Australian Mechanical

What Is Car Detailing

Why do we wash our car? That’s an easy one – to clean it! Washing your car gets off any dirt and grime that’s accumulated from its time on the road and can be done at home with some pretty simple and cheap equipment. If that’s the case, then what is detailing and why is it so highly regarded when I could just wash my car? Find out how and why detailing your car can completely transform and protect it, making it look straight out of the factory showroom again.

What Is Car Detailing?

Car detailing encompasses many different services, but they all aim to do one thing: Make your car look and feel brand new. While washing a car can remove most of the surface dirt and grime, detailers work to deeply clean the car inside and out, correct paint at a microscopic level, and protect paint and interior parts with wax and sealants. Learn more about each step:

1. Cleaning

The first step when detailing is to clean the car. Washing the car with soap and water prepares the car for any additional detailing steps (such as paint correction and protection)

A car clean often includes;

  • Washing the car with soap and water
  • The use of additional products to deeply clean wheels of brake dust, exhausts of soot etc.
  • Drying the car with an appropriate cloth (like a shammy or specialised microfibre)

2. Correction

Over time, paint begins to change shape at a microscopic level, leaving it looking tired and dull. Paint correction works to ensure the paint is level and any imperfections (such as swirls and cleaning marks) are removed. A mixture of specialised polishing machines and old fashioned arm work is used to eliminate defects from the painted surface of a vehicle. Different stages of polishing are often required to remove all paint marks, moving from harsher polishes to much less abrasive ones. The harsher abrasives remove the deeper scratches, with the softer ones polish the paint to a shine

Paint correction commonly involves:

  • Removal of old wax and sealants (usually with a clay bar)
  • Removal of minor scratches
  • Removal of swirl marks
  • Removal of stains or etching caused by bird/bat droppings, tree sap etc.
  • Removal of calcium deposits (water spots)

3. Protection

Once the car has been cleaned and polished, it’s important to apply a layer of protection to keep the paintwork from being damaged. Waxes, sealants, ceramic coating and sometimes even specialised clear wraps are used, acting as an exterior layer of protection that helps your car stay protected from the elements, stone chips, dirt etc.

4. Interior

Car detailing doesn’t just stop at the outside of the vehicle. We should also be able to enjoy driving the vehicle as much as we enjoy looking at it. Detailers use a myriad of techniques to deeply clean the interior of your car, restoring it to its former glory and protecting it – similarly to your car’s exterior. This leaves your car’s interior looking, feeling and smelling amazing while also protecting it from future wear and tear.

Interior detailing often includes:

  • Vacuuming the interior
  • Using compressed air to remove trapped dirt
  • Using brushes to remove scuff marks on different surfaces
  • Deeply cleaning leather, cloth and carpet with shampoo
  • Removing deep grime with specialised detailing compounds
  • Polishing interior components
  • Apply protective compounds
  • Making sure the interior windows are smudge and stain free

Car Detailing Vs Car Washing?

Car washing is a very important part of owning and caring for a car – however it’s only the first step when detailing a car. Detailing encompasses so much more including polishing, correcting and protecting your car’s paint and interior components. Professional detailers leverage years of experience to determine how best to bring your car’s faded look back to life with the use of high pressure water cleaners, specialised polishing machines, different cutting compounds, different polishing pads, waxes, sealants, cleaning agents and much more.

Car Detailing In Brisbane

If you’re looking to give your car a new visual lease on life, or maybe you’re just looking to spruce it up before you put it up for sale, get into contact with Australian Mechanical today! Give us a call on 07 3356 1538 to book your car in or to talk with a member of our friendly service staff. Alternatively, fill out our online contact form and we’ll get back to you shortly with more information.

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