What is Car Detailing?

You may have heard the term “car detailing” around Chatham, but may not know exactly what it means. So what is car detailing? As the name suggests, it’s a thorough cleaning and restoration of your car’s interior and exterior, going further than a typical car wash and removing any scratches or blemishes on your vehicle. You can either bring your Dodge to our service center to have a team of technicians take care of your detailing, or you can DIY it from home! Just follow the guide below to learn how to detail a car.

How to Detail a Car: Supplies

First, be sure the weather around Rochester is nice and you have an hour or two of free time on your hands! Then, collect the following supplies. If you’re short on some items, you can find them in most hardware stores or via our parts department.

• A variety of small brushes (such as a paintbrush)
• Canned air
• Car-safe cleaner
• Carpet stain cleaner
• Microfiber cloths
• Surface protector for vinyl and leather surfaces
• Upholstery cleaner
• Vacuum cleaner
• Washing mitts
• Window cleaner

Interior Car Detailing Steps

Let’s start with detailing the inside of your car, although it doesn’t really matter what order you do the detailing in. Here are the most important parts of your car’s interior to focus on:

• Steering wheel column: Use a cloth and cleaning solution to wipe down the steering wheel column – the cloth will remove dust and the cleaning solution will remove stains. When you’re done, apply a surface protectant.
• Dashboard and center console: Clean out the cracks and crevices in your dashboard and center console using cleaning solution and your small brushes. Afterwards, use a cloth to dry everything completely.
• Door interior: Use a solution made of soap and water to clean out the non-carpeted part of your Dodge’s doors, including the metal and plastic part of the door jambs. Dry everything down with a cloth when you’re done.
• Windows: Use a window-cleaning solution to wash the mirrors and windows, then dry completely to avoid streaks.
• Upholstery: A thorough cleaning of your car’s upholstery includes vacuuming the seats and running a stain remover and a brush over any stains on the seats. When you’re done, be sure to open your car doors to let the upholstery dry without letting mildew form.
• Carpeting: First, remove your floor mats and vacuum the interior carpeting, then use a stain remover on any stains you find on the carpet or floor mats.

Exterior Car Detailing Steps

Your car picks up lots of dust and debris the longer you drive it, and exterior detailing will make it shine on your next trip! Just follow these steps:

• Exterior wash: This is a similar process to a regular car wash. Use water, washing solution, and microfiber cloths to rigorously clean the body of your car, continually swapping out cloths to avoid building up dirt and debris. Be sure to only use car-safe washing solutions rather than household detergents, which can strip the wax from your vehicle. When you’re done, completely dry your vehicle with a cloth to avoid streaking.
• Clean the wheels: Use the same solution that you used for your car’s exterior to wash the wheels; you can also use a wheel-specific solution. Pay special attention to those hard-to-reach places like the wheels’ grooves.
• Wax the exterior: Use a wax pad to wax your car’s exterior, using small circular motions with a thin layer of wax. Make sure you do this step only after the exterior is totally dry.

Discover Other Service Tips with Green Dodge!

If you’d rather get your car detailed by professionals, don’t hesitate to bring your Dodge by our service center, right near Decatur! You can always contact our office for information about car detailing prices, or if you have any questions about the DIY detailing process. And don’t forget to check out our service specials if you’re looking to save on your next service appointment!