There is much more to washing a car than simpl pouring soapy water on it, using a cloth to scrub, then rinsing, drying, and calling it a day. To be honest, you can do all this as a day to day maintenance but if you want something a bit thorough and in detail than full detailing service from a professional is an answer for you.
One more thing you should consider when deciding on a full detail service is what do you need it for? If you are a car guy visiting car shows, if you have a photoshoot of your car or something in that lane than a full detailing job is for you. These jobs are more expensive than regular cleaning of your car so if you just want to maintain its cleanliness than regular washes are your answer.
Getting the complete effect of a full detail is a different experience from seeing the result of a regular wash, no matter how thorough you believe it to be. A full detailing service is geared towards going beyond the usual cleaning process and digging deeper than the surface of the spaces inside and outside the car. You would be surprised as to how much is overlooked during a regular wash when you witness a full detailing process.
As you drive your car out to your local detailing vendor, what should you expect when you request a full detail? Your car detailer has any number of services that they perform as part of a full detail to give you what they feel is the maximum benefit from the service. The following is a list of what is typically included as part of a full detailing package.
A full detail will include:
- Cleaning mats: – Any mats, particularly rubber ones used in the car, are removed and washed. Those with fabric are usually vacuumed, after that there is an option where your detailer might use compressed air to blow out any remaining debris within fibres after which they use a steam cleaner to finish the job off.
- Ashtrays are cleaned: – Dirt and debris are removed from the ashtrays, then wiped clean. These are particularly tricky to clean thoroughly especially if you smoke in your car. Never mind how good you clean the ashtray a steam clean of it is a necessity if you want to get rid of all the bad smells.
- Interior dusting and vacuuming s carried out: – To get rid of loose dirt and dust, the interior must first be vacuumed and dusted. The boot is also cleaned.
- Carpets and Seats are washed: – Thorough shampooing is carried out to eliminate trapped dirt and stubborn stains. Usage of the high powered extractor vacuum is important to get all the dirt now loosened by the shampoo and so you don’t leave any water in the carpets because they might become mouldy.
- Leather Seats are conditioned: – in cases where seats are made of leather rather than cloth; the material is cleaned and conditioned to restore shine. An important step to save the leather from further decay and burning in the sun. Leather is particularly sensitive which is why it has to be specially maintained.
- The roof lining is cleaned: – often overlooked, the lining of the roof must also receive a going over. Care must be taken in order not to leave the liner sagging so a steam cleaning is usually a no-go and something like dry shampooing is the way to go.
- Dashboard and Console are cleaned and treated. Again protection of these is imperative to restore the glow and shine that it had and lost over time.
- The exterior is pressure washed: – This is the first step to remove the dirt and debris stuck everywhere and a step that should shampooing make very easy and safe. The wheel arches are cleaned at this point as well as wheels and wheel wells.
- Shampooing with a shampoo gun is then applied. After letting it work its magic for a few minutes the specialist usually works his way around the car and with a special brush works the shampoo into crevices where it couldn’t make it by itself.
- A high-pressure rinse is carried out.
- The exterior is dried using a chamois.
- Doorjambs are cleaned and rid of residual water. A good detailer also uses high-pressure air to get rid of all water from tight spots to prevent post drying drips and water lines.
- The interior and exterior of the windows are cleaned and polished.
- Mudflaps are seen to as well; along with the tyres, they will be glossed
- Interior gets a dose of deodoriser for that clean smell.
- The door hinges are cleaned, the doorjambs are also seen at this point.
- Paintwork is prepared for polishing through the removal of contaminants. Minor scratches are eliminated as well.
- Paintwork gets polished. Those cars that have a bit older colours or thin layers of it have to be specially taken care of. If you decide to polish those paints, you have to carefully buff them and protect them without making more harm than good.
- Chrome pieces around the car are polished.
- The boot hinges get a cleaning.
- Rubber and plastic pieces on the exterior are cleaned. Something that a good detailer always takes care of is faded and damaged plastic. Imagine a super cleaned and detailed car that overall looks are let down by a few pieces of plastic that are faded and damaged. Attention to details is important when doing this type of work, and nothing must be overlooked.
- Previously cleaned mats are detailed.
Detailing specialists will often work from the outside-in to create a better workflow so that all tasks are managed without rendering previous tasks undone. It’s difficult to maintain cleanliness if you keep taking dirt in or out of the place you already finished cleaning. That is why they have a strict cleaning regime and plan that doesn’t allow for this to happen.
Full-service car detailing pays a lot more attention to the vehicle’s complete cleaning than other detailing processes. It is a combination of custom detailing that deals with exterior and interior detailing. You should give your car what is also known as a spa day. Call your local technician today and take your car to the next level of clean. Make sure to choose that detailing specialist that will treat your car just like he/she would treat their own. That is important and that will mean your four-wheel pet will receive top-notch treatment.