A Guide for DIYers

If you’re looking for a new hobby, or just want to do something productive on your day off, car detailing might be the perfect way to spend some time. You can save money and learn more about cars in the process!

Mobile Car Detailing will share with you what professionals know when it comes to how they detail your car. We’ll also give you tips for doing it yourself so that if you decide not to hire someone else, you can still get professional results at home.

After you’ve washed your car, the first thing a professional detailer does is to apply some sort of clay bar . With this step they remove all impurities and contaminants from the paint that haven’t been removed by washing alone. If you do not have access to or don’t want to use a clay bar at home, we recommend that you wash your car again before applying any waxes or polishes (more on those later). While most people consider claying optional , if done correctly it can make the next steps much more effective.

Next up is removing any swirls and scratches with machine polishing . This should always be followed up by hand-polishing as otherwise there might still be hairline swirls left behind.

If you are looking to do car detailing yourself, you should probably be aware that there are different types of polishing machines suitable for different purposes . The most advanced ones can remove up to 1500 grit sanding marks. If the paint on your vehicle does not need this much correction, an orbital buffer with a polishing pad will suffice. Those devices use counter-rotating pads and reduce the risk of burning through the clear coat significantly compared to rotary buffers , which apply more torque when turned. Make sure that any equipment made for auto detailing is also safe for gel coats before using it!