I posted this on here a while back, but I cannot find the thread because of the search, so here it is again:
Summer's Here And Its Time To Get Your Car Looking Brand New
DIY Auto Detailing
I know I have promised this earlier, but I am sorry as I became swamped with work and then I was sent to California for some meetings, then I had to focus on a powerlifting meet, but now I have the rest of the week off so I was able to finish this. If I forgot anything I will continue to update it.
For those of you who do not know I am a professional detailer (former). I started back when I was 13 going back to the detailing shop at my father's dealership where I learned the tools and techniques of the trade from the guys back there. I worked at dealerships for a bit, then moved on to professional detailing shops around the area during high school, before finally opening up my own "in your driveway business" that I used to put myself through college. So I have been detailing for the past 15 years or so, and would like to think of myself one of the more experienced detailers in the business. Currently I still do some work at detailing shops for friends who own them, and also detail my families, friends, and my own car religiously. I take extreme pride in my work, and love doing it; I find it relaxing and a joy to do. I love sharing my experience and helping others learn as people once did for me.
Many detailers out there (mostly inexperienced guys who work at some of the run-of-the-mill shops who can do an "okay" job) do not like to share their "secrets" but I and many others find this foolish, as if you are well known there is no need to have to protect your methods to keep business going. Many websites out there also have this same mentality, showing you the results but not telling you how they did it.
So moving on, I have written this guide to share the pleasure of detailing your own car. It is not for everyone as some people prefer to pay someone else to do it, or do not have the time to do so. I have written this guide for the beginner who knows absolutely nothing to get started. For those of you that have detailed your own car before you may find different techniques or products in this thread that you might not like or have not used before. Everyone has different methods and recommendations, so feel free to use them, but I am speaking from experience and from what works. I am not going to explain how or why wax works, you can Google that, as this guide would be three times as long and twice as boring if I explained how everything worked.
I will go through a step-by-step basis in this guide, covering everything you need to know to do a great detailing job on your own car. I will cover the process, methods, tips and details, and product recommendations to get you through the job. I will go through everything in order as to keep it simple and easy to follow. I have created it so you can re-read it and even print it out to help you detail your own car.
These are the methods that I have used that get the job done and give the best results. There are many others, so feel free to experiment if you would like, but for the beginner detailer these are the best to follow and even for the experienced weekend detailer they yield the best results.
Over the years I have mostly used industrial products that you would order by the barrel for dealerships etc, but I have also used almost every consumer product out there also in my time, so I will recommend those as they also work great, are easy to access, and are safe to use. I will also go through where one can buy these products. If you have any questions about another product or one I mentioned feel free to post in this thread or PM me, I will be happy to help you.
I will mention what you need along with how to do it, remember it may seem like a lot to buy and expensive for all the products, especially since you will probably not have a lot of them, but you have to remember they can be used over and over again, and will still be a lot cheaper than paying for a detailing. You can find mostly everything at a place such as pep-boys or auto zone. They have a great selection, and have great products. But, they are expensive. I would first try a local Wal-Mart which also has the same products (less of a selection) and buy what you can (everything will be about a dollar cheaper) and then go to an auto store for what wal-mart did not carry. Target also has supplies, but they are more expensive then wal-mart. You may also shop online but it is not necessary, and many times the products are the same price. Do not fall for such "conveniences" as "specially made for detailing" products (you will see what I am talking about when you go to buy your stuff). A brush is a brush; a cotton towel is a cotton towel. No need to spend money on a $5 detailing brush when an old toothbrush works just as well. No need to spend $10 on shop towels when old rags or t-shirts work just as well. Your home vacuum will work just fine; you don't need some special "detailing" vacuum that is not as powerful with some fancy case to put it in. The dollar store is a great place to pick up such things as towels, brushes, empty trigger bottles etc. Use your own judgment and ingenuity. If you have the money, go ahead, but it is not necessary. I will try to help you select the best products for your buck.
