Detailing the Car at a Sterling Body Shop

Anyone can just wash a car, but take it to a Sterling body shop to get it detailed. What is detailing? Detailing is, well, paying close attention to the details. It is more time consuming and thorough, but worth it.

Where Do You Start?

The Interior

Remove floor mats and everything that can come out. Vacuum everything. Move the seats back and forth to clean every inch of floor.

Clean any stains with a foam cleanser and a damp cloth or sponge. Let the cleaner sit, then blot. Do your best to remove all moisture. Any damp material could cause mold or mildew.

Wash and dry mats.

Use compressed air and detailing brushes to clean all crevices, buttons, and tight spaces.
Wipe all hard interior with a car cleaner like Armor-all and a cloth.

Depending on the type of seats, either clean or shampoo. Different types of seats need different kind of care.

Cloth interiors: Shampoo nylon or other types of cloth and use a wet-vac. Again, be careful to make sure the material is as dry as possible.

Leather or vinyl: These materials require a vinyl or leather cleaner and the use of a leather brush. Wipe the residual cleaner away with a microfiber towel to complete. For leather, make sure to condition them. This helps prevent them from drying out.

Use glass cleaner on all glass.
Use a microfiber cloth for all washing and wiping. If you don’t have microfiber, make sure whatever you use is lint-free.

The Exterior

Grab a wheel brush and get the rims clean with a degreaser or wheel cleaner. You may need to let the cleaner sit, as the wheel rims can get quite filthy with grease and dirt.

Only used acid-based cleaners on rough-textured alloy wheels. Don’t use on polished alloy or clear coated wheels.

Wash the tires using a whitewall tire cleaner.

Spray the engine with degreaser. Make sure to cover all electric parts. Finish with a blast from a pressure washer.
Clean the exterior with a car wash soap. Don’t use dish detergent it can strip the paint and speed up the oxidation process. Get two buckets one with the soap, the other just water. After wiping the car rinse the sponge in the clean water. This will help keep the soapy water clean.

Remove sticky tough globs with a liquid clay bar. A traditional clay bar can be used, but the liquid version is quicker.
If you apply polish and wax, remove the polish first. Do this by hand, leave the rotary buffers to the pros. Wa protects the paint, polish gives it the shine.

If You Want the Best, Find a Sterling Body Shop

Detailing your own car can be rewarding. It feels great to look at your gorgeous car knowing that you made that happen. With that being said, there are some elements of detailing where the experts can make your car look that much more impressive. If you want to turn heads without using your hose, consider a Sterling Body Shop.