Chapter #1 - Washing the Car

Chapter #2 - The Interior

Chapter #3 - Waxing and Polishing

Chapter #4 - Bumpers and Trim

Chapter #5 - Tires and Wheels

Chapter #6 - Windows

Chapter #7: Detailing can make the difference!

Tips, Tricks and Product Recommendations

Chapter #8: Engine Detailing

Chapter # 9: The Trunk

Since this web site is about classic and specialty cars, we are talking about every type of finish imaginable form acrylics, enamels and lacquers. I'll mention experimentation with products below and this is extremely critical Try out products in small unnoticeable areas before you apply them to larger areas. Find a product that you like and stick with it.

Detailing - An Introduction:

Car detailing can cost up to $200. If you have the time and a little motivation, you can do the same job on a Saturday afternoon and save yourself some cash. With a little knowledge and a lot of practice you can restore your car's shine and luster. It's easy. There are numerous products to choose from and the selection can be confusing. By the time you are done reading this page, you will be an expert.

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Chapter #1: Washing the Car

Hand washing your car is much better than taking your car through a car wash. If you want to keep the shine on your car then washing is one of the most important steps. Do it often. Use a good car wash soap . Do not use dish washing detergent or laundry soap.

1) Get a large bucket of water, and pour in a couple capfuls of a mild car washing soap, and fill the bucket with luke warm water as recommended on the label of the product. Try different products and see which one you like best. Do not buy the large economy size until you have found one that you like.

2) If possible park the car in the shade or wash your car on a day that has an overcast. This will prevent water spotting and streaking.

3) Spray the car with a little water - just enough to get the car wet and get the heavy dirt off. if the car surface is extremely hot, the temperature difference can cause "thermo shock" which can cause tiny hair line cracks in the finish. It is also not a good idea to wash your car on an extremely cold day. The temperature of the water should be similar to the temperature of the paint.

4) Wet a sponge with soapy - luke warm water, and begin to scrub the top of the car first. Start by scrubbing the roof, windows, and trunk first. Then, before the suds dry, spray off all the suds with the hose. Continue with each side from front to back, and then finish up with the hood last. To minimize water spots, do not let the suds dry.

5) Next scrub the tires and rims/wheels. Use a spray on-wheel cleaner before starting. It loosens up all the brake dust, and road grime. Spray with water to rinse.

6) If Whitewalls are discolored, try a good whitewall cleaner or a little cleanser with a scrub brush. Spray with water to rinse. Then proceed with scrubbing the wheels with the soap and give the entire car one final "hose down".

7) The final step in washing the car is to dry it. Properly drying the car gets rid of those ugly water spots found on your car such as after it rains. Use a clean towel or try a natural or synthetic chamois'. You will find it in any automotive supply store.

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Chapter #2: The Interior

Now that you have washed your car, you can clean the interior while you let the car air dry.

Any household cleaner can remove stains off the inside of the doors or dash. But there are a few steps which can really make your interior look great.

1) Vacuuming is very important. Remove dirt, salt, dust and gravel from the carpets before you begin to scrub and clean

2) For vinyl/leather dashboards use a mild detergent or a leather/vinyl cleaner found in your local automotive store. Test any product on a small area first before doing the whole job. Vinyl, leather or other materials can stain from certain products.

3) A steam cleaner or upholstery cleaner works best for cloth seats. Fabric cleaners are also available for hand use. For leather and Vinyl you can use a clean solution of the same product used in step #2. As mentioned above, test the product in a small area first.

4)After cleaning the leather, you always want to follow up by conditioning the leather. There are many leather conditioners on the market. Use a soft, damp cloth, and apply it to the seats. Then, if hazing occurs, buff lightly with a dry, clean towel. Your seats will look, and smell brand new! test the product in a small area first.

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Chapter #3: Wax and Polish

Experiment to find the right product. Find something and try it in a small area. If you do not think that it works as advertised, return it and get something else. Do not ruin your cars finish with some old can of wax that you found on the shelf or a non brand name product. You will see products like "polish", "cleaner wax" or "Carnauba wax". They contain a very fine grit which make it easy to remove light scratches, swirl marks and particles which have settled onto the paint. There are also modern polishes that work well, with a longer protection, and other benefits for the paint.

If your car has not been polished for a long time, I would recommend a cleaner or rubbing compound be used prior to polishing or waxing. There is a little more grit in these products to prepare the car for the wax or polish. Cleaner and Rubbing Compounds are not waxes. They help remove micro scratches and old polish. Only use cleaners or rubbing compound products when absolutely necessary and try these products out in a small area first.

if you use a rubbing compound you may want to use a sealer/glaze for hiding swirl marks and scratches. These very well before putting on a final coat of polish.

Wax/polish your car twice a year. There is no need to do it more often.

Polish your car in a cool, shady area. Do not apply wax/polish/cleaner in the sun where it can bake onto your paint. Once these products are applied - it doesn't take long for them to start to dry, or haze.

After removing all the wax from the car - take a look at the finish. Sometimes if too much wax was applied under humid conditions, deep swirl marks can appear and make certain parts of the car look like a different color (usually not seen in direct sunlight). Mist some distilled water or detail spray mentioned above over the wax, and buff out the paint again with a clean, dry cotton towel.

Remove all belt buckles, rings, and watches are removed before polishing.

