How to Detail a Car

Begin with the car interior, so you don’t get dirt or dust from the inside of the car on a freshly-cleaned exterior.

• Remove any visible coins, wrappers and debris from the ashtray, cupholders and off the floor.
• Empty the door storage and glove compartments and put such valuables as the owner’s manual in a safe place.
• Dust the dashboard, door panels and other hard interior surfaces.
• Use compressed air spray to loosen the dust in tight spaces.
• Clean air vents with a bristle brush. A spare make-up brush or cotton swabs will also work quite well.

• Remove the floor pads and dry-brush the carpet.
• Thoroughly vacuum the car, using the hose attachments to get into the nooks and crannies. Begin with the headliner and make your way down. When vacuuming the floor, move the seats all the way up and all the way back to make sure you don’t miss anything.
• Clean out and vacuum the trunk.
• Thoroughly shake the floor mats to get rid of dirt, then clean them off with a pressure washer or garden hose. Make sure the mats have completely dried before returning them to the car. Moisture in cars can lead to mildew.
• Clean carpet stains with a foaming cleaner. Apply the foam. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then rub it gently and blot it dry with a towel.

• Wipe the hard interior surfaces such as the steering wheel and dashboard with a mild all-purpose cleaner.
• Clean the interior windows, windshields and mirrors by spraying an ammonia-free glass cleaner and then wiping the surface with a cloth.

Shampoo or clean the seats based on their material.

• Shampoo nylon or cloth seats with an upholstery cleaner and remove residue with a clean, damp cloth. If the cleaner leaves damp spots on the seat, use baking soda to absorb the moisture.
• Clean vinyl seats with either a vinyl cleaner or an all-purpose cleaner recommended for vinyl, then wipe with a microfiber cloth.
• Clean leather seats by using a towel to wipe them with a leather cleaner and then dry them with a microfiber cloth. If needed, apply a leather conditioner to keep the material supple and to avoid cracking. Some products combine leather cleaner and conditioner in a single solution.
• If the seat has perforations, avoid using products that could clog the holes.
• If needed, vacuum a final time to remove any additional debris loosened by the cleaning.

Tip: A way to get rid of indelible stains from a car seat or other location is to cut out the stained area with a razor blade. Then, cover it with a patch of the same material, taken from a section of the seat that's not usually visible). Unless you have experience with this kind of stain removal, you may want to consult a car detailing service.

The wheels and wheel rims may be the dirtiest part of the car. When washing the exterior, begin with the wheels to prevent dirt from splashing onto cleaned areas.

• Rinse the tires and wheel wells.
• Apply wheel cleaner or degreaser, allow it to sit for about one minute and then brush with a wheel rim brush.
• Use metal polish or glass cleaner on chrome wheels.
• Wash the tires with tire cleaner.
• Apply tire protectant to the sidewalls.

• Rinse the body of the car before washing to loosen the dirt.
• Wash the car’s exterior with car wash soap and a car wash mitt. Use one bucket of soapy water and another with clean water for rinsing your sponge or cloth.
• Wash and rinse one section at a time so that the soap doesn’t have time to dry on the surface or leave swirl marks. Dry with a microfiber terrycloth towel.

Tip: Do not use dish detergent to wash a car as it can break down the car’s wax.

• Before polishing the car's paint, use an automotive clay bar treatment to remove sap or other bonded contaminants that adhere to the car’s surface and cannot be removed by cleaning. Gently glide the clay bar over trouble spots until the contaminant is removed.
• Once the car is completely clean, apply car wash polish, which can erase light scratches. Apply some polish about the size of a one-inch circle to a buffing pad.
• Gently move the pad in a side-to-side motion to the area until the polish is gone. If using a power polisher, apply at medium-low speed.
• Wipe the area with a clean, dry cloth.

• Apply metal cleaner to a clean microfiber cloth.
• Spread the cleaner over all metal trim until it’s fully coated, taking care not to get any on the paint.
• Let the cleaner dry and wipe the metal surface clean with a dry microfiber cloth, which should leave a bright sheen.

Once your car has a clean surface, waxing provides a protective coating.

• Apply liquid car wax to an applicator pad.
• Spread the wax in overlapping circles over one panel of the car at a time.
• Let the wax dry for five minutes, then wipe the dried, powdery wax from the surface.

• Clean the windshield, exterior windows and rear-view mirror with glass cleaner. Check to make sure the cleaner is approved for tinted windows, if you have them.
• Coat the surface with the cleaner, then wipe in a horizontal direction to avoid streaks.

Tip: Before you finish washing the windows, lower them enough for you to wash the edges, which can go overlooked. 

Cleaning the engine bay is usually not required for resale, but can be considered a courtesy when putting your car on the market. A visibly clean engine can also make it easier for a mechanic to locate a trouble spot under the hood.

• Clean the engine bay before you clean the car exterior.
• Wrap electronic components in plastic.
• Spray degreaser on the engine parts and rinse off with a hose on low pressure.
• Apply vinyl or rubber protectant to the non-metal components and wipe with a rag.
• Remove plastic from electronic components.