Here at GSF Car Parts, we’re passionate about cars, car detailing, and providing the best car cleaning products. We’ve got products suitable for everyone, from the weekend warriors to the professional.
Detailing is much more than simply giving it a wash and vacuum; it’s a step-by-step process to transform your vehicle back to pristine condition. Our step-by-step guide to car detailing walks you through the process of preparation, cleaning, polishing and protecting your pride and joy.
Car detailing can be a maze, there are a number of different technique and a variety of detailing products on the market, but we’re here to start you off on some of the basics.
For the best results, you will need: - Pressure Washer - Snow Foam Lance - Three Buckets & Grit Guards - Two Wash Mitts - Wheel Brush - Detailing Brushes - Microfibres - Drying Towels
Step 1: Wheels
Always start with the wheels. Your wheels are the dirtiest area of the car so will require a dedicated wheel cleaner. You’ll also need brushes to get to the hard-to-reach areas, and we advise a separate wash mitt and bucket for this process. Soak the wheels in your chosen wheel cleaner, if they’re really dirty you should use an Iron Fall Out Remover to decontaminate your wheels. Take your brush to clean the barrels of the wheels, followed by your dedicated wheel mitt to clean the faces and hard to reach areas.
Use a dedicated tyre cleaner to clean the tyre walls, then hose down.
**Image of wheels** ** Linked Products **
Step 2: Pre-Wash Always use a pre-wash to help remove bugs, grime and road film. We recommend applying this with a pressure sprayer to ensure even coverage. Once the vehicle has been covered, allow sufficient time for the product to work, then rinse.
The next stage of the pre-wash process is to use a Snow Foam via a dedicated Foam Lance. The snow foam will help to break down any stubborn dirt, as well as remove any loose debris and dirt from the vehicle before you physically touch the vehicle. This helps to reduce the likelihood of inflicting damage such as swirl marks.
**Image of snow foamed car** ** Linked Products **
Step 3: Contact Wash
For this step, it’s important to use a good quality shampoo with great lubrication properties, and a deep pile wash mitt which helps pull particles away from the paint. You will need two buckets with grit guards, fill one bucket with your chosen shampoo and water, the other with plain water. Apply your shampoo to the vehicle, working from the top down, and work in small sections such as panel at a time. Frequently rinse the mitt in the bucket of fresh water before moving onto your next panel.
**Image of car being washed** ** Linked Products **
Step 4: Chemical Decontamination The first stage of chemical decontamination is to spray your vehicle with an Iron Fall Out Remover; you can use the same product as you previously used on the wheels. This will dissolve any ferrous contamination that has fused itself to the paint.
Next, use a glue and tar remover to soften any tar that may have stuck to the paint. You may need to retreat stubborn areas a few times to completely remove this.
**Image of fall out remover** ** Linked Products **
Step 5: Drying Always start at the top of your vehicle and work your way down. You should work quickly to avoid water spots and streaks. You should use a good quality drying towel and work through panel by panel, if you want to level up your drying process, you can use a car dryer, which helps reduce the risk of damage. If you spot any water spots or marks, you can used a dedicated water spot remover or quick detailer.
**Image of drying towel** ** Linked Products ** Step 6: Polishing Polishing your vehicle by hand helps remove light defects. Heavy defects will need to be removed using a machine polisher and specialist compounds. In this guide, we will focus on hand polishing. Choose a good quality polish and applicator, a little goes a long way, work in small areas and allow the product to haze, then buff off with a good microfibre cloth. Do not leave the product too long as it’ll be harder to remove.
**Image of polishing** ** Linked Products ** Step 7: Paint Sealant An important step not to be missed. Applying a layer of wax or sealant will help protect your cars paint and your previous hard work. There are many types of products from traditional wax, spray waxes & sealants and ceramic coatings. These products will protect your paintwork against the elements and provide a deep gloss! They also make your next maintenance wash that little bit easier! **Image of sealants** ** Linked Products ** Step 8: Tyre Dressing & Trim To complete the look, it’s time to dress your tyres and trims. A dedicated tyre dressing and tyre applicator will give your tyres that deep black look, help protect the rubber from the elements, glossy or satin? You decide. It’s equally important to treat plastic trim with a dedicated trim dressing to protect it from environmental factors and give it a nice black finish. **Image of tyre dressing** ** Linked Products **
Step 9: Glass
The final step in the process. There are various products on the market to help keep your glass crystal clean. The first step is to clean the class with a dedicated glass cleaner and for the best results, we recommend a dedicated glass towel. There are also other products such as Glass Polish & Sealants that can help remove stubborn grime, and protect your glass. **Image of glass** ** Linked Products **
Now that you’ve got the basics, it’s time to purchase the essential components to build your car detailing kit. We’ve got everything from starter kits, all the way through to professional grade polishes and machines. If you need any advice or support on the correct products, feel free to contact us for advice.
