Car Detailing

By John Linden

Now that winter is over and you’ve peeled off that Honda car cover, it’s time for a deep cleaning. Auto detailing involves cleaning and reconditioning of the interior and exterior of a vehicle. Using a step-by-step process, car detailing can restore the beauty of a vehicle while also protecting the owner’s investment. As dirt and grime build up on the exterior of a vehicle, car detailing is a necessary maintenance measure to improve and preserve the look and function of the automobile. It provides car paint protection from rust and other damage, and a well-maintained vehicle will also need fewer repairs while enjoying higher vehicle performance. It is also important that car owners choose a vehicle covers to protect against scratches, dust, environmental damage, UV rays, and other hazards that can cause premature wear.

• Car Detailing Supplies: The supplies you’ll need to properly detail a car.
• Benefits of Auto Detailing: Why you should have your car exterior detailed.
• Tire Cleaning: Tips for properly cleaning tires.
• Car Wax Buying Guide: How to choose a car wax.
• Car Wax Application: Techniques for applying car wax to a vehicle.
• Car Washing Dos and Don’ts: Information from Consumer Reports.
• Streak-Free Car Windows: Cleaning car windows without leaving behind streaks.
• Underbody Cleaning: Cleaning the underside of a car.
• Rust Prevention: Tips for preventing rust.

Interior auto detailing is useful in ensuring that a car is comfortable as well as clean. The condition of the carpet and seats will be noticed instantly when entering a vehicle, so detailing can go a long way in providing a pleasant driving environment. Interior rugs, floor mats, and seats can also be treated with a specialized protectant to minimize future damage to the inside of the vehicle. When cars maintain a clean interior, the resale value will also increase, which is especially important if there are plans to sell the vehicle in the future.

• Interior Car Detailing: Tips on vacuuming and cleaning the interior of a car.
• Interior Vacuuming: Tips for car vacuuming.
• Caring for Leather Seats: Keep your leather car seats looking like new.
• Upholstery and Carpeting: Cleaning car carpeting and upholstery.
• Removing Salt Stains: How to get salt stains out of your car floor mats.
• Detailing Tips: Unexpected tips for detailing a car.
• Car Detailing Secrets: Tips for properly cleaning the interior and exterior of a car.
• Full Car Detailing: What services should be included.
• Interior Car Odors: Ridding a vehicle of bad interior car odors.

The dashboard and center console are made out of plastic and vinyl, and these materials will react poorly to cleaning products and methods that are overly harsh. For this reason, a professional detailer may be best suited to clean these portions of a vehicle. When cleaning the dash or console, it is important to avoid using paper towels, as they can scratch the plastic. Instead, cleaning agents should be sprayed onto a microfiber towel before they are used to cover and clean these areas of a vehicle interior.

• Car Cleaning Tips: How to clean a car like a professional.
• Cleaning a Car Dashboard: Tips to keep a vehicle dashboard clean.
• Car Detailing Guide: A professional’s guide to car detailing.
• Interior Detailing: Cleaning the dashboard, console, and doors.
• Dash and Console Cleaning: A video with helpful cleaning tips.
• Cleaning Interior Car Plastic: How to safely clean the plastic of car dashboards.
• Home Cleaning Supplies: Household items for cleaning the interior of a car.
• Dashboard and Trim Cleaning: The best interior cleaning products.
• Older Vinyl Care: Caring for older vinyl in car dashboards and consoles.

With all of the hoses, electrical connections, sensors, and other complicated parts found in an engine compartment, many people avoid cleaning this covered portion of a vehicle. This can be an unfortunate mistake, as engines can get dirty quickly. In addition to the typical grease and oil build-up, salt and grime can also collect in the compartment by way of the hood seams, underside, and wheel wells. As a further benefit, engine compartment cleaning can give auto owners the chance to notice problems like corrosion or loose hoses early, preventing a bigger and more expensive problem from developing later.

• Engine Bay Detailing: Cleaning the engine bay like a pro.
• Engine Compartment Cleaning: How to detail the engine compartment.
• Benefits of Engine Cleaning: Reasons auto owners should clean their engine compartment.
• DIY Cleaning Tips: DIY engine compartment cleaning tips.
• Engine Detailing: A helpful how-to guide.
• Hot Rod Engine Detailing: Tips for cleaning an engine from Hot Rod magazine.
• Vintage Engine Detailing: Detailing the engine of a classic car.
• Engine Cleaning: Tips from Motor Week magazine.
• Engine Degreasers: How to choose the right one.