One of the recurring questions we get from potential customers is ‘What is car detailing?’ or ‘How to detail a car?’. In a nutshell, professional auto detailing services goes beyond the usual wash and rinse that anyone can do in the comfort of their garage. It is about investing a little extra to restore the premium look of your ride like it’s straight out of the dealership.
Car detailing is all about showing your ride some TLC. It’s the difference between a morning facial scrub and taking the day off to treat yourself at the local spa. While both options fall under skincare routine, the results between the two differ like night and day.
So,
What is car detailing?
Car detail services involve a deep cleaning of your car to remove all sorts of marks and stains. The detailing expert then inspects the entire car fixing minor issues like chipped paint, swirl marks, and so on.
How much detail a car is determined after a prior full inspection of the vehicle. Afterward, the auto detailing crew can decide on the services to offer. Normally, these services fall under the following categories;
- Exterior detail services
- Interior car detailing
- Paint refinement
- Mold remediation
- Water extraction
- odor control
- trim restoration
- Rim protection
Exterior detailing services
Exterior car detailing is the first step of auto detailing your car. Here the detailing experts give your car a good old wash with nothing but a wash mitt and soapy water. Some modern car detailing centres in Newport News have automatic car washing equipment to speed up the process.
Once your car has received a good amount of soak, the detailing experts then check for stubborn stains like bug residue, trunk jambs, and road grime. Starting at the top, they will scrub your car with nothing but a clay bar and special chemicals.
When all the stains are lifted, your car then goes through a thorough rinse before drying the surface with a microfiber towel.
Interior car detailing
Interior car detailing involves giving the inside of your car the same love given to the exterior. Most car detailing businesses would offer various interior detailing services to suit the customer’s needs.
For instance, the basic interior detail package may suit newly-bought cars or cars that do not have stubborn stains to remove. A quick vacuuming of carpets, seats, and floor mat will suffice. The detailing expert will also wipe the interior- cup holders, middle consoles, and all plastics- and clean the windows. Some car detailing service centers will throw in an extra perk like detailing door jambs.
Then there is the advanced interior detail package that involves thorough interior cleaning starting at the top to the floor mats. Besides wiping all the plastics inside, the detailing expert will also comb through the nooks and crannies with a microfiber cloth.
All cracks and craves are cleaned and the middle console of the car gates a mini-facelift. The detailing team will also perform a deep steam cleaning of cloth seats, carpets, and floor mats. As a bonus, the interior plastics are treated with a special non-greasy conditioner that protects the surface from UV damage. This conditioner hydrates and revamps the look of your interior vinyl as well.
Cars with a leather interior require a special leather cleaner to remove stubborn stains and recondition the leather. Your car’s interior also gets shampooed which leaves it smelling fresh and new.
Paint refinement car detailing
Paint refinement car detailing or paint correction and restoration involves getting rid of scratches, stains, and imperfections on your existing paint job. The level of paint correction required depends on the condition of your car’s existing paint job.
Basic paint correction involves removing small to medium imperfections on a car’s body. A detailing expert may use a clay bat and a clay sponge to remove impurities that are contaminating the car’s paint. In addition, a tool known as a fallout remover is used to get rid of chemical contaminants such as iron particles.
Once the painted surface is cleaned, it must be sterilized with Isopropyl alcohol or what car detailers refer to as an IPA wipe down. After sterilization, the auto detailers will apply a fresh coat of paint to seal the imperfection and then buff the surface to match the rest of the paintwork.
If your paintwork is severely damaged, an auto detailer may have to work on a section at a time to give your car a better-than-new look.
Mold remediation
Mold not only damages your leather and cloth seats, but it also leaves a bad odor and can cause health problems. Mold remediation is necessary for cars that have evident mold, mildew, or bacterial growth.
Car detailing centers use a special solvent to kill mold, mildew, and bacteria in your car. This process may take longer to ensure mold, mildew, and bacteria are removed from your cloth or leather interior. Part of the process is inspecting and cleaning air vents and replacing cabin filters for a complete mold-free ride.
Water extraction
As the name suggests, this process involves inspecting your car for signs of water damage and then fixing the leaks before they cause more damage. Existing moisture is what causes mold and mildew in your car interior, and a professional car detailer can help fix that. Water restoration may be as simple as replacing leaky window seals to performing a complete roofing overhaul. Call a car detailing expert to find out more about water extraction services.
Odor control
A bad smell in your car may be caused by mold, dirty seats, or musty air coming from your air vents. Part of odor control also involves getting rid of lingering smells from cigarette smoke or contaminated air coming from AC filters clogged with dust and debris. Most car detailing services also provide scent boosters as part of their odor control package.
Trim restoration
Parts of your car exterior will fade over time due to constant exposure to harsh weather conditions. For instance, continuous exposure to UV rays can cause your existing paint job to fade. It is also the reason why your headlights end up being foggy and affecting visibility, especially at night.
Trim restoration involves fixing those worn-out or aged areas in your car’s exterior. It will involve polishing the outside rubber trim and plastic to make them look good as new. A good trim restoration service will have your car looking fresh and glossy for years.
Rim protection
Rims wear out, get tough stains or get damage from curbs and potholes. Part of rim protection is cleaning your rims with a special wheel cleaner to remove stubborn stains. Damaged rims can be replaced with new ones, then a special rim protector is installed between rim and tire for added protection and aesthetics.
Why Choose Just In Detail?
If you have been searching for professional car detailing near me in Newport News, you are in the right place. At Just In Detail, we take car detail services seriously and we will not stop until your car looks better than new. We provide both interior and exterior services to car owners in Newport News and the rest of South Eastern Virginia.
We also do professional paint refinement car detailing, mold remediation, and water extraction. Call us today if you need car detailing services like odor control, trim restoration, and rim protection as well.
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