Most common faqs about auto detailing answered by detailing experts
Auto detailing is the practice of thoroughly cleaning the major components of a car. It involves cleaning the exterior and interior surfaces of a car. Auto detailing keeps the car clean, hygienic and maintains its looks over time. To get the desired results, it is important to detail your car the proper way.
Let us take a look at the most commonly asked questions related to auto detailing.
Q1) What is the ideal place to detail your car?
- The most appropriate place to detail the car is in a cool dry area, ideally under a shade. The reason being that the heat from the sun can evaporate water from the car’s surface and leave behind soap and watermarks. Hence, the car should be detailed away from direct sunlight.
Q2) What Material Should Be Used to Wash your Car?
Auto detailing should be done with a specially manufactured microfiber car wash mitt. Its physical structure does not hold on to grit tightly and the grime gets removed when the cloth is wrung forcefully. You should not opt for a traditional sponge for washing your car. The reason being that dirt, grime, and minute pebbles get embedded in the large pores of the sponge. Despite wringing it thoroughly and forcefully to get rid of the contaminants, some of them remain embedded in the sponge.
- Over time, the sponge becomes hard like sandpaper. Cleaning your car with such a sponge can leave traces and make marks on the car’s exterior surface.
Q3) Why are microfiber towels preferred over other materials for auto detailing?
Microfiber is the preferred material for performing the following detailing functions:
- Applying wax
- Drying the car
- Buffing the car wax and removing excess wax
- Buffing surfaces such as chrome wheels, windows, metal trim.
- Cleaning leather, wood, metal, vinyl, and plastic interiors.
Microfiber towels have a soft finish and they don’t get embedded with grime and dirt etc. They clean and buff softly and smoothly, leaving no traces on the car’s surface. Rough materials such as cloth rags, t-shirts, and ordinary towels can leave trace marks. Microfiber towels are preferred over chamois towels for cleaning the exterior surface. Chamois towels can become embedded with leftover particles which can cause scratches on the paint.
Q4) How to wash and care for microfiber towels?
- Microfiber towels, that are used especially for auto detailing, need to be washed carefully. They should be hand washed using hot water and detergent. They should not be washed in combination with a cloth towel or the lint from the latter may stick to the microfiber towels. Do not use fabric softener on microfiber towels as doing so might reduce their effectiveness. After washing, air dry them and then put them in plastic containers where no contaminants can touch them.
Q5) Can I use dishwashing soap instead of car soap for washing my car?
The answer to this question is a point-blank no. dishwashing detergents have a very strong formula and tough action as they are intended to dissolve grease and food particles. If you use it on the car’s exterior surface, it will decompose the polymer off the paint surface and oxidize it. It can lead to chipping or faded paint. Hence, use a specially-manufactured car soap.
Q6) What is the purpose of car waxing and sealing?
- Wax offers protection against UV rays and prevents the car from fading and sun damage. Waxing also gives a high gloss finish to your car and makes it appear brand new.
This information has been brought to you by Empire Auto Spa. They offer auto detailing services in Orlando, Florida.