What is car detailing? To be brief, car detailing is essentially a car wash taken to the next level. It takes more time, requires more steps, and most notably costs more money. However, the benefits of car detailing are enormous. For example, your car is more aesthetic and desirable to drive, it extends the longevity of your vehicle, and it increases its value once you go to sell your car.

Now, it’ll take a while to answer “What Is Car Detailing” in more depth, so buckle in.

Just to let you know, we’re car detailers in Miami, if you have any questions about the content written on this page or our services don’t hesitate to contact us at 786-830-4249.

What is car detailing?

Car detailing can be split into two different components:

  –  Exterior Detailing

  –  Interior Detailing

We’ll go into detail about both aspects of car detailing. Read on.

Exterior 

Oftentimes you will see that exterior car detailing will cost more than interior detailing. Here is what that service includes:

First and foremost, most car detailers start with a brief inspection of the vehicle. This is to make sure that there are no glaring imperfections or impediments to their work along the car’s exterior.

For example, large scratches on the surface of the vehicle can create quite a problem for car detailers. But, if there are no major obstacles, they’ll get to work immediately.

Next, they’ll begin with washing the car’s exterior. This is typically done with an initial rinse, the application of soap via a foam cannon, a hand wash, and finally, washing it all down the drain.

Once, the car is completely rinsed, the detailer will make another brief inspection of the car in order to determine if the task they have completed was done properly.

Depending on the car detailer’s methodology they will also clean the wheels, wheel wells, rims, and restore plastic trim around the vehicle before moving on to the next step.

Alright, let’s move on.

After all of the wet stuff is out of the way answering “What is car detailing” becomes slightly more interesting. The final step of exterior detailing is possibly the most integral aspect of detailing a car’s exterior.

Waxing and Clay Baring is the final step.

This is the reason that exterior details tend to cost a bit more than a “regular car wash” or even interior detailing. The materials for the waxing and clay baring are expensive. You can probably expect the materials alone to cost the detailer upwards or 50$ depending on the quality of the materials that he is using.

Waxing and clay baring also tends to be the most difficult step of the process of exterior detailing. It requires uncanny attention to detail and a substantial amount of time to do properly. That is why detailing is so expensive. It is a high-quality service that takes its technicians upwards of 2 hours to complete.

Well, now that the exterior is looking nice and beautiful let’s move on to the interior.

Interior 

This is the aspect of “what is car detailing” that will come most obvious to readers and people outside of the industry. That is because it contains many of the same components that a regular car wash would offer.

1. 1. Removing Personal Items
   2. Vacuuming
   3. Cleaning Surfaces
   4. Polishing the Interior
   5. Cleaning the Glass Windows

Removing Personal Items: This is probably the most obvious of all the steps. Getting all the personal effects out of the way is the first step in cleaning any interior detailing job.

Vacuuming: While simple it can be quite time-consuming depending on how dirty the car is. Especially in car dealing services, it is imperative to get into every nook and cranny of the vehicle before moving on to any other step in the process.

Cleaning Surfaces: Making sure that tall the surfaces are clean is the sole purpose of a car detailer. That is why it is imperative that the detailer use the right materials and techniques in order to clean all potential surfaces prior to polishing.

Detailing the interior: Detailing the interior (polishing off the surfaces) is super important for car detailers. Showing your clients your work and presenting it with the nicest finish is our job. So, most detailers use a non-abrasive polishing spray or liquid to do the job. We get behind the dashboard, steering wheel, and door panels. We also go into the air conditioning, cup holders, and even rearview mirrors to make sure no surface is left untouched.

Cleaning the windows: Making sure that there are no streaking marks left from the water is another part of the job. Interior Detailing would not be complete without it.

With that, the interior detail is done.

We’re almost finished with “what is car detailing”, but we still have a little more to discuss like additional services and benefits.

If you’re looking to learn more about how to detail a car, we go into depth on every aspect of interior and exterior car detailing in another blog.

Additional Car Detailing Services

Car Detailers typically offer auxiliary services in order to leave the car with a higher degree of impeccability. Services like these could include

1. 1. Polishing Leather Seating
   2. Shampooing Carpet
   3. Removing Dog Hair
   4. Cleaning The Engine Bay

They all come at an additional price (most often) because they are all time-consuming activities that require special materials to do the job.

So, If you’re interested in any of these services they will come at an additional cost.

Benefits of Car Detailing

Benefits of car detailing include:

1. 1. Aesthetics
   2. Safety
   3. Enhancement
   4. Value

Aesthetics:

A clean car is a nice car. That is why the service exists, to make sure that individuals wanting to have a perfectly clean car are satisfied.

Additionally, a clean car increases the comfort of the vehicle. Cars are like a second home for most people. Driving to and from work, to the grocery store, doctor’s office, picking up your kids from school, or whatever it is. We spend a lot of time in our cars! That is why it is important to keep them clean. It makes the ride more enjoyable and even eliminates the growth of bacteria.

Safety:

Apart from the interior detailing aspect of the work is making sure that all of the windows are completely see-through and clear. This part of the car detailing allows complete visibility, which contributes heavily to the driving experience and the safety of the vehicle.

Enhancement:

The wax that is applied in the final aspect not only gives the vehicle a nice glossy finish but also makes it hydrophobic and disallows small particles of dirt and grime to attach to your vehicle’s paint.

That thin layer of wax also acts as a layer of protection against UV rays extending the longevity of the car’s paint job.

Value:

Especially when you’re on the verge of selling your vehicle. Car detailing can come in incredibly handy. Making sure that the car is in pristine condition increases its value automatically. So, if you’re looking to turn your car into a dealership at the end of a lease, car detailing is an optimal choice. You’ll get every dollar you put into the car detailing back when you sell your car.

What is car detailing?

In summary, car detailing is a service that anyone can buy in order to enhance the appearance, durability, and value of your vehicle.

It comes in two components: interior and exterior detailing.

Car detailers work hard in order to make sure that your car is in outstanding condition.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to let us know.