Liviu Marcus
The debate over whether it’s best to get your car washed professionally or do it yourself is one you can knock around all day long.
Their ace in the hole is that it saves you money, for those in the DIY camp. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about going somewhere, particularly for cleaning of your car. And yes, for those who love such things, the joy is in going out and doing something, and cleaning your car – especially if you are the type of person who takes pride in your car.
However, for those who support turning professional there is one basic luck that is almost impossible to argue against. Valeting gives your car a million dollar look, with the unmistakable showroom shine, which is very difficult to duplicate at home.
Hard, but not impossible. And let’s be honest, if you could crack the secret of how the pros get your car looking so good when they clean it, the argument for doing it yourself suddenly looks pretty convincing. In fact, the only reason not to clean your own car and pay a professional instead would be because you hadn’t the time or inclination.
So what exactly do professional valeting services do to get your car looking so good? And can you do just as good a job at home? Here are some top pro tips that can make all the difference.
It’s all about product
Of all the things they do, professional valeting services understand more than anything the importance of using not the best cleaning products, but the best ones for each job. It is indeed a matter of reaping what you sow. You will end up with a professional look if you choose premium professional car cleaning products.
Pro-quality car shampoos, for example, are specially formulated to be extremely efficient at lifting dirt from your bodywork without posing any danger to the delicate upper surfaces of the paint – something that you have to be careful with if using cheaper or general-purpose detergents, which can react with the paint to leave marring. Similarly, professional shampoos are highly hydrophobic, which means they push water molecules away from the surface of your car to help avoid watermarks developing. If you’re in search of great products to maintain your car in great condition, please visit our friends at CarDealerDepot for the best detailing products that you can find on the market.
For professionals, there’s a lot more to cleaning products than just shampoo. The pre-wash is just as important as the wash. So professional valeting services will always apply a snow foam to a vehicle before washing it with shampoo. Snow foam is designed to saturate dirt on the surface of the car, making it easier to remove either with shampoo or simply by rinsing it off with the foam beforehand.
Many professionals will also use special cleaners to remove things like tar, dead insects, and iron filings thrown up from the road. These are among the most stubborn types of dirt that can attach themselves to your car’s paintwork, and can actually cause damage if they are still present when you start rubbing your car down with shampoo and water.
An all-over cleaning experience
Another key to professional valeting is that they treat the whole car, not just the most visible parts. Of course, this can mean giving a car the work inside and out. But even if you just want the outside washing, a pro won’t leave any nook or cranny overlooked.
In particular, professional services will pay attention to the undercarriage and wheel arches, using pressure washers to blast the considerable amounts of grime that build up off the road. This is important because this dirt is a prime source of muck that spreads to your bodywork, so will help keep your car looking pristine for longer. It also helps to minimise the risk of long-term damage.
Move the vehicle to the shade if the sun’s out
This is one that always gets the unsuspecting amateur valeter. Washing your car in the full sun comes with this advantage particularly when it is warm, there will be plenty of spots and smudges all over your car after you are done.
Why? Because direct sunlight will make the water which you use to wash your car vanish quite quickly. As you are putting the shampoo, this leaves a soapy residue when the water dries on your car without you getting a chance to finish rinsing the surface. Even when you rinse off with clean water and then wipe off with a microfiber towel, you will still see streaks.
Hence if you do not want all the time and effort you put into washing your vehicle to be rewarding you with it taking up the appearance of a dusty looking light powder, always wash in the shade.
Applying the finish
Finally, that fresh-from-the-showroom sparkle you get when your car comes back from a professional valeting service is not just the gleam of being faultlessly clean. It’s also because your valeter has waxed your car after washing it.
Waxing performs the dual purpose of enhancing the appearance of your paintwork with a pleasing shine and offering a degree of protection from dirt and damage. You don’t have to wax your car after every wash – if you use good quality wax and wash with the right products, a wax layer will survive several washes before needing to be applied again.
