Car Detailing – How Often Should You Get Your Car Detailed?

If you love your caryou will definitely want to keep it in the best possible condition for as long as possible. . Many people think that this is a very difficult objective to achieve considering if you’re using your vehicle every day .However, you can get the job done provided that you have your car regularly detailed.

Many people consider detailing to be just a fancy term for a car wash. However, this is certainly not the case. Comparing a thorough car detailing job with a simple external car wash is like comparing a top-end saloon facial with washing your face with water.

No need to worry if you don’t know how often to get your car detailed, we have got you covered!

What Is Car Detailing All About?

Getting your car detailed basically means giving it an extremely thorough cleaning to ensure that it is as close to showroom condition as possible.  Most detailing experts use highly specialized tools and products for their job. In fact, many detailers also perform some basic  external touch-ups on your vehicle, but the process usually doesn’t include body repairs or paintwork.

In other words, car detailing involves cleaning and painstakingly reconditioning both the interior as well as the exterior of the car. The core aim of this exercise is to restore the original paintwork by methodically eliminating small swirl marks andscratches. The end result will be an automobile that will be as close to factory new condition, as when you first drove it out of the auto dealership.

A simple car wash will aim to get rid of the dirt on the outside of the car. A few car washing outfits also offer to clean and vacuum the interior of the vehicle. However, car detailing will take this process much further. It will aim to ensure that every last imperfection has been buffed to perfection, polished, or vacuumed out. What is left is a vehicle that is fit enough to be put on display in a showroom.

A comprehensive car detailing process consists of two key phases: Exterior detailing and interior detailing.This way,each and every aspect of your vehicle is covered once you have it detailed by the leading experts in this field. There is another often overlooked phase that includes the engine bay detailing procedure.

Exterior Car Detailing

The detailing process involves the exterior of your vehicle. The first step is a methodical car wash to remove as much dirt and grime as possible. Powerful soapy detergents soften up the dirt and mud so that it is lifted and removed from the surface. The detailing experts will use washing mitts and soft microfiber towels for simple washing purposes.

After that, the paintwork will be clayed using different automotive clay bars to remove the tightly bonded dirt and grime from the surface of the vehicle. If done correctly, it will bring out its original clean and clear coatin all its pristine glory.

The detailing technicians will polish the paintin order to eliminate any oxidation, small and light scratchesand swirl marks. The auto care experts will either polish the external surface by hand or with the help of a polishing machine. This is usually the single most time-consuming part of the whole detailing service and it depends on the state of theoriginal paintworkas well as the size of the vehicle.

Once the paint has been cleaned, clayed and polished, it will be covered with a protective wax coatingto lock in the shine and make it impervious to the sun’s radiation. This added protection also results in a highly noticeable shine that will make your car stand out from every other vehicle on the road.

Once the body has been done, the detailing technicians will start working on the wheels and tires. They will use special brushes and wheel cleaning products, to take off all the residual dust and filth from the wheels. Apart from that, they will also carefully clean the lug nuts, brake calipers and other parts. Extra care is required here since the wheels are almost always the filthiest parts of the car.

After the wheels and tires have been cleaned, the tire wells will be washed and dried from top to bottom.

All of the remaining exterior parts, such as the windows, windshields, and other rubber parts will be cleaned and polished. The bumpers will be polished last of all along with extra finishing touches in all the obscure corners of the car’s body and exterior trim. Once done, your car will positively gleam in the daylight.

Interior Car Detailing

The detailing experts will start working on the interior of your vehicle once they are finished with the exterior. All the upholstery inside your car will be thoroughly vacuumed and once deemed clean enough, it will be shampooed vigorously. This is done in order to remove all the stains and dirt.

In case, there is any leatherwork in the car it will be conditioned and scrubbed so as to remove any deeply ingrained dirt. All plastic and vinyl surfaces will also be properly cleaned and dressed. They will use special tools to clean the vents and grills of the climate control system in your car. They will clean the cargo area of your car in much the same manner. Lastly, the interior glass, door handles, and ashtrays will also receive the attention of the detailing experts.

Cleaning the Engine Bay

Cleaning the engine bay is a very important step that many people overlook when they decide to have their cars detailed. It is very simple really. Some people don’t really care about stuff that is not visible. Many others think that the engine should only be handled by highly qualified and experienced mechanics.

If you have your engine bay properly cleaned and detailed, you will be able to identify all sorts of engine problems,both easier and faster.  Mechanics prefer to work in a neat and clean engine bay. If you plan on selling your vehicle, a clean engine bay can certainly help in creating a really good impression.

The detailerswill clean the engine area by spraying it with water in the form of a gentle mist. They won’t use high-pressure jets of water because pressurized water can easily short circuit the delicate electronic components in your car.

They will wipe down the engine and other components with a degreaser before rinsing it all. Oncethe whole compartment is bone dry, all plastic, silicone, and rubber components will be dressed in order to protect them from leaking or cracking.  This process can help to protect your car from many different rubber and silicone related wear and tear problems.

Why Is Detailing so Important?

Not only can car detailing help in making your car look brand new, but it is also very helpful in eliminating the oily and unpleasant odors in your car. Apart from that, it will also help in getting rid of any sort of stains or marks that prove to be too difficult to remove for a regular car washing outfit.  Furthermore, you will be able to avoidexpensive issues from arising in the first place.

Engine problems can easily cost a small fortune. However, you can help make sure they never occur in the first place by getting your engine checked by the top engine detailing experts in this field.

How Often To Get Car Detailed

As a general rule, most experts usually recommend that you should get your vehicle detailed every four to six months. If you do this 2-3 times a year, you can rest assured that your car will always remain in peak running condition. However,there is no hard and fast rule here and the more often you get it done, the better the condition of your car at the end of the day.

Here, it is pertinent to note that people who wax, wash, and clean their vehicles on a regular basis can lower their detailing expenses quite substantially. This holds particularly true in comparison to people who never bother to get their cars serviced and washed.

If you get your automobile serviced once every month, then you should get your car detailed once every six months.

You should also get your car detailed if you plan on selling it.  Detailing won’t cost you much, but a neat and clean car can make a very big difference in terms of the final price offered for your vehicle.

The Importance of Washing and Waxing Your Car

You should try and take the time to get your car washed and waxed in between details. This will protect your vehicle against all kinds of contaminants and also make sure that its paint does not fade. It will also be much easier to detail such a car and the process can be wrapped up very quickly.

In light of the above discussion, we can state that detailing your car is very important if you want to prolong its life. It is also the best way to keep your car as neat and clean as possible, throughout its service life.