WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL AUTOMOTIVE DETAILING FOR CARS AND MOTORCYCLES?

Automotive detailing for cars and motorcycles requires a lot more skill, dedication and effort than just regular washing and cleaning. However, the results of a professionally detailed vehicle are well worth it in the end.

Your car or motorcycle will not only look amazing after a professional detailing service, it will also remain protected from the wear and tear of everyday driving.

Below we outline and discuss everything you need to know about why good automotive detailing is excellent value for money.

“Auto detailing is the act of performing thorough cleaning, restoration, and finishing of a motor vehicle, to produce a show-quality cleanliness and polish. Detailing can be performed on a vehicle’s exterior and/or interior” — wikipedia.

A professional automotive detailing service involves cleaning, reconditioning and protecting both the interior and exterior of your vehicle.

A professional automotive detailer will use a combination of skilled techniques, high-quality cleaning materials and specialized automotive detailing equipment to get the job done.

There are many different stages of a professional detailing service that need to be completed meticulously in order to achieve excellent results.

Below is a handy infographic outlining the main stages of the car detailing process.

FACTS: PROFESSIONAL DETAILING PROVIDES ADDITIONAL PROTECTION FOR YOUR VEHICLE THAT CAN HELP MAINTAIN IT’S RESALE VALUE AND EXTEND IT’S OVERALL LIFE.

Having your car detailed by a professional has many benefits that go far beyond what the eye can see.

The application of  certain cleaners, sealants and paint protection materials (e.g. ceramic coatings and paint protection film) used by professional automotive detailers will give your vehicle a high-gloss hydrophobic finish that will repel dirt, improve your vehicle’s longevity and increase its resale value.

Another great benefit is thorough interior car detailing actually makes your vehicle a healthier environment to be in for yourself. Industrial grade detailing vacuums with high filtration are able to remove microscopic dust mites from deep inside the material of your car’s interior — while specialist cleansers also help eliminate surface bacteria.

This includes cleaning all of the exterior components of your vehicle:

The wheels, chassis and undercarriage of your vehicle form part of a complete exterior detailing job. This means cleaning the entire wheel and around all major suspension parts underneath the vehicle. The tires and rims should also be thoroughly cleaned and treated with a suitable sealant that helps protect them from corrosion.

One of the most important and overlooked aspects of a professional car detailing service is cleaning the engine bay. This involves cleaning all of the accessible parts of the engine bay with a degreaser, rinsing them thoroughly and allowing them to completely dry. NOTE: Degreaser should never be used to clean the rubber and plastic components of the engine bay to avoid corrosion.

Your paintwork is one of the most delicate and vulnerable parts of your vehicle.

A professional car detailer will give your vehicle a three-step process aimed at cleaning, correcting, and protecting your vehicle’s paintwork for an extended period of time.

Your vehicle should be thoroughly cleaned using a combination of cleaning, polishing and clay bar treatments — to remove any dirt and expose other underlying impurities in the layers of your paintwork.

If there are any swirl marks or fine scratches present, they need to be buffed and polished to restore your vehicle’s paintwork to its factory state.

After paint correction has been achieved and all defects have been removed, suitable paint protection can then be applied in the way of ceramic coating or paint protection film. This will help protect your vehicle’s paintwork from further scratches and contamination from everyday driving. Paint protection application will also give your vehicle a high gloss finish that repels dirt and keeps your vehicle’s paintwork in pristine condition.

Interior detailing involves meticulously cleaning all of the interior areas and components of your vehicle — including the trunk.

A professional interior detailing service involves cleaning (and restoring if necessary) the following:

• Shampoo all interior carpet and upholstery
• Hot water extraction on all carpet, upholstery & floor mats

• Clean all surfaces & crevices using compressed air, fine brushes, soft cloths and specially formulated cleaners
• Instruments & panels
• Windows & sunroof
• Cup holders
• Premium interior dressing applied to enrich tone of all surfaces

• Gauges
• All knobs, switches & dials
• Vents & louvers
• Mirrors
• Seat belts
• Steering column
• Door handles
• Consoles

• Glove box & compartment interiors
• Head liner
• Seat tracks
• Spare tire & compartment
• Keys & fobs
• Leather is treated & conditioned with PH balanced solution
• Navigation & video screens delicately wiped to provide streak free clarity

Interior detailing also involves applying glass cleaners on all of the windows and mirrors, wiping them clean without streaks and waxing them to prevent them from fogging up and attracting dust.

Many car enthusiasts and regular vehicle owners assume car detailing is a task that can be done in the home garage or driveway with some cheap equipment and products they buy from the local car care shop.

And while this may be true for some, the majority of us simply don’t have the time, know-how, space or inclination to undertake a home detailing job correctly.

Paying for professional automotive detailing not only saves you a lot of hard work and mess, it also guarantees you are getting the job done right.

Professional automotive detailers use quality equipment, cleaning products and expert techniques not available to the average person. They are also able to apply a variety of preventative treatments such as paint protection applications to keep your vehicle in pristine condition long after your initial detailing service.

Keeping your vehicle in pristine condition at all times with expert detailing not only looks great, it also ensures all of the components on your vehicle remain in good condition and last a lifetime.

When you weigh up the possibilities of you doing something wrong to damage your vehicle or simply ending up with poor results that will have you paying for new products to do the entire process again in a few weeks — paying for a professional automotive detailing service is well worth the money.