We get asked this question a lot. How did you make my car look brand new? Well, the secret is that there is no secret. Getting your car to look brand new by detailing comes with applying a thorough and rigorous process. There are no shortcuts or a fancy, expensive product. There's no magic button or a special certification to earn. While we do have our premium brands that we favor, and the quality of the products does make a difference, the truth is there is no substitute for good old fashioned discipline and work ethic. As they say, the devil is in the details. And it's the details that make up the overall picture where you're going for the new car feel.
We break down the key points to getting your car in peak condition:
Always start with your area of specialty first
If you are an interior specialist like Fresh Start, begin on the inside of the car. In economics, this is known as the theory of diminishing marginal returns. After a certain point in our work day, we start to become less and less productive. When you're focused on a particular project, there will likely be a point at which your output has been optimized for a particular setting. For some people, this will be an hour, 2 hours, 3, or maybe 4. But even superman will reach a point where he's had enough. All that said, start where you would like to achieve the best results. Your quality of work will peak early on in your job, and start to diminish after that.
Use a steamer
Steam is one of the easiest, and most efficient ways to clean a surface. We discussed this at length in one of our first blog posts and we haven't changed course. Use a lance tool (i.e. a longer, thin attachment) to get into the grooves of your car. Steam also works great for detailing your door jams. Use a triangle-type attachment for broader surfaces and your seats. Steam is extremely effective on both upholstery and leather alike.
Good detailing requires multiple revisions
If you're looking for show room quality type results, you'll need to go over surfaces multiple times.
Car washes go over surfaces once, good detailers go over surfaces multiple times with different tools to bring surfaces back to their original condition.
The condition of the car will determine how many times you need to go over each surface; however, even the best-kept vehicles will require going over each surface twice. One to clean, and the last to perfect.
The aesthetics portion of detailing should require the least time
As Albert Einstein once said, if he was given 6 hours to chop down a tree, he would spend the first four sharpening the axes. Same goes for detailing. And this is one of the common misconceptions about Fresh Start's interior detail service.
Many think that the 'bells and whistles' portion of the detail is the result of some fancy, expensive product we use. It's not. It's the result of spending the requisite time to get your surfaces back into original condition. We spend a relatively small portion of time using, an albeit high quality, trim finish and conditioner, to give our details an extra pop to make the car look brand new. Many inexperienced or novice detailers will attempt to short-circuit the preparation phase by going straight into the conditioner phase. Alas, greasy, unfinished results will follow.
Never skimp on the windows
Windows have the power to give an especially elevated feel to your detail.
And quality work on windows is no easy task. Reread the point on multiple revisions as this doubly applies to windows as well. Obviously, good window cleaning will require cleaning on both the inside and outside. Double and triple check for smears, streaks or inconsistencies. Inevitably, there will be some imperfections after the first go-over.
Even the most talented detailer will not be able to clean a window in one shot.
Unless, of course there was nothing to clean in the first place.
Let us know what specific surfaces you'd like to learn about in more detail.
Which surfaces would you like to learn more about how to detail?
Leather seating
Interior Trim
Exterior Rims
Exterior Paint
You can vote for more than one answer.
Fresh Start Auto Detail is based in St. Louis, Missouri and provides home service to Chesterfield and the surrounding towns and communities. Fresh Start is an interior specialist detailing company and has a range of service options and plans to fit your preference. Explore our Full Premium, Express Clean, or Family Share plans, or book your one-off service online. We bring the detail shop to your home™. Book your appointment online today.