Detailing Tutorials
These are some of the basics for taking care of your car's paintwork and interior properly. I have been using these techniques for years with lots of success.
essential tools and supplies
If you are looking to get into the habit of washing your own car and save it's paint from damage, you need a few basic essential supplies. It's very economical to start out, and you can build your set as your skill grows and you feel the itch to take on more than basic washing.
properly washing and drying a car
This is a very simple way to wash the car without introducing swirls- something you'd spend an hour on a weekend doing. I use this process to ensure I'm not doing more harm than good to the paint. A lot of car owners spend hours washing their vehicles, but most likely it's being done without proper materials or incorrectly resulting in a paint full of swirls.
Interior care
Interior care is often overlooked by many because the dirt is hidden in crevices, or in footwell where it can't be seen. People who do want to clean their interior choose not to do it thinking they need to invest in expensive equipment such as extractors and steam machines. But in reality, minor, regular cleaning of the interior will prevent you from having to pay a detailer or a tool rental company lots of money to do a deep clean. Here is my maintenance work for interior cleaning.
how to use clay bar
To many, claying is a magical and mysterious process that only the professional detailers use. They have heard that using a clay bar will remove contaminants and provide a very smooth finish, but they are reluctant to try it.
While there are a few important safety tips to be aware of before trying it, claying your vehicle is actually quite easy and doing it a couple of times per year will help maintain a smooth, clean finish.
restoring head lights
Once upon a time, all headlight lenses were made of glass. Over time, plastic took over- they are cheaper, lighter, easier to mass produce, and are more resistant to breaking. But there is a problem. Faded and oxidized headlight lenses are seen on every old, high mileage cars that spend majority of their lives out in the open sun. The polycarbonate's UV protection wears off with time and the sun's rays fades the plastic. The best way to restore the transparency is by wet sanding the oxidation away and revealing a new layer of the plastic lens.
Alcantara cleaning
Alcantara is a brand name for a faux suede like fabric that is used on various upscale or performance cars. It gives vehicle's interior a sporty feel, while cutting costs of not using actual suede. The issue with this type of fabric is that it is very sensitive and not performing regular maintenance will cause it to become matted and look very, very trashy. Therefore, if you do have Alcantara interior, always try to clean it every other week in order to maintain it's suede appearance.
Washing at a self service car wash
Apartment dwellers who want to wash their cars without resorting to rinseless wash have two options- wash it at your apartment parking spot by daisy chaining a water hose from your apartment, or take it to a self service car wash. We will be doing the latter here and show you how you can wash your car the right way even when you don't have a driveway.
Basic paint correction
Most clients believe that simply putting a coating of wax or sealant will improve the gloss of the paintwork. However, almost 90% of the gloss comes from having a swirl free clear cloat paint without any embedded dirt. The rest 10% comes from the the wax or the sealant. Here, we'll go through the paint correction steps on my Subaru Outback.