Is there a difference between car washing and car detailing? Actually, there are several differences, and they can make detailing worth the cost.

Have you ever wondered why anyone would pay upwards of $200 to have their car cleaned? Couldn’t this be done at home? Despite some misconceptions about detailing, these services go far beyond a typical car wash to ensure a vehicle looks spotlessly clean inside and out. Detailing doesn’t involve automated systems, which makes it even more valuable.

Here are some of what happens during a car detailing:

Exterior Car Detailing

This service isn’t the same as driving your car through the local wash to remove surface dirt and grime; it goes well beyond that. A good detailing service makes the car shine brightly, minimizes surface scratches, and should include a paint sealant.

Some typical exterior processes include:

Washing and Drying

This is done by hand and involves the car being sprayed with a special spray that helps remove dug-in dirt and grime. Hand washing gets down to the details, such as cleaning the rims, door jambs, glass, and all exterior parts.

Claying

During car detailing, a clay bar is used to remove any impurities, traces of overspray, and other residue from the exterior surface. The clay bar is proven to remove items that can’t be removed with normal detergents.

Polishing

Once the car has been used for a while, it will lose the polish and shine from when it was new. This makes polishing a vehicle one of the most important items on the list of services offered during exterior detailing.

Sealing

The glossy shine of a car is an important part of the detailing process. This can be the finishing touch, which is done with wax and/or sealant depending on the time between waxes. This final step helps protect the paint and provide you with a car that looks incredible.

Additional Services

During car detailing, other services can be done to ensure the exterior is clean and protected. These can include:

• Trim repainting
• Engine detailing
• Headlight polishing
• Engine pressure cleaning
• Bumper repair
• Glass chip repair
• Paint touch up

Interior Car Detailing

You’ll spend all of your time inside your vehicle, which makes a complete detailing of the interior one of the most important parts of the process. Getting the interior clean and looking new takes more time and effort than exterior detailing.

The standard process of detailing the interior includes:

Vacuuming

One of the most important and first steps in cleaning the interior of a vehicle is to vacuum the seats, headliners, rear cargo area, trunk, and shelf. The floor mats should be cleaned and vacuumed separately to ensure the vehicle as clean as possible.

Brushing and Steam Cleaning

This is a great way to get the carpets and mats clean when there’s stuck-on dirt and grime that’s been pressed in to the carpeting. A thorough scrubbing allows stains and blemishes that may have accumulated over the past years to be removed. A steam-cleaner helps remove more of the dirt.

Glass Cleaning

This is done using a glass cleaner to ensure the glass remains sparkling and gives the driver a completely unobstructed view.

Leather Trimming

Leather needs to be cleaned, and during a car detailing, this can be done using a leather cleaner, saddle soap, or other leather soap. A damp cloth is used to remove the soap from the upholstery. If the leather has dried out, a conditioner customized for leather can be used to make cleaning a little easier.

Re-Vacuuming and Wiping

That’s right, detailing involves vacuuming again after the initial vacuuming job is done. This allows more of the dirt and grime to be removed from the vehicle after the interior detailing is done.

Perfuming

One of the most important steps in car detailing is perfuming, which leaves the interior of the vehicle with a good scent. This is done using a deodorant in the vehicle, giving the interior the smell you want to enjoy when you take a drive.

Is Car Detailing Worth It?

Prices differ for detailing services depending on the services performed, the reputation of the business, its professionalism, and the size of the vehicle. This means you’ll likely pay between $100 and $300 for the detailing service. Is it worth the cost? Unless you want to purchase or rent the necessary equipment and spend your time detailing your car, which some people do, it is certainly worth the cost to have your vehicle detailed once or twice per year.