Eventually I will add more advanced sections such as engine compartment detailing, glaze and other "advanced" products, scratch removal and paint touch-ups, and complete deodorizing, etc. If I have left anything out I will continue to add to this guide. Eventually I will add a product list with links for reference, and pictures as soon as I detail my car again.
So let us begin shall we?
Reserve at least 3 hours to do this job uninterrupted, and 4 hours for a large SUV. You want to do a complete and thorough job, and do not want to be rushed to have to go somewhere. You also need sufficient lights for the whole job so do not start too late, but also you do not want to park your car in the direct sunlight (for waxing, we will get to that later).
You will need access to a hose with a powerful nozzle, an electrical outlet and probably a long extension cord (it makes things much easier).
As with all new products, test them first in an inconspicuous area so in case any damage or discoloration happens nothing is damaged. 99.9% of the time you have nothing to worry about, but I'd rather take a few minutes testing the cleaner on my carpet under the seat then have to re-dye my whole interior again, or worse, someone else's.
Interior Detailing
We will start with detailing the inside of your car. First remove all objects (umbrellas, maps, coins, brushes etc) from your floors, compartments, glove box, trunk etc. There is nothing harder than detailing with such annoyances present. Place them in a box in your garage until you are done. Basically you want the car as if you just bought it. Open all your doors and trunk and leave them open, with all the windows up. Remove all your mats and place them in an area where you can spread them out and wash them, but away from the car. Pop the trunk and remove any linings etc and place them with the mats.
Vacuuming: You will need one with powerful suction (strong shop vac's are awesome for this), and preferably attachment tools for getting into tight places such as between seats. I like to carry a scrub brush and a toothbrush with me when vacuuming out the car to get up all the particles and direct them towards the vacuum's nozzle. Start by brushing up and vacuuming out all the particles from the seats, run the toothbrush through the cracks and seams of the seat with the vacuum behind it to get out those particles. Brush out the seats towards to floor and vacuum by the seat belts nodes etc. We do the seats first so particles cannot fall on the floor once those are cleaned. Then start to do the floors. Take the scrub brush and brush up the carpet to loosen any particles and dried dirt, and keep doing this along with sucking them up with the vacuum until none are visible. Get between the seats from the backseat of the car and get out any dirt there. Move the seats as necessary to get everything (you can actually remove the seats, but this is different for every car, and it is much easier to just do the best you by reaching under them). Get the pockets on the doors also. Get a brush into the small cracks around the shifter and similar places. Once the car is vacuumed out, including the trunk, you can unplug the vacuum and put it away.
:
Shampooing: Start with mats first. Get some oxy clean and mix it with some water in a trigger bottle. This is for general purpose cleaning; it will brighten things up a bit also. You will also need some stain remover spray, Resolve works fine, but do not get any type of auto stain remover that has a brush on the lid can attached to it, as it is impossible to clean with because it falls off and gets in the way of the spray. Just a regular aerosol can is all you need (but make sure the chemical you choose has a nice fresh smell to it, as this will eventually take over as the car's "new car" smell for a week or so after it is detailed). Take the mats and spray them down with water saturating them. Then spray on some oxy clean and the stain remover. Scrub the chemicals all around the mats so it gets thoroughly covered. Then let them sit. Move on to the carpets in your car. Spray down the oxy clean and the stain remover in the same fashion, taking special care to spray a lot on any noticeable stains. Then scrub to your heart's content. Wait for it to dry, then vacuum out (this step is optional, but recommended as the cleaning chemicals when dry act like a magnet for new dirt and dust). Then go back to the mats and take the hose and rinse them off by holding them vertically and spraying them down. Once again make sure you get all the chemicals off (bubbles and foam will stop forming near the stream of water), this may take longer than you think. Then take the mats and place them over a fence or a bench, somewhere out in the sun so they can dry and drip off. Be careful not to drop them while wet anywhere, as then you will need to re-rinse them. If you have leather interior skip this step. Take the oxy clean and spray a nice mist covering any upholstery you can and scrub it in. If there are any stains spot clean them with the stain remover (some things like dried makeup or pen ink are impossible to get out, so don't fret if you can only dull the stain's intensity).
