needed.

When you are done washing, and the car is dry, apply your rubber dressings to the tires and bumpers. You can apply it to a sponge and wipe it on the tires and black rubber parts. The "no touch" products work well, but be careful because the over spray can go everywhere, including on the car's finish.

Vacuuming the interior

The interior is really where you make or break a detailing job. It has to be great-looking. You need to go over all the nooks & crannies where dirt can build up. Get anything that's not nailed down out of the car, even the floor mats. While you are vacuuming, have a pointy semi-firm brush at hand to get the junk out of the cracks of the console and dash or whatever. A firm-bristled brush is good for stirring up the carpet matte so you can get most of the junk out of the carpet. If you have spots on the carpet, try using Resolve Carpet Cleaner to get the tough stains out. It works great and does not harm the color.

Once you have vacuumed out the vehicle, use an all-purpose cleaner to get the stubborn stains off the vinyl. Don't forget the steering wheel, because this is where lots of gunk builds up. Use a window cleaner sprayed on a towel to get the headliner clean. There are several good all-purpose cleaners on the market. Don't forget the trunk areas as well when you are vacuuming. Wipe on with a towel a good all-purpose cleaner if you have stains on vinyl interior. For a leather interior, use only a high-grade leather cleaner and finish with a good leather conditioner. Make sure to clean all residue off the seats, whether they are leather or vinyl. Allowing a cleaner to dry on a surface can be harmful to the seats, etc.

Cleaning windows

Don't spray window cleaner directly on the window, but rather onto a cloth. Wipe the windows thoroughly with cleaner. You should use newspaper to wipe it dry, because the abrasiveness acts like a polish and it won't streak. Here is another thing you can do. Apply Rain X to the windshield. When applying, pour it onto a paper towel and then buff it in, up and down, side to side. Repeat until thoroughly coated. Let it dry to a haze, then remove it with a very soft towel. If the window happens to be extra dry you may have to apply it twice because it soaked in. This step may leave the windows slightly hazy, but very minor. The benefit from this step will become clear the first time it rains.

Waxing the car

Now a few words about clearcoat paint. Clearcoat is a clear coating applied over some color or basecoat. Clearcoat adds the illusion of a shiny finish even when mildly dirty. It is very important to remember that it is still paint. Clearcoat is applied at the factory. Just like enamels and lacquers, clearcoat is still vulnerable to oxidation and scratching. Scratches, in fact, are a clearcoat's first enemy. Even the smallest scratch will stand out. Many people think "Well, my car has clearcoat so it doesn't need wax". Wrong. It is still paint and will always need proper maintenance from the elements. Clearcoat can be very tricky to maintain. You cannot use harsh compounds on it to remove scratches or oxidation, you must use a clearcoat-safe compound.

Using the proper choice of wax on your car is very important. It is just as hard to put on cheap wax that does not last as it is to put on good wax that lasts longer. In fact, both 3M and DuPont did studies on waxes and found that many waxes on the storeshelves today won't last more than 22 days on the paint finish. If you are going to go to the trouble to wax your car, choose a good carnauba-based wax.

One of the major problems with older cars is oxidation. Essentially, you can think of oxidation as dead paint. The sun and other natural elements have reacted with the surface of the paint, causing a chemical chain-reaction called oxidation. This is the most common flaw on paint, but it's almost always curable, too. Clearcoat oxidation can be removed with a clearcoat-safe compound. For standard finishes you can step up to some more serious compounds such as polishing compound, which is mild but still too harsh for clearcoat, or just regular red compound, which can do damage in the wrong hands. If you feel this oxidation is too much for you to tackle, consider taking it to a professional to be safe. You see most oxidation on the tops of vehicles, since that's where the sun hits directly. Other flaws in the paint can cause problems similar to oxidation which may not be curable. If the paint is crazed, with many hairline cracks going in all directions, you may need to think about repainting those sections.

Try to use a product that has the most carnauba wax in it. After applying this, don't let it sit more than five to eight minutes before removing; the longer you wait the harder it is to remove it. Two thin coats is much better than one thick coat, and applying it with a side-to-side motion instead of circular one prevents swirls. Again, only apply to a cool surface. A hot surface causes rapid evaporation of the wax and cause it to bond to paint, leaving nasty streak marks. Pre-dampen your applicator pad before waxing. If you do get some streak marks, go over the surface with a damp cloth and then buff it.

After removing all the wax, go around and carefully remove any excess from the cracks and emblems using Q-Tips, a toothbrush and a towel. Cloth diapers are excellent for buffing up a shine.

Convertible tops need extra special care. If you have stains on a white top, a soft scrub with bleach should get them out. For darker-colored tops, a degreaser is good. Follow up with your vinyl protectant. Use a firm-bristled brush to loosen the stain.

Bibliography-Auto Detailing: The Professional Way published by Chilton.

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