When it comes to detailing your car, you can have a mobile car detailing service come by and clean up your ride. But those of who are die-hard car people, we get no greater pleasure than doing the work ourselves. However, it can be tough to figure out which supplies are really necessary for detailing the car and which ones are a waste of time and money.
The good news is that you don’t need to spend a lot to make sure your car is looking stupendous at all times. Not when you stick solely to the essentials. So, here are the crucial supplies that you need to detail your car.
Shampoo
This does not mean throwing some dish soap or laundry detergent into a bucket with some hot water. Bad idea all around. Those are for dishes and clothing, not your automobile. Both contain harsh chemicals that can erode the paint and break it down. To keep that from happening, go with special shampoo specially formulated for car exteriors. You’ll notice a difference in the way your car shines.
Microfiber Chamois
What’s great about microfiber is that you can use it to both wash and dry your car. Get the cloth wet to shampoo and rinse, then wring it out nice and tight to make it dry and use that to absorb the moisture once you’re done washing the exterior. The fabric itself is extremely soft and gentle, so you need not worry about scratching the paint. You can’t say that about paper towel or abrasive sponges.
Water Hose
You can connect a common garden hose a spigot on the outside of the house or get yourself one of those fancy pressure washers. Whichever way you decide to go, you need water to clean the car and having something that brings a higher PSI to the job can make the work a lot easier to do and more effective in the long run. The force of water can clear away the heavy caked-on gunk from the chassis, tires, and undercarriage.
Car Wax
True die-hard car fanatics realize waxing the exterior is just as important as a good car exterior shampoo. You don’t want to neglect the wax because it gives your vehicle that bright sheen. Today’s car paints come with clear coat layers to protect the paint but a good car wax can also safeguard the paint from those threats you may not be aware of, like changes in temperature, rainwater, pollen, and normal wear and tear.
Electric Buffing Machine
When you are ready to wax the car, get a little power behind your efforts to get a much brighter and long-lasting shine. This is why a lot of car owners refuse to wax their cars, too much effort. But an electric buffer can make quick work of the task and leave your car looking bright, shiny, and smooth for weeks to come. These buffer heads are also a lot softer than other waxing tools, further protecting your car’s exterior paint.