Now look at the roof inside (leather interior people also) and spray that down (goggles or sun glasses) work well for this step so when looking up at the roof dripping chemicals do not get in your eyes). This is one of the most overlooked places by professional detailers, as there are many stains here, especially from women's hair rubbing against the roof and the dye coming off eventually on it. Make sure to get over and under the visors in the front seat.
For people with leather, get a good leather conditioner, amour all's leather product works fine (just make sure to air out the car as it smells pretty bad). 2-3 step products (clean, nourish, protect) are fine to use, but I unless you have a $130,000 Mercedes you are not going to notice a difference and is for the most part a waste of time and money. Stay away from "protection" agents that have silicon, because over time they will dry out and crack the leather. Also try and get a spray product (Armour all, Maguire's), as they are easier to apply more evenly. Stay away from wipes; they are horrible for even coating. Take a soft cotton cloth and fold it into fours. Spray some on one side to moisten it, then mist over your seats with the spray and rub it in to spread it around evenly. Make sure to get everywhere (around seats, in pockets, under head rests) because if you had dull leather there will be a noticeable difference between the shined and missed spots. After it is applied evenly, take the other side of the cloth and buff till dry and shine it up. For the most part it should have already turned your leather nice and dark and shiny, be amazed because it does last.
Next take a micro fiber or cotton cloth and wide down the AC vents, dash board, and doors to get rid of any dust, as you do not want this to stick to your shine products. For people with leather, continue to use your leather product (it doesn't matter if it is used on vinyl or plastic), and for people that have upholstery get a product such as amour all's Ultra Shine (this can also later be used on plastic trim on the exterior). Once again follow the same steps as before, spray it on a cloth and wipe it in, get in every nook and cranny on the door and then dashboard. Get around the steering wheel also. Do not spray it on your dashboard (as it will get on the windshield and smears like crazy when trying to clean it off) rather spray it on the cloth and wipe on to the dashboard. Looks great so far ehh?
For plastic coated wood paneling use a 50/50 mixture of rubbing alcohol and water, as anything else will smear. Brush our your vents, and a moist cloth of water will take care of your stereo. For clogged speakers, pipe cleaners will work, for smaller speaker holes: tooth picks. For any chrome or metal handles or trim get some chrome polish and squirt some on a cloth and spread it on to the surface thickly. Let it dry to a haze then buff roughly until it is shined and no more dirt appears on the cloth. Don't worry about the windows for now, and the mats you can put in when you are done the whole thing when they are dry. Take a wet cloth and wipe down the door jams and all around the painted surface of the door entrance that cannot be seen when the door is closed, and polish any metal doorplates. Don't worry about the grease in the hinges, it's supposed to be there, but you can wipe off any excess.
Exterior:
DO NOT USE DAWN, it will strip existing wax and cause a myriad of problems down the road including rust and oxidation. You can continue to argue this point with me till the day, but I am speaking from experience.
