Information on Car Detailing
Auto detailers thoroughly clean, wax and polish cars to give them a glossy, showroom-quality appearance. Some detailers work as freelancers, servicing a clientele of private car owners. Others work for car dealerships, preparing automobiles for display in the showroom or on the outside lots.
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Interior Detail
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Auto detailing includes several steps, starting with interior cleaning of seats, floors, rear shelf and dashboard instruments with a car vacuum, brushes and cleaning cloths. Detailers use cotton swabs or toothbrushes to reach into and around every knob and corner. Compressed air from small canisters removes the last traces of dust from the dashboard, steering column, glove compartment, doors and the center mount.
Upholstery and Engine Work
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Conditioners applied to seats remove dirt and grime and return a bright, new appearance to vinyl or leather. Skilled detailers can patch small tears in the upholstery or holes in the floor carpet. When selecting a patch, they must carefully match color and material, whether it's vinyl, leather or carpet fiber.
Detailers use steam or a high-pressure water hose to remove the dirt and grease that accumulate in the engine compartment. Detailing can also include polishing and painting of the engine block and other parts under the hood.
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Wash and Dry
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Once the interior and engine compartments are clean, the detailer moves on to the exterior, starting with a thorough wash and drying. Special cleaning compounds designed for use on automobiles prevent damage to the paint that household detergents and soaps can cause. Every surface undergoes washing, including the trim, undercarriage, tires and wheel wells, grill and fenders. A chamois cloth is the best method of drying wet surfaces, which professionals never allow to dry on their own. Glass streaking is solved by applying glass cleaner with newspaper.
Polish and Glaze
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Polishing, or prewax cleaning, further smooths and cleans the painted surface of the car. Some detailers use rotary buffers to apply polish, which comes in different levels of abrasiveness depending on the condition of the paint and the final appearance desired. Sealant, sometimes contained within the polish, protects the surface from contaminants and scratches. If desired, a layer of glazing applied after the polish and before the sealant will further brighten the paint. Sealants are an optional step---they must be left for at least 12 hours to cure before wax can be applied.
Waxing
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Waxing is the final step in automotive detailing. Detailers have a wide selection of waxes available, in the form of liquid or paste. Carnauba wax is a natural product contained in many commercial car waxes. It gives a full, glossy finish to the paint. Synthetic waxes include various compounds designed to maintain high gloss and protection against fading caused by ultraviolet light rays. Some detailers offer rustproofing, a useful service in climates where winter snow, ice and road salt can quickly corrode painted surfaces.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Allure Mobile Auto Detailing
