How to Detail a Vehicle

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Vacuum Cleaner and attachments
Bucket and warm water
Garden Hose
Soap and Sponge
Window Cleaner and Paper Towels
Armor All Cleaner/Protectant wipes
Deoderizing/Air Freshening Spray
Tire detailing spray
Wax

Step 1

Start from the inside of the vehicle and work your way to the outside. Using the vacuum and attachments, remove the floor mats and any loose items in the vehicle. Vacuum all dirt and debris from the carpet beginning in the front passenger compartment and working your way back to the trunk, making sure that you vacuum the seat upholstery as well and using the attachments to get into crevices. If there are stains in the carpet use a carpet cleaner or Oxy Clean wipes to remove them. For sticky items such as gum, try a product such as Goo Gone to remove them. Vacuum or wash the floor mats prior to placing them back in the vehicle.
Step 2

Look at the vinyl in the vehicle, if it is simply dusty use the Armor All protectant wipes to wipe away the dust and leave a nice shine. If the vinyl is quite dirty first use the Armor All Cleaning Cloths then the Armor All Protectant to give it that new car look. Be careful not to transfer any of this product to the steering wheel area as it leaves behind a bit of a greasy film. For leather seats, I find that baby wipes work extremely well to remove any spots and they do not leave any type of buildup that will transfer to your clothing. If you wish, feel free to now spray a fragrance lightly on the carpeting, you can purchase items at most any retailer which include "new car smell", Febreeze, etc. or you may put in any one of many types of air fresheners that are now on the market designed specifically for cars.
Step 3

Using the window cleaner, clean all glass in the vehicle and don't forget the plastic panels around your instrument clusters, radio screen, rear view mirror, etc. If the vehicle is driven by a smoker, this may take more than one application of window cleaner to clear the residue from the glass.
Step 4

To wash the vehicle, ensure that it is parked in a shady area as when a vehicle dries in the sun the possibility of water spots is greatly increased. Beginning at the roof, wash the vehicle using warm soapy water. There are many soap products out there designed for vehicles but I find that using a laundry or dish detergent works just as well as the more expensive solutions. As you finish washing each section of the vehicle ensure that you thoroughly rinse it prior to the soap drying on. For areas that are heavily soiled you may need to apply a little more "elbow grease" with your sponge to remove the road grime. Ensure that you thoroughly wash the tires and rims and continuously check areas that may continue dripping grime once the have been washed, such as the area around the gas cap door as you may need to rinse them more than once. Once the vehicle has dried, check for any spots you may have missed or that may require further washing and go back over it as required. If you wish, for black wall tires you can purchase at most major retailers and parts stores products that you spray on that will give them a shine and improve their looks. Once you are satisfied with the look of the vehicle, using your window cleaner clean all exterior glass and mirrors on the vehicle.
Step 5

If you wish, the last step would be to wax the dry, finished vehicle. There are many options on today's market from paste wax which dries white to waxes that dry clear and are less obvious when you miss a spot. Research this at your local auto parts store, choose your product and carefully follow the directions on the can/bottle.