Anyway moving on, start with the wheels. A pair of kneepads works great so you can get up close and personal with the rims. In the dealerships we used an acid mixture to clean off the rims, but it obviously was very dangerous to the car and detailer to use and you cannot buy yourself. So the next best thing is consumer alkaline mixtures, which no matter how much they say you do not, you still have to scrub. Eagle 1's orange mixture (preferably something with anti-corrosion agents) is the best I have used, but others are fine too. If your wheels have not been cleaned in a while it makes things a lot harder, as break dust and road tar builds up onto the metal or plastic rim/wheel cover and eventually corrode into the surface permanently damaging it. So if you keep rubbing it and the black dirt does not come off, that is why. For true-chromed wheels the chrome covering might have actually started to wear off reveling a yellowish surface (the only thing you can do is get them re-chromed). For really dirty wheels you can also use oven cleaner, just do not leave them on for long. First spray on the cleaning agent on each tire, making sure the spray gets on all the vertical and horizontal surfaces. Then let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then take the hose and set the nozzle to mist and make the surface wet again for each tire before you start to clean them. Take a cloth and wipe and rub as hard as you can (a brillow pad works well for this, steel wool does not as it cant scratch), until all the black dirt and dust is off leaving a shine. A toothbrush comes in handy here for corners and tight spaces. Continue misting the wheel as you clean it so you can wash away the dirt and see how much you have left to scrub while scrubbing it. Do not touch the break drums or discs behind the wheel, as they do not matter, and I have seen some people slice open their hands pretty bad by sticking their hands back there. Once you finish all 4 rims/wheel covers turn the hose on high and rinse them off thoroughly.
Now take a bucket and pour about two caps full of car wash (NOT DAWN) and fill up the bucket with water and suds. Rinse down the car to get off any loose dirt first. I also like to use an aerosol bug and tar remover sprayed on and around the grill of the car and behind the wheel wells and other places where excessive road gunk has built up. Let that sit until you wash the car, it should wipe off pretty easy with some rubbing. Take a cloth and dip it into the bucket (try not to touch the bottom s that can cause previous dirt to get on the towel in the bucket), and wash your car (if you need instructions here PM me, because well it might be embarrassing to ask her ). Once rinsed with a nice powerful stream of water, start from the roof on down, begin to dry. Chamois's are not necessary as you will be later waxing, so the lint from a big cotton bath towel does not matter, and is sufficient. Just make sure to get it bone dry, as waxing a dripping car is like trying find Michael Jackson's male genitals, it's just not going to happen.
For pre waxing I like to take a quick spray on wax detailer (black magic's spray on polish is awesome), and wipe down the car with it as it adds extra shine and this way you can get off any spots of dirt you might have missed, along with drying any drips from cracks in your trunk etc. You absolutely need micro fiber towels for this, as cotton towels just smear and leave lots of streaks. You can get micro fiber towels from wal-mart, auto places, or BJ's (Costco also I imagine), in huge packs. They are great dusters and absorbers and are great to have around the house. You need to wash and dry them separately so they do not lose their effectiveness. You can tell a real micro fiber towel from a cheap one by running the tips of your fingers over the towel, if it feels like it is gripping the little bits of flakes of your skin then you are good to go. If it just feels really soft and nothing else, look elsewhere.
Spray the detailer very, very small amounts at a time, and wipe off the excess immediately. At first it will look like it is smearing, then it will begin to shine up and then the micro fiber towel will begin to glide when it is shined dry. You will feel and see it. Just do not spray too much as that means more wiping off the excess and you need to change towels frequently as when they get too moist it makes it hard to shine the surface dry of the paint.
Clay barring is not necessary for new cars (also after a new paint job polishing and waxing should only be done 60-90 days afterward): Take a plastic sandwich baggy and place your hand inside like a glove, run it over the surface of your paint on the hood. It should feel smooth, but most likely if it feels like a chalkboard then you need to clay bar your car (this will prevent it from rusting and other oxidation, but if you are not concerned about the future and only want it to look nice, it is not absolutely necessary). What you are feeling are tons of microscopic particles that have lodged themselves into the microscopic "hills and valleys" of your paint's surface. Mother's has a California Clay Bar kit which works well and the instructions are easy to follow. Basically spray down the area you are about to clay to lube the surface, then wipe the bar slowly over it, and the clay bar will "suck" up the particles pulling them out of the paint. A clay bar will typically last about 5 details, and you do not need to do the sides of your car, only the hood, roof, and trunk, as the particles do not stick on the sides. Next you need to use a cleaner wax after claying. There are two kinds, abrasive and chemical. Abrasive wears down the hills and valley's and strips the previous wax, while chemical kind of "burns" the dirt spots left by the particles away and strips the existing wax. But, used properly they are safe to use (read on for how to apply and remove). Many will argue that this is why you use dawn, (dawn or any other dish detergent breaks down grease or wax also), but unlike cleaner waxes it does not leave a buffer wax to protect the paint until you wax it (trust me, particles get on it, are eventually sealed under by waxing, and they rust very quickly, usually within a 2 years). Also stripping the old wax is only necessary when using abrasives or clay barring. Clay barring also removes over spray.
