FUNDAMENTALS OF DETAILING
To kick things off, we’ll briefly list a few topics that need to be considered for properly maintaining your car. This is not an all inclusive list, but more of a high level overview that will be expanded upon in future blogs.
LUBRICATION IS KEY. Dust = tiny rocks. Tiny rocks will most certainly scratch your paint. No matter how clean you think your car is, there’s always the chance of a missed spot, dust settling on the car, etc. Proper lubrication is needed every step of the way when anything touches your vehicle, including washing, drying, touch ups, and emergency cleaning such as bird poop.
CAR WASHES SCRATCH YOUR PAINT. I consider this fundamental because everyone wants a clean car, but not everyone wants to do it themselves, and even less people realize how much damage automatic washes cause. Think of a tunnel wash that cleans hundreds of cars a day. Those spinning rags smacking your paint over and over are likely coated in dirt and mud from previous vehicles. That’s obviously going to wreck your finish over time. Avoid at all costs.
MAINTAIN A NEUTRAL PH. Using high and low PH products are certainly required for effectively cleaning specific stains, but it’s essential that all surfaces are brought back to a neutral PH once the cleaning is finished. This applies to exterior and interior. For example, If leather is cleaned with a high PH cleaner, and not neutralized or conditioned afterwards, the leather may slowly dry out, become brittle, and split open.
PRESERVATION MINDSET. Cleaning a car is fairly easy. SAFELY cleaning it and PRESERVING it takes more time and effort. It’s important to keep longevity in mind and understand the integrity of the surfaces you work on. A perfect example is someone hammering down on paint with a heavy wool pad with a heavy compound. In that instance, it’s easy to remove all scratches, but they likely removed way more paint than necessary, shortening it’s lifespan.
ENJOY THE PROCESS. This underscores everything. For me, detailing is therapeutic. The reason I started DRIVEN is because I enjoy detailing so much. It’s important to find joy in the process. If detailing becomes a chore for you, you’re never going to want to take all the steps necessary to properly maintain your car. Give yourself time. Give yourself space to detail. Find brands that you want to support and have quality products that you enjoy using. Use the right tools for the job to make your life easier. Enjoy the process.
A beautifully clean, shiny, and well protected vehicle improves your life in many ways.
Looks amazing
Feels amazing
Smells amazing
Receive compliments
Make friends
Driving is much more enjoyable
Higher resale value
Clean cars drive better (I promise)
Improved gas mileage
Safer
And so much more!
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and REVIVE THE DRIVE.
