Keeping your car clean and detailed on a regular basis can increase your enjoyment in your vehicle and maintain the value of this crucial asset. Whether your car is used only for errands and children, hauls work tools or carries important business contacts around town, you want it to be clean, polished and fresh.

The Importance of Getting Your Vehicle Detailed

Detailing the exterior of your car can protect not only your paint but also the structure of your vehicle. If you live in cold country where snow and ice are an issue, rust can attack your car and eventually damage your frame. Deep rust in your doors can lead to moisture, sand and salt getting trapped in the door.

Bird droppings and tree sap can damage the clear coat on top of your paint. Once the clear coat is gone, your paint can suffer damage from sun exposure and may oxidize, leaving your car looking patchy. Staying on top of detailed cleanings and removing damaging dirt, dust and debris from your vehicle is key to keeping it fully protected and looking its best.

Inside your vehicle, dirt and dust can also cause damage over time. Gravel that gets carried in on your shoes can damage carpets and floor mats. If you have to walk through snow or puddles to get to your car, the moisture on your shoes will cling to carpets and may cause odor or rot.

Snacks and drinks can also take a toll on your car. Even if you don't have a major spill, crumbs and drips can be embedded in fabrics and leave sticky spots where other dirt will cling. If you have to park outside, foods and drinks left in your vehicle can draw pests, such as ants and even mice.

Cleaning your upholstery and conditioning the leather will offer protection to your vehicle and improve your chance of getting a great price at the time you sell it.

What You Need at Home to Detail Your Vehicle

You'll need a few tools to get in the habit of washing and detailing your car at home. Start with buckets and car washing soap. A degreasing soap can damage the clear coat on your vehicle; car washing soap is especially formulated to break down sticky dirt without breaking down the clear coat. Note that you'll need a different soap for your wheels. 

Microfiber cloths and a microfiber mitt are also important for cleaning the surfaces of your car. If there's gravel or dirt on the outside of your vehicle, you want to capture those particles in your cleaning cloths, feel them, and rinse them away before they scratch the surface of your vehicle.

Glass cleaner is necessary for mirrors and windows. Keep an old towel available for washing the insides of your windows, especially your front and rear windshields. Overspray is not good for your dash and other plastics inside the vehicle. Lay the towel over the dash before you spray the glass cleaner. Instead of wiping your windows with a cloth towel, go ahead and use paper towels so you don't leave any residue on your windows.

Many glass cleaning products contain ammonia, and ammonia can be really hard on the plastic surfaces of your car. Vacuum away any standing dust and use a gentle soap on these surfaces. Rinse them with a plain cloth dipped in water before protecting them with a product recommended for vehicle interiors. As plastic inside the vehicle warms up, the product you used to clean it may release a scent. You want car-specific products to reduce toxin exposure.

Thoroughly vacuum floor mats, carpets and seats. If your fabrics or carpets are especially dirty, you may need to rent a carpet steam cleaner to remove spills and stains. If they're just a bit dirty, a foaming upholstery cleaner may be enough.

Specialty Products

A clay bar and detailing spray are a good investment for those who want to detail their own vehicle. Clay bars capture tiny bits of debris that can cling to your car when you wax it. To avoid rubbing these contaminants into the finish of your vehicle, spray the surface with lubricant and work the clay bar over the area. Handling a clay bar takes some getting used to; consider watching a couple of how-to videos on YouTube while you develop the feel for this tool.

A freshly cleaned and detailed car is a joy to drive. You may have many of the tools you need to detail your car in your possession already. If you're able to wash your vehicle but uncertain about detailing it, consider a mobile detailing service to take care of the close work.

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Bellys Car Restoration