Next you have to choose a polish, there are many out there, just find a nice non-abrasive one (turtle wax, black magic, or meguairs is fine). Meguairs has a 3-step product program, which you can use, polish, wax, glaze. Although the glaze is not a true glaze, more of just a second wax. You also need to pick out a wax, Meguairs Gold Label is great, but others will be sufficient. I do not like zymol or zaino products as they are a pain to put on, and the acrylic type wax does not leave a nice wet shine like pure carnauba wax does. Sorry to all you fan boys of those waxes, but you won't be winning any professional car restoration shows with those waxes. Stay away from waxes and polishes that say you only need to apply them once a year because they are usually crap, and you should be detailing/waxing once every 3-6 months or more frequently, usually whenever water stops beading on the paint surface. You need a liquid wax for buffers, pastes are for hand waxing. For an older car Meguairs Color X is a great wax, otherwise you can't go wrong with the gold label.
Next you need something to apply the wax with, hand waxing is a pain in the ass, and does not yield as good as results as a machine buffer. As a pro I use a high-speed buffer that has a variable 20,000-22,000 RPM's. At that high speed it actually warms the paint and works the wax in. Hence why you can "buff" out imperfections. Unfortunately, due to the high-speed and friction you need a lot of experience and practice with them as you can easily burn off the paint and leave tons of swirl marks (also you can easily slip and have it break your arm). If you really want to use one then I suggest PM'ing me, I can help you out, you'll need to practice on the hood of a car from the junkyard etc. But, for the purpose of this guide I suggest that you use an orbital buffer. They work great for applying and removing/buffing wax (and are about ten times faster then waxing by hand). But, they are like the equivalent of kiddy scissors. They move in an orbital oscillating motion at low enough speeds that you cannot damage the paint. Now don't get discouraged, you won't be able to remove scratches with them but you can still get an awesome shine with them. I have been PM'ed before at which is the best, and my advice is to not go and spend $100 for some fancy megauirs or PC porter variable speed one, because they are not worth the money, and at the range of RPM's they operate you do not need variable speeds or some fancy handle that makes you look like a wannabe body shop guy. Go with a kit one from wal-mart for around $30. It comes with bonnets and pads and a nice case (I think the company is something Travelers), and is a great way to learn the technique and about how to do it. Read the instructions on how to use it carefully (don't press to hard, proper care, etc) and it will last you a lifetime. Do not get anything smaller than a 10 inch one, as a 6 inch one will take you forever, and angled right a 10 inch one can still get to the small places on your car.
You will need an application and a removal/buffing bonnet for each waxing product you use. So if you use a cleaner wax, a polish, and a wax, then you need 6 bonnets, if you use a polish and wax then only 4. I prefer a foam application bonnet, they sometimes come in packs and are the best material in my opinion for even application. I like synthetic wool bonnets for removal/buffing, as they provide the nicest shine. Look for bonnets with elastic, not strings, for keeping it on the bonnet, as strings are a pain to tie and keep from getting in the way.
