Car Detailing – How to Keep Your Vehicle Looking New
If you want to keep your vehicle looking brand-new and glossy, car detailing is a great solution. Not only does it improve the aesthetic of your car, but it can also increase its resale value.
The initial step in any job is gathering all necessary tools and chemicals. Make sure all these materials are stored safely so you don’t lose them accidentally.
1. Clean the Exterior
Winter can be a particularly dirty time for vehicles, as the outside absorbs everything that’s thrown by the road and the inside becomes filled with whatever debris may accumulate in your backseat – trash, food crumbs and pet fur. It’s easy to let your vehicle become disorganized in this manner.
If you want your car to remain looking new for longer, it is essential that you maintain protective and cleaning habits that will make your automobile stand out.
To maintain the aesthetic of your vehicle, start by cleaning its exterior thoroughly with baking soda or soapy water.
2. Clean the Interior
The inside of a vehicle can be an accumulation point for dirt and grime. Food crumbs, bits of paper, and trash are often overlooked culprits.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. By keeping your car’s interior clean, you can keep it looking pristine and new for longer.
Maintain the interior of your vehicle by vacuuming weekly to eliminate dust, debris and dirt. Doing this will help restore the seats, carpeting and floor mats to their original appearance when you purchased the car.
3. Wash the Tires
Though you may think your tires are of secondary importance, keeping them clean is vital for car longevity. Dirt and grime can break down rubber, leading to premature tire deterioration.
To prevent this, give your wheels and tires a thorough wash regularly. Doing this will keep them looking as new as the day you bought them.
With a high quality spray cleaner and brush, you can guarantee your wheels and tires are completely clean. Be sure to dry them off thoroughly before applying any other coatings or dressings to them.
4. Polish the Paint
Polishing the paint is one of the best ways to keep your vehicle looking new. Not only will it protect against scratches, swirls and oxidation on the exterior, but it also gives your car a glossy sheen that makes it appear brand new again!
Before beginning to polish the paint, inspect it for any flaws. These could range from dull oxidation, swirls or scratches.
Use a color match light to identify these flaws and, if the damage is extensive, consider investing in paint correction with either compound or polish – or both!
Next, you must decide what kind of polisher or machine will be most suitable for removing defects and creating a swirl-free surface. Random Orbital/Duo Action polishers are ideal for beginners while Variable Speed/Rotary polishers offer more advanced capabilities that suit experienced users best.
5. Remove Dents
Small dents on your vehicle not only look unattractive, but they can damage the paint and cause structural issues in the long run. While a trip to a panel beater may be necessary for larger dings, there are several DIY methods available for fixing smaller ones at home.
One method for removing a dent is by boiling water. It can be an effective way to soften plastic body material, but should be done with caution.
Another technique involves using a hair dryer and spraying compressed air onto the dent for 30-60 seconds. This causes the heated material to change temperature rapidly, hopefully leading to its pop out.
Dry ice is an effective tool to help remove dents from car bodies. Simply rub some cubes of dry ice onto the dent, and it’ll quickly cool down and enable material to come loose.