When it comes to your car, you have probably invested a lot of money into it and we are not only talking about the price you paid when you bought it. This is one of the reasons why you’ll want to ensure that you are doing everything well, but, a lot of people overlook one crucial thing – detailing it properly.
If you are thinking about detailing your car by yourself, you are probably wondering – are there some mistakes that I must avoid? To put it simply, there are, and this is exactly what we will be talking about in this article today. Let’s take a closer look at the 8 mistakes you must avoid making:
1. Washing it When it is Too Hot Outside
One of the first things that you must remember is to never wash your vehicle when it is too hot outside or when the vehicle itself is too hot. Why? Well, for starters it is quite bad for the finish of your car and additionally, it makes the entire process more difficult and complex.
As you already know, soap and water dry extremely fast when exposed to the sun or when they are applied to a hot surface, hence, you’ll probably get a lot of water sports that you’ll have to clean. If there is a situation where you need to wash your car in these conditions, ensure that the surface is cool enough, which you can do by applying cold water to it.
2. Using a Dry Towel For Removing Excess Dirt After a Wash
If you choose to remove any excess dirt after you wash your car, all you’ll do is grin the dirt into the paint. Additionally, if you do this, you will increase the chances of you scratching the surface of paint, which can only create more problems for you. Also, you might want to consider avoiding a squeegee since it can pick up and drag the dirt all over your vehicle.
3. Applying Wax or Polish Directly On The Surface
Never, I repeat, never pour any liquid polish or wax directly on the surface. Why? If you do so, it might lead to uneven and dark streaks all over your car, which is something you’ll want to avoid at all costs. Instead, you should choose to pour these substances in a container or directly on the applicator.
Now, if you are unsure about dealing with waxes and polishes by yourself, there are various companies such as www.Shiny.ca that can help you with mobile car detailing, car detailing, and mobile car wash, which means that you can simply call them and get your vehicle detailed in no time.
4. Using Solvent-Based Protectants
One of the things that you should definitely avoid using is solvent-based rubber and tire protectants. This is why you’ll want to check the rubber cleaning bottle for any chemicals that might damage your vehicle such as petrochemicals, which will surely impact the surface of your tires – which is something that can cause your vehicle to be unsafe.
5. Cleaning The Tires Last
Although you might have been taught that you should clean your car from the top to the bottom, this is not entirely true, especially when it comes to your tires and wheels. Instead, you might want to clean them first since they are always the dirtiest part of the entire vehicle.
If you do so, you’ll be able to save a lot of time and energy since you won’t be splashing grime and dirt on the rest of the surfaces that you just washed. Hence, when you opt for cleaning your car by yourself, ensure that you first clean the tires, and then move on to the rest of the surfaces.
6. Dish Soap = The Worst Thing You Could Use
Although using dish soap is easy, affordable, and convenient, they are not really effective when you are cleaning your car. In fact, they can only damage the surfaces, which is something that you do not want to happen. Dish soap is meant to remove wax and grease, which is exactly what you do not want to remove from your car. It is better to use an all-purpose wash for automobiles.
7. Using Glass Cleaners That Contain Ammonia
If you take a look at your household glass cleaners, you’ll see that the labels usually state that there is ammonia in them. Ammonia won’t only release a pretty bad odor, but, it can easily damage the surface or upholstery if you accidentally spill it. So, for your car, always ensure that there is no ammonia in the glass cleaner you are planning to use.
8. Not Cleaning Your Upholstery Properly
If you’ll take away anything from this article, please ensure that it is that you need to treat your entire upholstery, not only the parts that are dirty and stained. Why should you do this? Well, if you only clean the dirty areas, you’ll end up having an upholstery that looks entirely dirty, even more than it was before you cleaned specific areas.
All of this means that you must pay attention to your entire interior instead of only the surfaces that look bad. There is a wide range of upholstery cleaner solvents and equipment that you can purchase, all of which will evenly and properly clean all the areas that you need to be cleaned.
Bonus Tip – Overwaxing is a Thing
We all want our cars shiny and protected, but, overwaxing is a thing and you must try to avoid it. In most situations, applying two coats is enough. The first coat will provide a foundation and the other one will cover the places you missed during the first time. Keep in mind that you’ll want to allow the first layer to dry properly before applying another one.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a wide range of mistakes that you must avoid doing in order to safely and properly detail your car. But, by avoiding all of the things we mentioned in the list above, you’ll be able to make the entire process easier, less time-consuming, more affordable, and more importantly, less stressful for yourself.
So, now that you know what you need to avoid doing, you should not waste any more of your time. Instead, you might want to make a list of things that you should not do and then try detailing your car in order to see how better it is when you are doing everything properly.