Let's be honest, there's nothing more satisfying than when your car is looking clean and fresh following a professional clean. However, as costs continue to soar you might be worried about the fact that you can't afford them anymore. Well, don't worry, we've got some amazing tips on how to give your car a professional car detailing and valet at home.
Whilst cleaning your car is a fairly easy task, it's probably something you've done and at the end of it felt a little underwhelmed compared to the last time you had it cleaned professionally. Ensuring you get those professional results you need to ensure that you've got the right equipment, products and that you know how to use them.
1. Ensure you've got the correct car detailing equipment
The first thing you need to do to ensure that you can give your car a professional detail is to get yourself the correct equipment. Below we've put together the ultimate list of the equipment you'll need.
Buckets
A pretty obvious piece of equipment that your going to need when cleaning your car is a bucket. What you may not know is that you need two buckets, not just one!
Having two buckets means you can have one for the shampoo and the other for rinsing. Using the same bucket for both can allow dirt to get into your sponge or wash mitt and scratch the car. You'll also want to ensure that these buckets have grit guards.
Cloths and Mitts
People often go for the sponge when they want to wash their car when they should in-fact be going for a wash mitt. Sponges can cause minor scratches whereas wash mitts are more gently and less likely to damage your paintwork.
Pressure Washer
Having a good pressure washer can make a world of difference when detailing your car. Pressure washers can make the cleaning process more effective and efficient, and you can use them for more than just rinsing off the shampoo. If you attach a snow foam lance to your pressure washer, you can use it to apply snow foam just like the professionals.
Brushes
There are a few different brushes that are worth getting for detailing your car. First up is, unsurprisingly, a detailing brush set. Detailing brushes are perfect for cleaning small and hard to reach areas. Valeting professions usually have a few detailing brush sets; one for the interior, one for the exterior and one for the wheels. If you’ve got alloy wheels, get a specialised alloy wheel brush that lets you clean the wheels’ most challenging areas.
2. Get the best car detailing products
Now that we've got out car cleaning tools sorted, we need to find ourselves the best car detailing products. Just like our equipment, we'll need to source the very best products to get that professional shine. It might be tempting to go for a cheaper option, but better quality products do a better job and last longer.
Cleaners
It's worth investing in a high quality cleaner due to the fact that they work faster and more efficiently. There are three different types of cleaners which you'll need to buy, which are:
- Wheel Cleaner
- Fabric/leather cleaner
- Window cleaner
Snow Foam
You usually use snow foam with a snow foam lance that will cover your car with a pre-cleaning foam layer. Unsurprisingly, the foam looks like snow and helps to lift dirt and grease from the paintwork. A lot of snow foams are available to buy in a bundle with a snow foam lance.
Removers
There’s a few removers that are worth purchasing. A tar and glue remover is perfect for any tricky bits of dirt that just won’t budge. Usually, you spray the remover, leave it for a few minutes and then rinse it off.
Iron fallout cleaner is a highly potent and specialised product that removes iron particles from the paintwork by dissolving them on contact. Despite its potency, it’s perfectly safe to use on wheels, glass, trims and paintwork.
Sealant and Wax
Both sealants and waxes are a great way to protect the hard work you’ve put into the detailing. A sealant protects your car against bird droppings, bugs, road salt, and many other elements that can damage your vehicle on the road.
Wax is the final frontier in terms of the detailing process. It has both long and short term benefits; it’ll immediately give your car a glow like it’s brand new, and over time it will stop your paintwork from fading and prevents minor scratches. You don’t need to wax with every wash; every two to six months will do perfectly.
3. Get yourself a high quality air freshener
The final and most important step to getting that high quality professional car detailing effect is adding a high quality car air freshener to your car. Here at Carfume we sell the leading, best selling car air fresheners.