🧼 HOW TO PERFORM A GOOD EXTERIOR CLEANING 🧼
The dream of any good Detailing lover is a complete, quality and effective vehicle cleaning .
In this blog we are going to explain what types of cleaning exist, which one best suits your needs and small tips and mistakes that you should avoid if you want to have the “Good Detailer” card.
1. TYPES OF EXTERIOR CLEANING
There are infinite types of cleaning, but here we are going to summarize the 3 main types of cleaning with their pros ✅ and cons ❌ so that you can decide which one best suits what you are looking for based on the time, quality, amount of dirt and money you want to spend.
1️⃣ Car wash: Car washes have more cons than pros, but we can recommend this type of cleaning on a very specific basis if you have little time ⏰, you don't want to spend a lot of money 💸 and you are not a big fan of cleaning your bodywork ⛔.
✅ The obvious advantages of a car wash are the short time it takes, the convenience of not having to get out of the car, and the low cost of the car wash.
❌ Even so, one of the biggest cons of this type of cleaning is the maintenance of the rollers and installations themselves: if they are not well maintained, the bristles can become abrasive and destroy your paint👎🏻. Also, say goodbye to your headlight domes, antenna, mirrors and windshield wipers, and your rims will be one of the most forgotten parts in this cleaning, so we cannot recommend using them very continuously.
2️⃣ Dry cleaning: Dry cleaning has many advantages and we can recommend it if you don't have a lot of accumulated dirt, you want to save water and you want to focus on cleaning and caring for the bodywork by cleaning and polishing it ✨
✅ The best advice we can give you for this type of cleaning is that the product you use is a specific Dry Cleaner and contains carnauba wax: it divides the dirt into particles, separates them from the bodywork, and the carnauba wax encapsulates them, preventing the dirt from being dragged and scratches from being created.
❌ However, not everything was going to be good news, because not all products are suitable for carrying out these cleanings, and by not using water and applying the product directly on the dirt, there is always the risk of creating the famous "swirls" in your paint 🚩, so it is not a cleaning that can be recommended to everyone.
3️⃣ Manual cleaning with water: You can do this cleaning at home if you have the option or at your trusted car wash. This is the ideal cleaning if you like to spend time cleaning your vehicle and want a specific and quality cleaning.
✅ The advantages are countless compared to the previous types of washing: you can reach every corner of your vehicle, do a specific cleaning, combine shampoos with dry products, etc.
❌ Although we tell you the good things, it also has its cons like everything else: it uses more water than other cleaning products 💦, you will have to invest time in doing it ⏰ and money in quality products 💸, but rest assured, because in the end, cheap things end up being expensive.
2. TIPS
👉🏻 Use washing shampoos: We will always recommend that if you are not a big fan of cleaning your car, the ideal is to soften all that accumulated dirt and dust with an Active Wash Shampoo with a pressure gun or a manual pH Neutral Shampoo 🧼
👉🏻 Use a glass cleaner: When we clean the bodywork, marks often leave their marks on the windows. To avoid this, use a specific glass cleaner for the area after your exterior cleaning.
👉🏻 Don't forget the rims: Whenever we go to the car wash to do our Sunday Detailing routine, we remember that we haven't cleaned the rims when we get home. To clean them, use a Ferric Rim Decontaminant or a specific cleaner for this area, depending on the amount of dust, grease and brake pads they have.
👉🏻 Finish the job: It is not mandatory, but it would be a nice touch to leave your bodywork looking like new with a Body Gloss Enhancer or a specific wax for it.
👉🏻 Don't let it happen again: To keep your car spotless without having to go back to the car wash in a few weeks, protect your bodywork and windows with a Water and Dust Repellent 💦. This will prevent water marks and dirt buildup on both the bodywork and windows.
3. ERRORS
⛔ Don't do it once in a thousand: Try not to let too much dirt accumulate , this way you will avoid the next cleaning being much faster, more effective and less of a chore.
⛔ From top to bottom: It is very important that you think about the order in which you use the products before you get started and always use the washing shampoos from top to bottom to prevent the dirt that you have not yet removed from falling into the clean area.
⛔ Dry the car: Never forget to dry the drops after your cleaning routine, both on the bodywork and on the windows, to avoid leaving water marks.
⛔ Do not apply hot products: First commandment of a good Detailer: Never use your products in the sun or on a hot surface 🚩 so that they do not dry out once applied and create a mess.
We know we've given you a lot of information 🤯, but in this week's blog we've laid out some of the dozens of options so you can choose the one that best suits your tastes and the time you can dedicate to the wonderful and complicated world of Detailing.
In addition, here is a video so you can see our tricks in action.