The average amount of money people spent on a new car in 2021 was just over $47,000. You’re going to want to protect an investment like that.
Getting your car detailed is one way to keep your car looking and running like new for as long as possible. A car detailing is a deep and thorough scrub of the inside and outside of your vehicle.
If you are wondering how to detail a car exterior yourself, you’ve come to the right place! We’ll go over the best car detailing tips and tricks in our helpful car detailing guide.
Gather the Right Tools
Before getting down to business, you’ll want to make sure you have everything you need to clean your car.
Don’t make the rookie mistake of reaching for a sponge to clean your car’s exterior. The large pores in a sponge trap dirt that can scratch your car.
Instead of a sponge, grab a microfiber car wash mitt for an easy, streak-free clean. Make sure you are only using microfiber cloths for the waxing and polishing stage of your detail too.
Detailing a car is a two bucket job. Fill one bucket with soapy water and the other bucket with plain water.
The bucket of plain water will help rinse off any dirt and grime from your microfiber mitt as you go. Make sure the soap you use is safe and strong enough for cleaning a car.
Remove Contaminants
Every time you drive your car, it can pick up contaminates from the world around it. Anything from tree sap to brake dust can accumulate on a car and make it dirty.
Don’t start your deep clean until you have moved your car to a shady spot. Washing your car in the sunshine causes the water to evaporate quickly and leaves behind unsightly spots.
Give your car an initial rinse with a hose to loosen any contaminants. You’ll want to go slow and work in sections. Using your microfiber mitt, work from the top of the car down to the sides until the whole car is clean.
Rinse your car again to make sure all the soap is off. Give it a towel dry to keep those water spots from appearing.
Wax on Wax Off
Although this step requires some elbow grease, wax protects your car from harmful UV rays.
Still working in sections, apply polish to your car and buff it in using a microfiber cloth. Make sure to use a polishing product made for car detailing. You can buy 303 protectant here to get a product that will give your car a streak-free finish.
How to Detail a Car Exterior Like a Pro
Next time you’re wondering how to detail a car exterior, remember it’s easy once you know what to do. Even though detailing a car takes some effort, the results will be a car that looks like you drove it right off the lot.
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