What Does Detailing Do on a Car?

Car detailing services are an in-depth vehicle refurbishment service from paint all the way through to upholstery and a detailed cleaning of the bodywork, essentially making a car look and feel brand new.
If you want your car’s resale value to be as high as possible, use detailing services twice a year to properly clean and protect the paintwork and interior, and use coatings to add protection against the elements and the general wear and tear of the road.

A standard car wash simply removes the surface layer of dirt and grime, whereas a proper detail fully restores paint and interior and prevents the value of the car from dropping.

Is It Worth Investing In Car Detailing Services?

Many owners associate car washing as a single-step procedure, typically involving a quick spin around in an automatic car wash, or a swift once-over with a hose and a mitt. However, in the detailing world, this procedure falls under basic car cleaning and is by no means close to the restoration the word ‘detailing’ suggests.

Exterior Car Detailing

A car wash will simply rinse the loose mud off your car; a detail on the exterior works much more intensely:

Paint Decontamination, Correction and Protection

Professional detailers will use clay bars or iron remover sprays to lift embedded contaminants off of the paintwork, which would be impossible for a simple car wash, such as the tiny particles of industrial pollution, traffic film, or even sap, which a normal wash would barely touch.

 Once contaminants are removed, it’s often time to decontaminate. Swirl marks, light scratches, and oxidation are buffed out using polishing compounds, with a rotary or dual-action machine polisher (depending on the damage done and the paint) to bring the clarity and shine back to the vehicle’s bodywork. 

After correction, a specialist sealant, wax, or ceramic coating is applied to help keep the paintwork looking pristine and protect it from damage caused by U.V light, bird droppings, and salt erosion.

Interior Car Detailing

Most owners give the interior of their car minimal thought beyond throwing anything they can see into the bin. The interior, however, will wear and break down as much as the exterior, if not more, given how much interaction it is subject to.

Deep Cleaning and Preservation

Detailers use hot-water extractors and steam cleaners to remove tough stains and hidden allergens from carpets and fabrics. It doesn’t matter whether the dirt is from coffee, children, pets, or even oil; steam and hot water are the only true way of removing dirt and grime from fabrics. Leather conditioning, to prevent it drying out, fading or cracking, and detailed cleaning of all trim are also done to restore condition.

The Benefits

The reasons behind using detailing are a multitude; from purely cosmetic, to health beneficial, to financial:

Resale Value

This is one of the biggest selling points for detailing: no matter how you feel about the car, it will eventually be sold or traded in. By investing in detailing, you add a substantial value to its sale. Buyers instantly take notice when a car is not only clean, but the paintwork looks perfect, and the interior is impeccable – this translates to a much higher final price. Preventing the permanent damage that can be inflicted by simple, routine washing is key to high trade-ins.

Health And Safety

You spend so much time within the vehicle, and how cleanly the interior is directly affects your health. Removing pollutants in air vents and killing any bacteria that linger would drastically reduce the risks of catching or transmitting colds and other common ailments. Also, worn headlights can be a significant safety hazard; by polishing yellowed plastic lenses on the headlights, you dramatically restore night driving capabilities, allowing for the best possible vision from your vehicle.

But Why a Professional Car Cleaning?

It’s just washing a car. Would be the cry for most. It seems simple when you are just giving your car a rinse; however, the work a detailer puts in requires expertise and specific equipment.

Most average owners lack this and can even damage their vehicles more; for instance, using a rotary buffer improperly is sure to burn a hole through paintwork.

Professional detailers use sophisticated equipment that is available but impractical for the vast majority of car owners (e.g., dual-action machines); also, they have spent hours being trained on the types of chemicals needed to care for delicate materials like fine leather or Alcantara (a synthetic suede).

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