Avoid these auto detailing mistakes to achieve the best results for your vehicle
Auto detailing is the process of thoroughly cleaning one’s car, to help restore its shine and gleam. Getting your car professionally auto-detailed is the boat approach to adopt, but if you are a DIY enthusiast, then you can do auto detailing at home. However, care should be taken when undertaking this project because car owners tend to make several severe mistakes which can cost them quite a lot in the long run.
Multiple DIY detailing kits are available in the market which is useful for detailing your car. However, care should be taken and these detailing mistakes should be avoided to achieve the best results.
Avoid The Temptation to Overwax
- Waxing is an important step of the detailing process. It adds shine to the car’s surface and prevents it from oxidation and the paint from fading away. In a bid to make their car glow, most first-time detailers tend to overwax their car. What this does is that it builds up multiple layers of wax which gives the car a cloudy and hazy appearance, instead of giving it a clear and shiny appearance.
Your car requires only two coats of wax i.e. one for the foundation and the other as a backup. Please note that wax should always be applied with the help of a foam applicator and not poured directly onto the car. Doing so can create a mess and damage the car’s paint. First-time detailers should avoid paste-based wax as it can damage the clear coat.
Don’t Use a Dish Soap
- Dish soap is a common household cleaner that is used for cleaning multiple household surfaces. People sometimes take it as an all-purpose cleaner and tend to use it for cleaning their car’s surfaces. Most dish soaps contain chlorine and bleach which are quite harsh and can damage your car’s paint. Some dish soaps contain ammonia as well which can stain the car’s exterior and cause toxic fumes to exude.
Soap detergents will damage the car’s wax or sealant and may chip off the paint underneath as well. Stick to specially formulated car detergents as they are gentle and do their work well.
Not Using The Right Towels
- Most people tend to use any clean towel or cloth they get their hands on to wipe and clean their car. Harsh and overused towels do more damage than good and can chip off your car’s paint. Use specially manufactured microfiber towels to clean your car’s exterior and interior. They are made of soft and highly absorbent fiber that does the job well and leaves no marks on the car.
Towels made from chamois were also used a while back for cleaning and drying the car but they don’t remove dirt and grime 100%. They also leave swirl marks, hence microfiber is the most preferred choice.
Car Wheels Should be Cleaned First
- Most people don’t pay much attention to cleaning wheels while auto detailing. They don’t consider it as integral as cleaning the car’s exterior surface which is the most prominent component of the car. However, much attention should be paid to cleaning the wheels as they are the dirtiest part of the car.
Start the auto detailing process by cleaning the wheels first and then other components. When wheels are washes, some dirty water splashes onto the car’s surface. If the car has been cleaned already, then it will cause quite a problem.
Also, don’t use a solvent-based tire cleaner as it can degrade the rubber tires.
Auto detailing at home can reap good results if you’re good at it. For others, professional auto detailing services is the way to go. Empire Auto Spa provides the best auto detailing services in Orlando, Florida for many different kinds of vehicles including Tesla and other luxury cars.