About Auto Detailing

Auto detailing is a way to improve the appearance of a vehicle and to preserve the resale value. Some motorists enjoy getting their car detailed for personal satisfaction. Others have their vehicle detailed for car shows. Exterior detailing is one of the main components of auto detailing.

Exterior detailing involves cleaning and bringing a shine to the outside of the car. The exterior of the car that needs cleaning are the tires, windows, paint job, wheels and chrome trim. There are different products for detailing and giving a car shine. Some of the auto detailing supplies are clay bars, detergents, polishes, waxes, cleaning cloths and applicators. The three main components of exterior detailing are cleaning, polishing and protecting.

Cleaning is the process of removing unknown particles from the exterior surface with claying and washing. A clay bar will clean dirt from within the clearcoat and will not be removed with weekly washings. The clearcoat can also be contaminated by air particles, dirt particles, tar, animal droppings and industrial fallout. Correcting involves removing a fine layer of clearcoat from a vehicle to remove any swirls or scratches from the paint surface. The scratches and swirls are from improper drying or washing techniques.

A car’s paint job has to be protected by applying a protective material. The protective material is available in a paste or liquid form. Using protective material will prevent foreign particles from sticking to the surface of the vehicle. Foreign particles like bugs, tar, water, dirt and splatter are known to mess up the exterior of a vehicle. Sealants and waxes provide a barrier that protects the vehicle from outside elements.