Many people ask questions such as “Why does it take so long to detail a car?”, “What do you do that my local roadside hand car wash doesn't?”, "What is needed to get my car looking great again?"

Well, to show exactly what is involved in detailing a car, and perhaps to dispel a few misconceptions, here is a closer look at the steps which can be involved in a typical Detail.


Washing

I usually start with cleaning the alloy wheels and wheel arches before starting on the bodywork. Doing this, any dirt or brake dust cleaned off the wheels will not splash up onto already cleaned bodywork.

Dedicated automotive wheel cleaners, mixed to the relevant concentrations, and a variety of brushes and sponges are used to clean the alloys. All-Purpose cleaner is used in the wheel arches.

Before a wash-mitt gets anywhere near the bodywork, first the whole car is rinsed to get rid of any loose dirt and mud. Then the whole vehicle is snow-foamed. This foam covers the whole vehcle, and is left to dwell to soften any further dirt. This is then rinsed off.

When washing, I use the “2-bucket method”. This is using one bucket of shampoo solution and one bucket of rinse water. By rinsing the wash mitt after every time it is placed on the car, this ensures the bucket containing the shampoo solution remains clean, and I am not putting dirty water back onto the vehicle.

I use either a sheepskin or microfibre 'noodle' wash-mitt to wash down the car. These are softer and less likely to hold on to dirt than a sponge, which may trap grit in the open pores. Starting at the top, I work my way down the vehicle.

After washing, the whole car is rinsed off again to ensure all traces of dirt and shampoo are removed.