Exterior detailing
This is how exterior cleaning of car detailing is done
Professional car detailing involves a whole series of work steps in and on the vehicle and has the aim of returning the car as close as possible to its factory-new condition in terms of appearance. It is therefore obvious that the main focus must be on the exterior cleaning. A brilliantly shining paint coat, jet-black tyres and streak-free clean windows convey a well-kept impression and please the vehicle owner as well as potential buyers.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the steps involved in professional car detailing and the products that play a role in this process. The sequence plays only a subordinate role. It is much more important that in the end you get back a vehicle that stands out from afar with its cleanliness and brilliant appearance.
Thorough hand wash including high-pressure cleaning
Although most commercial providers of car detailing always start with thorough pre-cleaning, which removes the coarse dirt, thorough washing should not be dispensed with in subsequent exterior cleaning either. Usually, a high-pressure cleaner is used here, which has been provided with an appropriate cleaning agent. For washing by hand, we recommend using car shampoo, which removes dirt and also dissolves stubborn stains.
Hand washing also has the advantage that conspicuous dirt can be identified and specifically removed by expert personnel. After this step, your car is in principle already as clean as after a conventional trip to the car wash. However, a number of detailed steps still follow in the course of car detailing.
Rim cleaning and rim sealing
The rims are often very important for the appearance of a vehicle. It is not for nothing that there are so many different high-quality rims made of steel, aluminium or chrome, although the actual function of the rim is very simple. But aesthetics also play a major role. This is also known to the providers of car detailing, who pay special attention to each rim.
The usual road dirt is loosened with a special rim cleaner and then sprayed off with a high-pressure jet. If necessary, the rims have to be wiped manually in one or two places if particularly stubborn dirt has gotten stuck in the rim. After drying, the rims are then sealed with a rim polish to protect them from grit abrasion and the weather in the future.
Removing tar, insects and film rust
There are very specific types of dirt on vehicles that can often only be tackled with a specific cleaner. These include tar stains, bitumen, insect carcasses and, last but not least, film rust. If these contaminations have not already been removed by pre-cleaning or the shampoo wash, the car detailer must use other aids. For example, there is tar remover, insect remover and film rust remover, which can be used to get rid of stubborn stains. Of course, it is always important not to damage the underlying material. Especially on painted surfaces you should be very careful and not work with too much pressure. However, the special cleaners help avoid too much mechanical action thanks to their formula, which is tailored to the type of soiling.
Polishing and sealing the vehicle
If the vehicle is clean and pure on the outside, this is by no means enough for a car preparation by a professional. The paintwork in particular needs to be protected and deserves careful treatment with a paint cleaner, polish and sealing wax. To remove minor scratches and weathering, the professional likes to use an intensive abrasive polish.
This highly abrasive paste effectively removes blemishes from the paintwork and the familiar grey haze that has settled over the paintwork, especially on older vehicles. Subsequently, the effect is preserved with a sanding polish finish or a similar sealant and at the same time, a protective film is created which is not easily penetrated by wind and weather. An important effect of this procedure is also the special shine, which clearly upgrades each car also optically.
-
- aussenreinigung-politur-04
Full deep gloss with machine polish
In addition to manual polishing, many suppliers use so-called machine polishing, i.e., they polish the vehicles with the aid of special polishing machines. These distribute the abrasive paste through rotating or orbital movements, sometimes at very high speeds. With these machines, impressive results can often be achieved during car detailing, as all defects and irregularities can be removed from the paintwork by machine polishing.
However, the use of such equipment requires some experience and should be reserved to professionals. The high rotational speeds in combination with the abrasive paste can generate very high temperatures, which can damage the paintwork if used inexpertly. Therefore, leave the machine polishing to the professional providers for car detailing.
Cleaning and sealing plastic and rubber
Although the paint coat makes up the largest area of a vehicle, not all parts visible from the outside are painted. There are also plastic and rubber parts that need special care as well, and of course they receive it with good car detailing. Professionals use a special cleaner for plastic parts such as door sills, bumpers or side mirrors, which on the one hand cleans effectively, but at the same time does not attack the material but protects it from future contamination.
With such premium plastic care, even the unpainted parts look like new. Rubber seals and other small parts made of rubber or with rubberised covers – such as windshield wipers – should not be forgotten. A rubber cleaner is often used here, sometimes also a combined product for rubber and plastic care.
Tyre care: for a rich black
Shiny rims look all the more impressive when the tyres also feature a rich solid black. This can be achieved with the help of tyre foam. This not only cleans the tyres, but also provides them with a protective film and gives them lasting care. Tyre foam also prevents the tyres from fading and prevents both cracking and embrittlement.
The special formula also protects against UV radiation and weathering effects, and almost incidentally provides the rich black that gives the tyres a great visual effect in combination with the rim and paint. Your tyres will look like new when you leave your car in the hands of real professionals who will use the appropriate cleaners to bring this part of the vehicle back to its best.
Window cleaning: A clear view even from the outside
If you want to drive safely and comfortably, you need the right view. Clean windows without streaks are a basic requirement for driving without reflected light and blurred fields of vision. During a car wash, all windows are cleaned with the help of a high-quality window cleaner. This removes dust and dirt and ensures a clear view again.
Professional windscreen cleaners do not leave streaks and stripes. Instead, special ingredients ensure that rain and spray water can run off better and that you can continue to drive safely in the future. The same cleaners are of course also suitable for the exterior mirrors, which should also always be clean in terms of road safety, but also in terms of a radiant appearance. For a long-term clear view, we recommend our windscreen cleaner 1:100.
High-quality sealing of the paintwork
The care of the paintwork plays a very important role in car preparation. That is why many detailers offer additional services to seal the paintwork to an even higher standard. There is a whole range of products on the subject of sealing. A deep-gloss sealant, for example, provides a particularly long-lasting and rich deep gloss that is very suitable for most paintwork.
A wax-based spray sealant, on the other hand, focuses on a radiant and brilliant finish and is even suitable for smooth, unpainted surfaces. Depending on the type of paint and paint colour, certain products may be more suitable. However, when in doubt, trust the professional. Car detailers are professionals who know how to help your vehicle achieve maximum radiance too.
Have we gotten your interest?
Then we look forward to hearing from you via our contact form or by telephone on 0800 2272 622. If you are further interested in our car preparation products, please feel free to take a look at our product range.