Okay so now you are ready to wax/polish. Take the application bonnet already on the buffer and take your product and squirt it onto it in circular rings. Do not use too much, 5 rings are good for a nice area. Place the buffer on the car and then turn it on, move it in a figure 8 or circular motion. Continue to move it around in one spot until the wax is spread evenly and thinly, you need experience for this, but you will see the wax show up as a nice haze with little types of rings in the haze (from the buffer movements). Continue to extend the area you are applying the wax to, to spread it out until the haze no longer appears and wax is started to actually be removed. Then add another 5 rings and start a new spot until you finish. It is not necessary to do spot by spot, you can do the whole car at once. Just make sure the paint surface is not hot or extremely cold, so the wax goes on okay. The gold label wax is very thick compared to most waxes so make sure you get it spread very thinly, you do not want a build up in one area.
Now change take your buffing bonnet and put it on the buffer. Turn it on and remove the wax in the same motion you applied it. Make sure to get all of it, you will be able to see where the wax is and where the haze needs to be buffed off. It should come off very easily, but continue to buff the area nicely. Do the whole car and keep looking at angles at the car (proper sun light or fluorescent lights make this easier) to make sure you did not miss any. The paint should now have a nice glassy appearance to it. If there are any areas where you missed or you added too much wax take a micro fiber towel and your hands and rub hard until the excess wax comes off. You might also get some little spots of balled up wax from applying too much wax, and these little wax specks can be removed with the quick detailing spray. Make sure to get all of it off as excess wax that is allowed to sit for a while will turn white and be very noticeable. If you get streaks or a permanent haze you cannot remove take a 50/50 mixture of running alcohol and water and spray that on until you can get it off. Make sure to get off the excess before another coat of wax or polish, as more waxes will just compound the problem. Next take your "finishing rag" it's called (preferably a micro fiber towel or cotton towel) and go over the surface again, buffing any little spots up and generally giving the paint a final once over.
Now move on to the wheels. Look for a spray aerosol tire cleaner foam (once again the brand formulas are all so similar it doesn't really matter what brand, when in doubt you cannot go wrong with meguairs) and spray this onto the tires following the instructions and let the foam sit while it cleans off the rubber in the sidewalls of the tires (for trucks you can also spray it on the inside of large noticeable wheel wells). Be careful not to get too much spray on the ground as it will leave marks on your driveway as it is a type of oil. Do not spray the tire treads! The foam will dissipate leaving a nice black wet shined tired. Take a sponge or cloth and wipe off the excess around the wheel. Now take a spray tire dressing and be ready with a towel so it does not drip or get sprayed on to your clean dry rims, and wipe the dressing around the sidewalls for a long lasting rich black shine.
If you have chrome trim on the outside shine it up with the same method as before, or plastic trimming or bumpers use either the interior plastic shine or tire dressing. Be careful not to get fingerprints all over the paint.
Next take some Windex, no need for fancy auto glass cleaners (although aerosol auto glass cleaners do work nicely) and clean off your headlights and the inside and outside of your windows and windscreens. I like to apply it with a paper towel and wipe dry with a micro fiber towel for a streak free shine. If you want to apply a windshield wax or RainX, mist it lightly and use paper towels to wipe it off. Use an up and down motion on your windshield as streaks will be visible, and cannot be gotten rid off. But they are only noticeable at night and well worth the great visibility in rainstorms. I highly recommend RainX, or RainX windshield washer fluid for the winter.
Give your car a once over, dry door jams etc, put the mats back in. I prefer the smell of fresh chemicals for the scent, but if you are someone that likes to "add" a fresh scent to your car go ahead, but a better alternative to cheap sprays and hanging things is to take a dryer sheet and hide it in your visor or under your seat for a nice fresh smell that lasts for about a month. And, there you have it, a basic detail job. Done properly you can make a car with 150,000 miles look brand new.
I will continue to add to this like I said, and clear things up and answer any questions anyone might have. I will also clean it up a little bit and make it more organized as soon as I get the chance, I just wanted to get this done as a few have been inquiring to when I was going to finish. Pictures and more "advanced" sections will come soon.
Trust me it is worth the time and effort to make your car look awesome, and nothing beats the satisfaction of knowing you did all that by yourself. I still get the warm tingly feeling today.
Good Luck and I am here to help!
-Scott