See our car wax buying guide and Ratings. Clay bar kit. Glass cleaner. Skip the vinyl and plastic cleaner. A household glass cleaner works just fine. Plastic bucket. Yes, we know you have one. Wheel and tire cleaner. For stock wheels, get one labeled as safe for all wheels.
To remove pitting on chrome and metals, use an acid-free dedicated cleaner. Cotton swabs, barbecue skewers, and makeup brushes. Leather cleaner. Be sure to use a product dedicated for leather surfaces; other cleaners can strip away the natural oils on seats and panels.
Microfiber towels. Soft-bristled toothbrush. Use it to scrub out dirt in tight spots. Spray-on fabric cleaner. Look for foaming cleaners for upholstery and carpeting. Get Ratings on the go and compare while you shop. Sign In. Become a Member. Remember Me. Forgot username or password? Not a member? Need further assistance? Please call Member Services at Subscribers only Sign in or Subscribe now! Forgot password? Using a non-ammonia glass cleaner and microfiber cloths , clean all exposed glass, such as the windshield, side windows, back window, and rear-view mirror.
Wet one cloth with glass cleaner, for cleaning, using a second cloth to buff out any streaks. This starts loosening dirt and grime and bugs from your car so they can run off. A snow foam pre-wash is good to apply once the car is completely rinsed. Clean the tires and wheels. Use tire and wheel brushes to work the foam into crevices. Clean engines run cooler, last longer, are more reliable and are easier to work on.
If your engine has a distributor, cover it with a plastic bag. Rinse the engine bay and the underside of the hood with a pressure washer or garden hose , then soak with an undiluted organic or citrus degreaser. Open the fuel door and clean inside, as well. After five to ten minutes, rinse everything with water.
Foaming cleansers stick better to grease and oil, helping dissolve them faster. Pro Tip: Warm up the engine a few minutes to help the degreaser work better. Now we finally get to wash the car, using two buckets and a microfiber wash mitt. You might need a short stool , step ladder , or long-handled soft brush to get to the top of your vehicle.
Before picking up more soapy water, always rinse in the clear-water bucket. Start with the roof, moving down to the glass, hood, trunk, doors, body, bumpers, and rocker panels. A soft brush is good for cleaning deeper into the grille. Do not let the soap dry on the vehicle — be generous! Now, it might be tempting to let your car air-dry, but this is an invitation for water spots. Use a chamois or microfiber cloths to dry your vehicle.
Squeeze out the cloths often and switch to dry cloths for the final wipe-down. Open the doors and dry weather seals, especially if freezing temperatures are expected. Wipe down weather seals with Turtle Wax Trim Restorer to improve appearance and prevent cracking and sticking. Using detailing clay and clay lubricant — leftover soapy car wash is a good option — work the clay over your car. Work small sections at a time and knead the clay often. Use your fingers to feel where the paint is not as smooth read: contaminated and work these areas with the clay bar.
Applied to a foam applicator , microfiber towel , or dual-action orbital polisher , Turtle Wax Scratch Repair and Renew can remove most light scratches and swirl marks in just a few minutes. Whereas the clay bar removed any lingering contaminants, polishing your car will smooth out microscopic surface imperfections in the clear coat. Apply polishing compound to the foam pad on a dual-action orbital polisher and work over a small section of your vehicle at a time. Add more polishing compound as needed, buffing until everything has an even sheen.
Verify by checking how different sections of paint reflect the lights. Turtle Wax Ice Spray Wax adds a waterproof coat to your paint job. Simply apply to a microfiber cloth and rub it into the paint. Use a second cloth to buff to a shine. By this time, the tires should be dry. This leaves a nice finish, protecting your tires from sun damage and slowing down dry rot. Your tires will also stay cleaner, longer.
Finally, as with the interior, glass comes last. Using non-ammonia glass cleaner and microfiber cloths , clean all exposed glass and polycarbonate. Moisten one cloth with glass cleaner to clean, using a second cloth to buff out any streaks.
Start with the sunroof glass, moving to the windshield, side windows, side mirrors, and rear window. Then, clean the headlight, fog light, and taillight lenses. FAQ Why should I detail my car? While a car wash is about basic cleaning, auto detailing is about long-lasting protection. A detailed car looks better, smells better, and lasts longer. Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.
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Remove floor mats and vacuum the mats, floor, trunk, upholstery, rear parcel shelf, if you have one, and the dash. Slide the seats all the way forward and then back to thoroughly vacuum the carpet underneath.
Start from the top and work your way down. Dust or dirt that has accumulated up top could fall down; dust or dirt that has accumulated at the bottom will rarely fall up. Clean carpet or upholstery stains by applying a foam cleanser and rubbing it in with a damp cloth or sponge. Allow it to sit for a few minutes before blotting dry with a towel.
If the stain doesn't come out, repeat. After your final cleaner application, wash the area with a damp sponge and do a final blotting. Repair carpet holes, burns or small permanent stains by cutting the spot out with a razor blade or scissors.
Replace with a piece you've cut from a hidden place, such as underneath the seat. Use a water-resistant adhesive to keep it down. Warning : Always ask the owner of the car for permission before doing this step. If you want, have a sample repair that you can show the owner of the car of what the process will look like. If it's done well, this sample will be reassuring. Wash rubber floor mats and dry. Apply a non-slip dressing so that the driver's feet don't slip and slide while they're trying to do important things like braking.
Use compressed air and detailing brushes to get out accumulated dust from the buttons and crevices on the dash and interior doors. Wipe hard interior surfaces with a mild all-purpose cleaner. Use an interior dressing like Armor All to finish it off. Detail car air vent grilles with detailing brushes.
If you're not going to use liquids afterward, your detailing brushes should be a super-absorbant material like microfiber cloth, which picks up dust and dirt efficiently. Lightly mist some spray-on vinyl dressing onto the vent grilles to make them look brand new. Clean or shampoo the seats. Cleaning the seats is essential for a good detail. But different seats require different methods. Note that after cleaning, you may have to vacuum out the seats or surrounding area again, as dirt will be loosened up by this process.
Cloth should be adequately dried after extraction has taken place. Leather or vinyl interiors: Interiors with leather or can be cleaned with a leather or vinyl cleaner and then hit softly with a leather brush. Cleaner can be wiped away with a microfiber cloth afterward. Condition your leather seats, if necessary. If you've cleaned leather seats with product, now's the time to condition them so that the leather looks visually appealing and doesn't dry out or begin to crack.
Spray glass cleaner on windows and mirrors and wipe clean. For stronger build-up removal, use 4-ought steel wool on windows. Use plastic cleaner if the gauge cover is made of plastic. Stick with microfiber cloth when you're washing and wiping. If not microfiber, use a clean, lint-free cloth. You don't want to leave fibrous residue all over the inside of the car in the process of cleaning up.
Part 2. Brush the wheel rims clean with a wheel brush and wheel cleaner or degreaser. Hit the wheel rims first, as this is where most of the dirt, grime, and grease accumulates and you may need to leave cleaning product on for a while. Allow product to penetrate wheel rims for 30 seconds to 1 minute before brushing. Acid-based cleaners should only can be used on rough-textured alloy wheels, if needed, but not on polished alloy wheels or clear-coated wheels.
Gleam up chrome wheels with metal polish or glass cleaner. Wash the tires with whitewall tire cleaner even if you have black-walls. Apply tire dressing. For a glossy finish, let the dressing soak in, or wipe it on and off with a cotton cloth for a matte look.
Wrap electronic components in plastic under the hood.
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