To apply and remove wax/polish, you may want to purchase an orbital buffer. They are inexpensive. You can choose between a 9", 10", or an 11" pad. I do not like applying the polish with it but they sure work great for removing the product. The buffer will usually come with a cotton pad for applying wax, and a terrycloth pad for removing it both are washable and re-usable

Here are the basic steps:

1) Only apply wax/cleaner/polish to a clean car

2) When applying products by hand, you want some sort of pad or cloth. Moisten it a little - just enough to allow the polish to flow a bit easier.

3) Make sure you apply the product from the bottle onto the pad and not the car's surface. Start with random circles, and apply a medium to firm pressure. Do not scrub hard, just enough to loosen up the particles and dirt settled onto the paint. They will loosen up with just a little pressure. Do not get any on the black bumper, vinyl top or trim. it will stain and will be almost impossible to get off.

4) As you are applying the wax/polish/cleaner it will haze. Stop applying and remove the product as you go. There is no need to wait until the entire car has had polish applied before you start removing. You can use a clean dry towel to remove the polish

Use 2 or 3 towels when removing the wax. You can actually cause minute scratches in the paint by buffing with a towel that has excess polish on it. Shake the towel often to keep clean.

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Chapter #4: Bumpers and Trim

There are all kinds of bumper/molding dressings you can apply. only use a brand name and read the instructions. Here are the steps in applying this protectant:

1) Surfaces must be clean first. Apply after washing your car.

2) Dab a little on a cloth or paper towel, and gently rub onto any black molding.

3) Once dry, go over and buff lightly with a dry cloth towel.

Chapter #5: Tires and Wheels

Use a special tire/vinyl protectants and conditioners on tires. They will look better than new

Wheels, rims and hubcaps require a specific product. You need to know if you have aluminum or chrome and then buy the appropriate product.

Chapter #6: Windows

This one isn't Rocket Science! I have read all about the virtues of vinegar and the like. Windex works best. Just make sure the windows are not hot when applying the cleaner

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Chapter #7: Detailing can make the difference!

I recommend going over your entire car after polishing it. Toothpicks, cotton swabs, and small brushes made specifically for detailing can be used. For paint, you want to use some sort of soft-haired bristle, like horse hair. For rims and chrome you can use something harder like nylon bristle. This takes time and cleaning every little spot is not always necessary unless you absolutely want to.

Look for leftover wax here:

Between the hood and the fenders. Lift up the hood, and run a towel along the edges.

Between the trunk and the sidewalls.

Along door handles, side moldings, and doorjambs. Use a detailing brush or a cotton swab for these places!

The two little sprayers for the windshield washing fluid. Use a toothpick to loosen it up, and then brush away with the detailing brush or cotton swab.

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Tips, Tricks, and Product Recommendations:

Don't use high pressure nozzles when washing your car They can cause damage to the paint

A sponge works best for washing your car. A car wash brush is also a good investment for real dirty areas or hard to get at places

A chamois works great to dry your car off after a washing.

A car duster is a terrific investment for about $10-$15. this works great for removing dust between washings.

Also, try the various detailing sprays between washings. They work great for touch up after you use the car duster.

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Chapter #8: Engine Detailing

Here are some tips that help me keep things looking good:
Once you detail your engine, keep after it Do it often.

A good rule of thumb is to use less water pressure on older engines. A little more hand cleaning and a little less water pressure may take longer but could help prevent any engine damage.

Regularly clean the compartment by spraying down with a gentle cleaner like Simple Green or the STP Citrus spray. lightly spray and then rinse with a low pressure stream of water. Do this on a warm but not HOT engine. Don't spray things like plug wires, coils and electrical connections a lot.

After spraying down, take an old towel and wipe down everything you can reach.

Remove the battery and clean around and under it. Keep your battery in good shape and if you don't have a totally sealed battery, have it checked often and replace at the first hint of deterioration.

Baking soda is still the best thing to neutralize battery acid and then rinse it away.

After cleaning the terminals and area around your battery, a light coating of grease on the terminals is good. there are also products made for this purpose. !

A rubber care product is available and is great to use on hoses and other plastic pieces under the hood. Wipe them on sparingly.

You can get engine paints at most parts stores, but some modern engines have special colors that are hard to match.

A variety of brushes including an old toothbrush and several old paint-brushes will help get into corners around modern and older engines.

Keep water away from these pads. Lightly clean or replace if it is real bad.

Be sure to check out the radiator/AC cooler for bugs. Use a garden hose from under the hood to spray from the engine side through to the grill to clean them out. CAUTION! some electric fans can come on if the engine is hot even if the key is off, so only stick your hand/hose in that area if the battery is disconnected.

Use an air hose if you have access to one to blow out crevices and get water away from sensitive areas.

Don't forget to check all fluid levels, replace gaskets that are leaking, clean/check the air filter

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Chapter # 9: The Trunk

This is an often overlooked area that takes very little tim to do right.

Remove everything from the trunk including spare tire and jack.
1) Vacuum the inside of the trunk.

2) Clean the entire inside with the same product that you used on the outside of your vehicle. Rinse with clean water and sponge. Repeat until clean. Wipe dry.

3) Use detailing tools and methods as described above.

4) Clean spare tire with the same products used above.

5) Clean jack with soap and water. rinse, dry and then apply a light coat of oil on moving parts and the exterior surface. Wipe excess off of non moving parts.

6) Arrange everything back as indicated in your owners manual.