Completely Wash Winter Off Your Car

Owning a car, truck or van is a considerable investment and a valuable asset. When the vehicle is maintained properly, you can get your money's worth, help it to perform optimally and keep it looking good. Now that winter is done for this year, its time to wash it away.

Why It Is Necessary

Car care experts usually liken the way we should take care of our automobile's exterior to how we take care of ourselves. We give our skin and other areas of grooming regular attention and at times a more thorough treatment involving specialized products. As a result, we look our best and function better.

Road debris, tar, dirt, bugs, and weather batter our vehicle every time we drive it. Weekly washing helps to remove the surface layer of these elements. Periodic expert detailing will refresh the paint, wheels, and glass with thorough cleaning.

Detailing gets into areas of the vehicle that are not typically cleaned during weekly washing and specialized products are used to treat the different surfaces of a vehicle's exterior. This service ultimately adds protection which will prevent major paint and performance issues while increasing longevity.

8 Services that a Professional Detailer Will Perform

• Inspection

The car should be thoroughly examined visually and by touch for dings, porous paint, scratches, and road contamination embedment on the paint as well as glass. The wheels should be closely examined for excess grease, brake dust, and general road debris. Once this is complete then the following steps can be tailored to the specific needs of the automobile.

• Wheels

A wheel cleaning solution is applied and allowed to soak. This solution is ph balanced and formulated to lift grim, build up, and brake dust from the wheel/rims. Special brushes of various sizes are use to get into grooves and tight areas. A wheel glove is great for getting on the inside or what might appear to be behind the rims. Even though you may not be able to see it, these areas collect a lot of dirt and are rarely cleaned thoroughly thus requiring extra attention. The wheels are rinsed clean. The buckets and brushes used in this step should be emptied and/or put away.

The same water from the wheel cleaning should never be used for the rest of the car. The brake dust and debris that is now in the water can cause scratches on the paint.

• Wash

Applying a foam product after giving the car a rinse may be appropriate if the vehicle is very dirty. On average, a soapy hand scrub with a wash mitt will get the paint clean. It is best to use a bucket of soapy water and a bucket of plain water interchangeably through out this process.

A micro-fiber towel is the tool of choice for drying. This will effectively absorb water – reducing water spots. It will also pick up any dirt that may have been left behind.

See the guide for Detailing the inside of your car.

• Clay

This step is not always performed. Clay is great for getting embedded road contaminants and debris out of paint. The best way to determine if claying is needed is to feel the paint. If it feels gritty and not smooth, then applying car clay will help get the paint thoroughly cleaned and smooth again.

There are some important things to know when using clay. It can be a great tool for refreshing your paint, but used wrong - it can be bad. Leave it to the pros.

• Sealant

Now that the paint is fresh and clean, this is the time to put a sealant on. This product fills in any circles or grooves that appear after a period of weekly washings. This step will improve the appearance of the paint as well as strengthen and protect it. Sealant also helps the wax to go on more effectively with greater shine and protection.

• Windows

While the sealant is curing, the windows can be done. For a deep clean, a window cleaning solution is generously applied. The window is carefully scraped using a razor at a 45 degree angle. This will remove tar, sap, bugs, and other road contaminants that become part of the window over time. Window cleaning solution can be reapplied and wiped off with a short haired micro-fiber cloth and then a regular micro-fiber cloth for a streak free, dust free finish.

The wipers should be cleaned as well. An optional glass repellent product can be applied at this point for added protection.

Caring for this step properly will help the wiper to adhere to the windshield when needed. Overall visibility, especially at night, will also be improved.

• Wax

The sealant should be fully dried and cured according to product instructions. Now a layer of carnauba wax can be applied, buffed and polished. Wax is vital for paint protection. It also adds that new car shine.

• Tire Gel

Lastly, a tire gel product is applied to the tires. A small amount is first applied to a cloth and then rubbed into the outer tire carefully avoiding the rims. Several layers of gel can be applied to achieve the desirable shine. The gel will also moisturize the tire giving it protection and longer wear. Tire gel application will prevent dirt sling. The gel can also be applied to the wheel wells which will add shine and dirt protection to this area as well.

There you have it. While auto detailing can be a bit labor intensive and time consuming - the pay offs are well worth it! How often should this be done? For average use, once every six months will keep your car in good shape.

This is an ideal service to call the professionals for. They have the time, expertise, and proper tools to do the job right. Schedule your appointment today.

Resource - Larry Kosilla AMMONYC; Seth Mc Neely Clean LLC

Serving Towns in Litchfield & Fairfield Counties of Connecticut

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