How Car Detailing Differs to Car Washing?
Car detailing is an intensive procedure, and this is what sets it apart from regular car wash.
What is Car Detailing?
Think of car detailing as a deep-clean. While a car wash would mostly focus on the dirt on the exterior of your car, a car detailing takes it several notches deeper. Car detailing involves professional cleaning of the exterior and interior parts to make it squeaky clean and as good as new. Looking for the right detailing car wash near you? You can visit Review sites like ReviewsBird USA for reviews on automobiles to help you decide.
One can also tell that detailing and washing are miles apart when considering the tools used for both. While a car wash might only require a hose, rag, and detergent, a car detailer would need specialized tools like a steamer, vacuum, and a pressure washer to get into all the nook and cranny of your car.
Given the attention that car detailers pay to your car, it shouldn't come as a surprise that detailing costs more than car washing. But that shouldn't be a deterrent as car detailing needs to be done as a periodic activity. You can do it at your convenience too. Some detailing companies now offer mobile car detailing. (Is mobile car detailing a good idea? Check out reviews).
You don't need to be The Transporter to care for your car. Cars contribute to our appearance, and appearance is social capital. Like a wise man said, show me your car, and I'll tell you who you are.
This article will look at car detailing services and their importance. Now, to the details:
Car Detailing Services
Detail companies use similar tools, but their standard operating procedures may differ like all organizations. Nonetheless, all of them still render the same services. Looking for a detailing company? Check out car services reviews from a trusted review site like ReviewsBird.
Exterior Car Detailing Services
Not everybody is going to get a chance to hop into your car for a ride (even if it's a taxi), so most of the opinions they would form about the state of your car would be based on how the exterior looks. Car detailers realize this, and they pay special attention to the outward look of your car. They would work on the windshield, wheels, and rims of your car.
Exterior car detailing involves four major processes:
i. Washing and Drying
Washing the exterior of a car is a two-step process. The first involves using a high-powered pressure washer to flush all the dirt and contaminants on the surface of your car. The washer's intensity and the hose's flexibility would ensure that nearly all parts of your car get clean. But this is only half the job. The next step is thorough hand washing of the car targeting the places the washer may have missed. Now the detailer would wash all those little places that the hose may have missed. After washing, then your car will be wiped dry.
ii. Claying
No, this doesn't mean getting mud on your car. After the first step, the detailer would use a clay bar to erase all the residues (for instance, soap scum) that may still be on its surface. Claying also prepares the car's exterior for the next process.
iii. Polishing
Over time, your car will lose some of its sparkles. Cars may be machines, but that's the number one rule of nature. Consider car detailing to be a rebellion against nature. After claying, the detailer expertly restores the car's shine by coating it in its original paint. Polishing will have your car looking clean and as sparkly as new.
iv. Sealing or Waxing
You want your car to maintain its new shine after the polishing. Car detailers know this too. The last step on the exterior detailing is to cover the car with a sealant to protect the car's gloss.
Interior Car Detailing Services
For many people, car maintenance ends with the exterior. But you'll make a good impression if the insides of your car are also as neat as the outsides. This is one major difference between car detailing and car washing. Most car washes focus on just the exterior of the car. As with exterior car detailing, interior car detailing covers multiple processes.
i. Vacuuming
Sweat and dirty shoe soles can mess up the interior of your car. If you've got kids, there's a chance that they may have littered the car with cookie crumbs at some point. The first step in interior car detailing is to remove all that mess by vacuuming. You can shop online for vacuums for car detailing if you would rather do this task yourself.
ii. Brushing
It's not just cookie crumbs — sometimes, your kids may also spill juice on your car seat. Let's not even put all the blame on your kids — sometimes, you could eat takeout in your car and mess the seats up. The detailer will thoroughly scrub the seats of all the blemishes. Detailers would often do this with minimal or no liquid wash to ensure that the rugs and seats dry faster.
iii. Wiping
After brushing, the detailer narrows his focus on surfaces like the dashboard and the stereo and wipes them to ensure that the insides of your car look just like they did the first time you parked your ride in driveway factory-fresh!
iv. Perfuming
Car detailing is a wholesome procedure that goes beyond just appearance.
Detailers would spray perfume in your car to give it that clean, fresh fragrance of newness.
These are the major services that car detailers. However, some detailing car washes offer additional services upon request. Some of those services include:
i. Ceramic Coating
Car detailing companies may coat the exterior of your car with a liquid polymer to protect its paint. Now you may be wondering if this is not the same as the waxing discussed earlier, but the ceramic coating is of a higher level. Cars coated this way may retain their paint throughout their lifespan.
ii. Application of Paint Protection Film
Like ceramic coating, PPF serves to protect the paint. Unlike ceramic coating that only protects the paint's gloss, PPF is a tiny film protecting the car's paintwork from minor scratches and mineral deposits.
iii. Paint Correction
Are there errors in your car's paintwork? Car detailers can also handle this.
Why Car Detailing is Important
You must already know what car detailing is, but why is it important? Some might ask why not just wash my car regularly and ignore car detailing. Well, car washing is admirable, and detailing doesn't mean you shouldn't wash the car. There are, however, benefits that one can only enjoy by detailing. Let's look at some of them:
i. Long-lasting Car Gloss
Car washing may remove dirt from your car, but regular car washing may also reduce the shine of your car, especially if done inexpertly or with harsh chemicals. More attention is placed on keeping the car as close as possible with car detailing. So, car detailers use the right cleansing agents and polish the car's surface if it has lost its sparkle.
ii. Higher Resale Value
You might want to sell your car off at some point. While car detailing might have little effect on a car's engine performance, a good appearance would swing more cash your way. It's called pretty privilege in popular culture, but it's detailing privilege here.
iii. Healthier Car
A damp, dark place is a haven for microbes. And cars have an abundance of such nooks. Your car's ventilation system is an excellent habitat for microbial multiplication. So, every time you turn on your AC, you put yourself at risk of infection if your car isn't in tip-top condition. You want the air in your car as fresh and as clean as possible. Detailers can reach into all of those nooks and improve not just your car's health but yours too.
iv. The Edge of a Professional
You can make a statement with the car you drive. People are more courteous and receptive to clean professionals. It is important to make a good first impression in the corporate world. And a squeaky-clean carriage gives you a good shot at that.
How Much Does a Car Detailing Cost?
There's no consistent price for car detailing as many factors affect its cost. The size of the vehicle can make a huge difference in the cost. How frequently do you intend to use this car service? It would cut costs to sign up for long-term servicing. Also, would special services like ceramic coating be required? A self service car wash might also save expenses. All these factors can significantly affect the cost of car detailing. But what should you expect, and what should you set as a budget for a basic car detailing service? The average cost for a medium-sized car is around $125 mark and $160 for an SUV.
How Long Does a Car Detailing Take?
Like the price, the duration of a detailing service is dependent on the state of the car. Newer, well-maintained cars would undoubtedly be faster. The size and detailing required are other factors that can affect the duration. However, the quickest detailing should take around 90 mins. This can significantly increase to up to 2 days if you want ceramic coating on your car.
Car detailing can give your car a whole new feel. The advantages of a clean, glossy, and hygienic car are numerous to mention. So, what are you waiting for? Don't you need your car detailed?
