Car Detailing is the process of cleaning and protecting your vehicle’s paint, glass, upholstery, wheels, and trim. It is a time-consuming and labor-intensive service.
A full detailing includes a pressure wash, clay bar, and hand-dry; an enhancement process that may include buffing and polishing; and the application of a wax or sealant. Kolby’s Auto Spa is the answer to your auto needs.
Paint
Paint is the visible surface that protects your car’s metal, fiberglass, and plastic parts from corrosive elements. Over time, it can start to fade and oxidize, making the car look old and tired. Detailing can restore and protect the paint, keeping it looking new for years to come.
The first step in a detailed paint job is to remove any rust and old paint from the body. The paint will need to be sanded, either down to the bare metal, or just enough for the new coat of paint to adhere to. Once the sanding is done, the vehicle will need to be thoroughly cleaned and primed. Once the primer is dry, the paint will be applied in thin coats, allowing each one to cure before applying the next. The whole painting process will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour per panel of the vehicle.
After the paint is finished, a clear coat is needed to protect it from UV rays. A quality clear coat can protect the finish for up to 5 years.
When a clear coat is damaged, it can be repaired with a technique called wet-sanding, or compounding. Both techniques require a great deal of skill and experience to be used safely, and both will need to be followed by polishing to produce a mirror-like shine.
Once the paint is polished and protected, the car will be ready to be driven. If the vehicle is left outdoors, a wax or sealant can be used to keep it protected from weather conditions. Alternatively, a ceramic coating can be applied to the paint, glass, and tires for long-term protection with outstanding durability of up to five years.
It is important to regularly detail your vehicle, especially if you use it for business or family activities. This will ensure that the vehicle looks its best and will be more appealing to potential buyers if you decide to sell it in the future. A clean engine and interior can also make the vehicle easier to maintain, saving you time and money in the long run.
Upholstery
Upholstery is the cloth, leather, or other material that covers a couch, chair, or seat. The word comes from the Middle English word “upholder,” meaning an artisan who holds up his goods. At its beginnings, upholsterers nailed animal skins to wooden frameworks. Later, upholsterers added padding and other materials to make furniture more comfortable. Today, upholsterers use a wide range of fabrics and materials to cover car seats and other interior surfaces.
If you want your upholstery to look as good as possible, you should detail it regularly. The frequency depends on how much you drive and how dirty your car is. It is recommended that you detail your interior every six months, or more frequently if your car gets very dirty. During detailing, you should clean the exterior of your vehicle before cleaning the interior. This protects the paint from dirt and helps you achieve better results.
You can get the best results with a professional auto detailer, but you can also learn how to do it yourself. You need a good all-purpose cleaner, along with several strategic tools to get the job done. The process of learning how to clean the upholstery on your car is more straightforward than you might think.
It is important to understand what type of fabric your seats are made from before you start cleaning them. Different fabrics require different methods of cleaning. Some may include care labels that specify dry washing or other forms of cleaning, while others can be cleaned with mild detergent and water. If you are not sure what type of upholstery your car has, consult the manufacturer’s manual or ask a professional.
You can protect your upholstery from damage by spraying it with a fabric protector after you finish cleaning it. The protection will help the seats stay cleaner for longer. You should reapply the product after each deep cleaning of your upholstery. Before you use a new product, test it on an inconspicuous area of your seats. Most detailers recommend doing this to determine if the product will work well for your specific vehicle’s seats.
Glass
Having clean windows and windshields is important because not only does it make the car look better, but it also improves visibility when driving. Car detailing is a little different than just washing your car; it involves decontaminating the surface and then protecting it from damage. Glass can be easily damaged by dirt, road grime, and bird droppings. Caring for your glass is as important as caring for your paint, if not more so.
The first thing to do when cleaning your glass is to roll down the windows a few inches so that you can get to all the corners and edges. This will help to make sure that you are getting all the dirt and debris that is trapped between the seals.
Next, squirt some auto glass cleaner on a microfiber towel and fold it in fourths. It is best to work in the shade and on a cool surface to prevent the product from evaporating quickly and streaking the window. When using the cloth to wipe down the glass, use an up-and-down motion, and be sure to keep the towel clean so that you don’t transfer lint to the glass.
If any stubborn spots will not budge with the auto glass cleaner, try using a soft brush and gentle pressure to loosen and break up the contamination. This will then allow you to wipe it away with a damp towel. This can be especially helpful on older glass where there is a lot of bonded contamination that won’t budge with normal washing or glass cleaner.
Another way to protect your glass from damage is by applying a protective film to the surface. The film helps to block out harmful UV rays and can be applied by you at home with a simple kit.
When you are finished, be sure to take the time to re-roll down your windows and to check that they are tight and secure. Now you will have the peace of mind that your glass is protected from the elements and that it will stay looking clean for a long time to come.
Interior
A clean car interior is important for day-to-day comfort, but also increases the resale value of your vehicle. The best way to keep your leather, vinyl, and plastics looking and smelling new is regular detailing. This includes routine vacuuming, cleaning the dash and center console, and scrubbing the seats and floor mats. Regularly using a spray wax or silicone dressing will help protect your car’s interior.
The type of products and process used during detailing may vary, depending on the condition of the vehicle, the detailer or customer’s preference, and the vehicle’s surface type. Detailers use a variety of products including detergents, surfactants, acid-free degreasers, clay bars (to remove invisible micro-embedded surface contaminants), and silicone- and non-silicone-based dressings for wheels, tires, and plastic trim.
If your car has fabric upholstery, start by removing the carpet or seat covers and vacuuming the entire area. Next, scrub the upholstered areas with a leather cleaner or mild solvent and shampoo. After that, blot the area dry with a towel and apply a leather conditioner to restore its shine and softness. If your vehicle has rubber or plastic flooring, you can remove the mats and clean them by hand or with a pressure washer. If the mats are prone to stains, treat them with a stain removal product and then vacuum again.
When you’re finished, you should have a very clean and sanitized interior. The last step is to protect the newly detailed interior from damage. This can be done by applying a sealant or protective spray to the exterior of your vehicle. This will prevent dust or dirt from adhering to the car’s finish, and it will make it easier to clean the next time you need to detail your vehicle.
As with most hands-on, detail-oriented work, there are multiple levels of difficulty and reward in this field. Many car detailing enthusiasts have taken the art to a higher level, and the results can be stunning. Whether you want to simply freshen up your car or invest in a professional, the result is well worth the effort.
