Common Car Detailing Mistakes to Avoid

Regular detailing services help to maintain that brand new, smooth, and lustrous appearance of your vehicle as if you just bought it. When it comes to car detailing, knowing what NOT to do is as crucial as doing a good job. Most car detailing mistakes are often committed by do-it-yourself newbies. If you are not a confident DIY enthusiast, it is best to hire a local detailing company that provides premium detailing services as car detailing is one DIY task that you definitely don’t want to botch up.

A professional car detail service will protect your car from paint scratches, residue water spots, carpet damage, and other accidental damage inflicted by the environment on a daily basis. However, the glory of an immaculate interior and a gorgeous, glowing exterior can be achieved if you are aware of the most common car detailing mistakes and how to avoid them. It is important to bear in mind that a world-class auto detail will involve a lot of patience and care during the process but the result will reward you with excellent results.

In this article, we explore common car detailing mistakes and why it is crucial to avoid them.

1. Using the Wrong Cleaning Products

While it is commonly believed that chemicals should be used to thoroughly clean car carpets and bodywork, this is a mistake. Detergents are manufactured for specific household cleaning tasks and are too harsh to use on car interiors and paintwork. Even though dish soaps are excellent at removing even the toughest grease stains, don’t be tempted to use them to wipe an unknown sticky mess from the door or other areas of your car as it may strip away the protective layer and damage the sealant, leaving the paint exposed to UV rays and weather elements. Always use car care products specifically designed to protect and maintain the delicate balance between paint and coating materials to avoid damaging your car.

Auto Detailing Pro exclusively uses specialist cleaning products for carpets and bodywork. It will serve you well to do the same.

2. Washing Your Car in Direct Sunlight

While giving your vehicle an auto detail outside may seem the most natural thing to do, detailing professionals tend to disagree for very solid reasons. Washing your car in direct sunlight will dry out cleaning products too quickly before you can wipe it off, causing water spots to form that are hard to remove. Rather find a spot with adequate shade to provide a buffer from the rays of the sun. You will have more time to wash the exterior without the soap and water drying out too quickly. Working in a cool shaded spot will ensure you get a much better result.
If you have been out and about in the car, be sure to allow it to cool down in the shade before starting your vehicle detailing.

3. Over Waxing

Waxing should only be done after the car has been given a good wash. It is a common misconception that more wax will provide more protection to the exterior of a vehicle. On the contrary, too much wax will only dull the shine, making it much harder to buff the excess wax away. Two layers of wax are usually all that is needed for a quality finish. First, buff away the first layer before applying the next coat.

Also Read: Is Detailing a Car Worth it?

4. Using a Sponge

Even though sponges may look soft and squishy, they actually are quite harsh and abrasive when used on the paintwork of a vehicle. Even though there are much better solutions on the market, many people still use a sponge to wash their cars. The fact is that a sponge does not have the capacity to pick up dirt and trap it inside. Instead, the dirt remains on the surface of the sponge and when rubbed on the paintwork it will cause micro-scratches that will damage the clear coating of the paintwork.

5. Not Using Microfibre Cloths

To be perfectly honest, the only thing you should be using to clean your car is a clean microfiber towel. Nothing else is as soft and absorbent as microfiber fabric that won’t scratch the surface of your car, unlike old rags with rough patches. The extraordinary absorption of these towels effectively gets rid of any water residue that causes water stains. they have an excellent ‘nap’ (the fuzzy, puffy surface) to easily absorb moisture, dirt, and impurities. Smooth towels don’t have enough of a nap and the dirt only sticks to the surface instead of absorbing it.

6. Washing the Tires and Wheels of the Vehicle Last

Washing from the top down is something we have all learned to do. However, when it comes to car detailing it is a different story. Start from the bottom up, washing the dirtiest parts of the car first which are the wheels. Washing the wheels by hand ensures that the worst dirt from the tires will not splash back onto your just-cleaned vehicle.

7. Not Wearing a Protective Gear

Most people think that nothing will happen to them and overlook this important step. It is always best to wear protective gear when detailing your vehicle. Here are 3 of the most important protective things to wear:

1. Gloves
Gloves are important to protect the skin on your hands from harsh chemicals, especially those used on the interior of your car.
2. Mask
A mask will prevent you from inhaling chemical fumes and bad odors from cleaning products, particularly when cleaning wheels and tires.
3. Protective glasses
Protective eye gear is important to wear especially when doing paint correction. As particles may end up being splashed into your eyes when working with harmful chemicals, eye health should always be your first priority.

These are some of the common car detailing mistakes to avoid. If you follow these easy steps, your car’s factory finish paint will remain intact for many years to come. Call Auto Detailing Pro if you have any questions about how to maintain your car’s paintwork looking brand new.