A guide in detailing Steps

There are many different steps you can take while detailing. A maintenance wash has different steps than a deep-clean wash or a 3 stage polish. In this guide I will give a very general idea on the order of those steps. More in-depth articles regarding every step will follow. This articles serves to give people a quick overview.

Why are there steps?

In the process of detailing it is very important to know when a certain product needs to be used. Just like you have to sand before painting. There is only one way of doing these 2 steps. Some things can be done in any order with detailing, but some need to be done in the same order every time.

Weekly wash

Just a normal wash to keep the grime at bay. In this quick and simple guide I did not take into account whether it is winter or summer.
Items with a * are optional.

• *Rinse off dust and superficial dirt
• *Apply snowfoam (if possible)
• *Leave snowfoam for the desired time
• *Rinse off snowfoam
• Wash wheels with separate bucket
• *Wash wheelarch
• Rinse wheels and arches
• Wash with 2-bucket method
• Rinse off suds
• Use sheeting to let the car dry itself
• Dry the car with a MF drying towel, start at the top of the side and finish with the roof, bonnet and back
• *Dry wheels and arches with separate MF towel
• *Open the doors and dry the inside of the doors with a separate MF towel
• *Open the boot and bonnet and dry the inside
• Inspect your work and wipe off fingerprints
• *Use one of the moist drying towels to give the dashboard a quick wipe
• Apply dressing to tyres

3 months wash

A slightly more intensive wash to clean off build-up dirt.
Items with a * are optional.

• *Rinse off dust and superficial dirt
• *Apply snowfoam (if possible)
• *Leave snowfoam for the desired time
• *Rinse off snowfoam
• Wash wheels with separate bucket
• *Wash wheelarch
• Rinse wheels and arches
• Wash with 2-bucket method
• Rinse off suds
• Apply iron fallout remover
• After dwelling time, rinse off iron fallout
• *Wash car again and rinse off
• *Use sheeting to let the car dry itself
• Spray claylube on surface
• Use clay to deep-clean surface
• Wash car again to wash off the claylube
• Dry the car with a MF drying towel, start at the top of the side and finish with the roof, bonnet and back
• *Dry wheels and arches with separate MF towel
• *Open the doors and dry the inside of the doors with a separate MF towel
• *Open the boot and bonnet and dry the inside
• Apply pre-wax cleaner, chemical cleaner or finishing polish to remove marring from claying
• Buff off and consider using IPA to remove residue
• *If you are not happy with the finish you can apply Glaze
• *Work the Glaze till it is almost gone and then buff the surface with a clean MF
• Apply wax, sealant or coating
• Leave for the recommended time and buff off
• *Apply a second layer if wanted
• *Apply coating/sealant windows
• *Apply coating/sealant/wax to wheels
• Inspect your work and wipe off fingerprints
• Use one of the moist drying towels to give the dashboard a quick wipe
• Apply dressing to tyres
• *Wipe down tire dressing to get a more matte effect

Full exterior detail

A guide when you wanna do a full exterior detail.
Items with a * are optional.

• *Rinse off dust and superficial dirt
• *Apply snowfoam (if possible)
• *Leave snowfoam for the desired time
• *Rinse off snowfoam
• Wash wheels with separate bucket
• *Wash wheelarch
• Rinse wheels and arches
• Wash with 2-bucket method
• Rinse off suds
• *Use sheeting to let the car dry itself
• Spray claylube on surface
• Use clay to deep-clean surface
• Wash car again to wash off the claylube
• Dry the car with a MF drying towel, start at the top of the side and finish with the roof, bonnet and back
• *Dry wheels and arches with separate MF towel
• *Open the doors and dry the inside of the doors with a separate MF towel
• *Open the boot and bonnet and dry the inside
• Tape off small crevices, rubbers and unpainted trims
• Choose the pad and polish you are going to use (via a testspot for example)
• Prime the pad by adding a bit more polish then normal and rub it in with your fingers
• Apply the polish to the pad and start polishing (either by machine or by hand)
• Keep repeating these steps, going from rough to the finest polish you have
• *Apply pre-wax cleaner, chemical cleaner
• Buff off and consider using IPA to remove residue
• Apply wax, sealant or coating
• Leave for the recommended time and buff off
• *Apply a second layer if wanted
• *Apply coating/sealant windows
• *Apply coating/sealant/wax to wheels
• Inspect your work and wipe off fingerprints
• Use one of the moist drying towels to give the dashboard a quick wipe
• Apply dressing to tyres
• *Wipe down tire dressing to get a more matte effect

Interior top-up

Cleaning the interior on a regular basis, like monthly.
Items with a * are optional

