Don’t want to take your car to the shop to have it detailed? DIY car detailing can save you a lot of money. If you know how to do it right, you can get the same results without dropping so much cash.
We know how important it is for you to take good care of your vehicle. Continue reading this article to learn auto detailing tips that will make your life easier when you go to detail your car.
The 411 on DIY Car Detailing
As you learn more about taking care of your car and keeping it clean, you’ll find it isn’t as difficult as you once thought. The following tips will make it even easier for you when you decide to take on a good detail job.
1. Use a Stiff Scrub Brush for Carpets
Carpets hold in lots of dirt and grime. Even after you see it is clean visually, there could be caked in dirt hiding down in the carpet fibers.
Who cares since no one is going to see it?
Allowing dirt and grime to stay in your carpet is going to make it feel different than if you were putting your feet on a clean carpet. Not only will it make it feel different but it can make your car smell strange.
Using a stiff scrub brush and carpet cleaner that is made specifically for cleaning carpets in vehicles will allow you to get deep into the carpet fibers and ensure it is clean.
2. Cleaning Your Windshield
When you’re cleaning your windshield, you can use any glass cleaner available. If you don’t want to make a big mess, grab a glass cleaner that foams. Before you start working on the windshield, make sure you cover your dash so none of the cleaner gets on the dash and causes other problems.
When you’re cleaning glass from both sides, clean one side in one direction and the other in the other direction. When you do this, you will be able to tell easily which side has the streaking problem.
Before you move onto the next spot, go back over both sides of the windshield with a microfiber cloth.
If your window has tough to remove spots use a clay bar and spray detailer. Check their instructions for that specific product.
3. Dash Duty
Now it’s time to take care of your car’s dash. Before you do anything, grab a vacuum and get all of the loose dirt off your dash. Now take a damp microfiber cloth and wipe down the dash.
Now you can get the cleaning product of your choice and spray it on your rag. Do not spray it directly on the dash because you want to make the dash look even vs. having too high of a concentration of cleaning product in one area.
After your dash is dry, you can wipe it down with a dry microfiber cloth again to see if there was any dirt that made it back onto your dash.
4. Seat Cleaning Time
You need to do your seat cleaning last since you’ll be sitting in them while you clean the rest of the car. You’ll also find that these are probably the dirtiest part of your vehicle.
Depending on whether your seats are cloth, vinyl or leather, you’ll need to clean them a totally different way. If you have a vinyl cleaner but your car seats are leather, do not make the mistake of using this cleaner on your seats.
Whether your seats are vinyl or leather, make sure you find a cleaner that has UV protection so your seats aren’t going to crack and age badly.
5. Shining Up the Tires & Wheels
The finishing touch of shining up the tires and wheels and making them look like new really does a lot to the look of the outside of your car. Make sure you’re using the tire cleaner outside since they do have a very strong smell. It’s probably not the best practice to breathe in these products because you’re cleaning your car in a garage.
Take your car out in the driveway and you can get to work on your tires and wheels. If you let brake dust sit on your wheels it can eat through the coating on your wheels, so cleaning your tires and wheels shouldn’t wait.
When you clean your car, your tires and wheels should be the first thing you clean. Use the right type of cleaner for your type of wheels when you clean them or you’re not going to get the results you want.
Make sure you have a good tire and wheel brush so you can get your tires back to looking like they are new. Only clean one tire and wheel at a time or otherwise your cleaner will dry and you’ll have to reapply it anyway.
After you’ve finished washing your wheels and tires, you need to dry them for the best results. And don’t forget to wax your wheels for protection.
Increase Your Car Knowledge & More
Now that you know how to go about DIY car detailing, you might be thinking of other things you can learn to make your life easier. Taking care of your car doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think. Our site can help you as you’re on your way to becoming a car pro.
Browse our site, find your favorite section, drop a bookmark and come back soon for more great reads.