Car Detailing DIY In Singapore
When you first bought your car, the exterior paint was glossy and rims were shiny. In fact, you may have even thought you can join a car show right after you took it out for a spin. Five years later, the paint has become dull while the rims are a shadow of its former self. You think to yourself, how can I make my car look brand new? Well, the answer is car detailing.
Car detailing essentially brings your car back to its former glory when it first rolled out of the showroom. We came up with a list of tips you can consider if you want your car to look as good as it was when you first got behind the wheel.
1. Find a Good Location
While going to a car detailing shop may be your best choice if you want to make your car look good again, you can actually do it yourself if your budget is tight. The first thing you need to do is to look for a good place where you can clean up your car. It should be a shaded area since the heat from the sun can ruin your car’s paint job when you douse it with cold water. It also keeps the car surface cool when you apply wax on the car.
2. Rinse the Car Properly
It is important to properly rinse your car before you use soap on it. This is necessary to remove all the dust, dirt, and other debris on the car. If the car is not properly rinsed, you may end up with swirl marks on the car. You can use a good garden hose with a good nozzle to ensure you rinse the whole car, including the rims.
3. Washing Process
When you apply soap on your car, it is better to use the two-bucket method. One bucket contains only water while the second bucket contains water with soap. You would not want to soak your sponge or mash mitt in water that already has debris from the car. You should start from the top of the car and work yourself down to the bottom. This will allow the flow of soapy water to go from top to bottom.
You should also include the rims. This is one part car owners often neglect. You can use a rim cleaning agent that is suitable for your rims. But, before washing the rims, make sure the car has cooled down suitably. If the car has not yet cooled down, the brake rotors may become warped.
4. Drying Your Car
After rinsing out the soapy water from the car, the next thing to do is to wipe it down. You can use a microfiber drying towel to ensure all the water is removed. These drying towels are soft and effective. While they absorb a good amount of water, they are gentle to the surface of your car. You should also have a bucket of clean water on hand to ensure the towel remains clean before you dry off the next section of the car. You can finish the exterior car detailing of the car by applying a wax sealant to protect its surface.
5. Clean the Interior
Car detailing will not be complete if you do not clean the interior of your car. You can use a moistened, clean cloth to clean plastic trim or wooden trims inside the car. If the results are not good enough for you, you can use solvent-free plastic cleaners for plastic trims or a gentle soap solution for wood trims. A mild soap solution can be used for hard-to-remove dirt stains. You should also avoid soaking leather seat covers with water. You can dry leather seats using a soft cotton cloth. Fabric seat covers can be cleaned using dry foam and soft brush or an interior cleaner.