• Spray glass cleaner liberally on a clean MF towel
• Wipe the glass from the inside
• Before the glass cleaner evaporates, wipe the glass dry with a waffle weave glass towel
• Repeat if necessary to get a clean windows
• Take a damp cloth and spray diluted APC on it
• Wipe dashboard, steering wheel, console etc.
• Take another damp MF towel and spray some APC on it
• *Wipe the roof if needed
• *Wipe cloth seats (skip if seats are leather)
• *Wipe back seats
• If seats are leather, wipe off with a clean damp MF towel with only water
• Wipe doorcards
• Take out the floormats
• Vacuum the car
• *An attachment can help to get in difficult places
• Vacuum the floormats
• *If floormats have very light stains on them, rub them with a damp/wet MF cloth with a bit APC
• *If floor has very light stains on it, rub it with a damp/wet MF cloth with a bit of APC
• Spray QD on a clean MF towel
• Wipe dashboard, console, doorcards etc. with MF towel with a bit of QD (this shouldn’t need buffing)
• Spray air freshener on floormats
• Put floormats back in the car

Full interior detail

Giving the interior a deep and thorough clean, can be done once a year.
Items with a * are optional

• Spray glass cleaner liberally on a clean MF towel
• Wipe the glass from the inside
• Before the glass cleaner evaporates, wipe the glass dry with a waffle weave glass towel
• Repeat if necessary to get a clean windows
• Take a damp cloth and spray diluted APC on it
• Wipe dashboard, steering wheel, console etc.
• Use a brush to get into difficult areas
• If possible, use a Tornador to clean out small spaces
• Take out the floormats
• Vacuum the car
• *An attachment can help to get in difficult places
• Vacuum the floormats
• Remove front seats if possible
• Spray seats with just water (only with non-leather seats)
• Spray seats liberally with APC (only with non-leather seats)
• Rub in, and agitate APC with a brush (only with non-leather seats)
• Use extractor/wet-vac to suck off the dirty liquid
• Repeat steps if needed until seats are clean
• Repeat these steps for rear seats and/or carpet if needed
• Repeat these steps with the floormats
• Take another damp MF towel and spray some APC on it
• *Wipe the roof if needed
• *If seats are leather, spray with special leather cleaner
• *Wipe off the leather seats
• *Apply leather conditioner
• Wipe doorcards with damp cloth sprayed with a bit of diluted APC
• Spray QD on a clean MF towel
• Wipe dashboard, console, doorcards etc. with MF towel with a bit of QD (this shouldn’t need buffing)
• Spray air freshener on floormats
• Put floormats back in the car

Wheel arch detail

Giving the wheelarches a thorough clean.
Items with a * are optional.

• Put car on axle stand(s) (think about your safety!!)
• *Remove rims for better access
• *Snowfoam the wheelarch and possibly the rim
• *Leave the snowfoam for a few minutes before you rinse it out
• Spray APC inside the wheelarch and the inside of the wheel
• Agitate the APC with a brush (or similar)
• Rinse thoroughly
• *Use tar- and/or fallout-remover in places where there is tar and/or fallout
• *Rinse thoroughly
• Use heavy duty- or engine-degreaser to deep clean the suspension, brakes, wishbones etc
• Agitate with a brush where needed
• Rinse thoroughly
• *Use clay with claylube to deep clean painted parts
• Dry area with a MF towel
• Use a (finishing) polish to get the shine back in painted parts
• Plastic parts can be treated with a dressing or plastic-coating
• Painted parts can be treated with wax, sealant or coating
• Tire can be treated with a dressing
• *Check if grease is needed for moving parts such as brake caliper, suspension and wishbone bushes

Deep clean wheels

Giving the wheels more then just a weekly wash.
Items with a * are optional.

• Remove wheel from car
• Spray the wheel with APC and agitate with a brush
• Rinse thoroughly
• Spray the wheel with a wheel cleaner and agitate with a brush
• Rinse thoroughly
• Spray the wheel with a heavy degreaser or engine bay cleaner
• Agitate especially the tire to clean the rubber
• Rinse thoroughly
• Spray the wheel with a tar- and/or fallout remover
• Rinse thoroughly
• Repeat these steps until the rim is clean
• (remember that corrosion and damage can’t be cleaned away)
• Spray the rim with claylube
• Clay the spokes, inside, outside etc.
• Wash the wheel and rinse thoroughly
• Dry the wheel with a MF towel
• Use a (finishing) polish to make any surface corrections
• Use a metal polish on unpainted metal surfaces
• Take into account that aluminium might require more effort to get the desired result
• Wipe down the rim with IPA (or similar)
• Apply a wax, sealant and/or coating for protection
• Apply dressing to the tire
• Leave protection to fully cure for about 24 hour
• Make a final inspection and wipe off fingerprints
• Put wheel(s) back on car

And finally:

Never forget to take a few steps back, look at the result and enjoy the quality work you have done!