Hello World! Welcome Friends! Some would like to think that buying a car or a home ends when all the necessary paperwork has been signed, and the keys turned over. But that’s just the beginning of real car ownership.
Cars are like homes: they need constant care and maintenance, such as radiator servicing. You want your cars to look their best and extend their useful life. Detailing takes your vehicle to next-level clean and keeps it well-conditioned.
But of course, professional car detailing adds to your maintenance costs that can rack up to at least US$8,000 in annual expenses as per personal finance site, NerdWallet. Your best bet to cut down the costs is doing some of the car detailing work yourself!
Car Detailing and Maintenance Go Together
Car detailing generally means a thorough cleaning and conditioning of your car’s exterior and interior. Detailing is almost synonymous with maintenance as the two are inseparable.
The job, however, does not include paintwork, although touch-ups are possible, or repairs are done on the vehicle’s body. That’s part of repairs — another cost of car ownership.
Maintenance and repairs form a huge chunk of your car ownership costs along with these two other major expenses:
- Monthly amortization – Refers to your scheduled loan payments depending on your down payment, loan rate, and loan term.
- Car insurance – Pertains to your monthly premium that is based on your age, driving history, and vehicle type/use, among other factors.
Against the backdrop of rising costs of car ownership, going down the route of DIY car detailing has never been more relevant, and we’ll share the top best practices to help you save money.
It All Starts with a Good Wash and Rinse
Before you start washing, choose the right cleaning solutions for your car. Don’t settle for any household cleaning agent to scrub your car clean. Always use soap that is intended for cars to preserve its paint and protective wax.
Now, onto the inner section of your car.
Dusting, Vacuuming, Wiping
A vacuum machine designed for cars does the work of removing all the dust and dirt from the most easily seen to hard-to-reach places. Look under the mats and get rid of all those unwanted particles. Don’t forget to take your mats out for some power washing. The smell and air in your car are guaranteed to have improved and you won’t likely need a deodorizer.
Dust your air conditioning vents and the dashboard panel. For your seats, use the appropriate polish to wipe it clean and shiny.
Refinishing Wheels
Cars depreciate over time and the wheels are most likely the ones who bear the brunt of usage. What you can do is to refinish wheels and their covers. The process may differ but the gist remains:
- Remove the wheels and wash them.
- Take out the wheel weights and get rid of rust.
- Apply primer. For the best results, make it two layers.
For the wheel covers, you can sand and refinish them. What’s important is for them to regain their sheen.
Protecting Your Paint
Detailing, as mentioned earlier, does not involve any repainting, so the least you can do to ensure fewer touch-ups and avoid more expensive, later on, is to make the necessary preparations.
Paint protection film gets the job done. It’s like a massive plastic wrap over your car’s most vulnerable sides. While it can be expensive and the application itself takes a lot of patience, the overall cost is less when you do it yourself.
PRO TIP: Take advantage of the protection offered by fender flares as they defend your car’s finish from rocks or objects that can dent, scratch or damage it. A notable example is fender flares for Toyota Tundra whose off-roading capabilities won’t be hindered by the threats of rugged terrain.
These DIY car detailing tips will surely help make your car more efficient and its maintenance more cost-effective in the long run.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
6 Ways to Make a Small Space Appear Larger
I’d love for you to join my email list! You’ll receive a notification straight to your inbox which will include links to my latest home project posts! Simply enter your address below.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world! Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!
Toodles,
Whenever I buy a new or used car the first thing I do is to give my precious to my detailer friend. By doing so, I ensure that my car is like brand new all the time.
Thanks for the article
Thank you for the useful advice. I completely agree, that you shouldn’t use non-specialized tools for cleaning the car. Novice car owners often wash their cars with household cleaning products and after washing find out that the paint has become dull.
It is equally important to choose the right means for interior cleaning. For example, some products are suitable for washing car windows, but can corrode plastic.
I wonder if power washing could clean your car.
I just got a new 2019 dodge and I want to keep it clean as much as possible, and the kids already have crumbs in the back seat