If you use it regularly, your car is guaranteed to get dirty with time. Weather, dirt, grime, and other pollutants are waiting to harm your driving partner. If you are not careful, these impurities can destroy your car’s appearance or, even worse, degrade its performance and lifespan. 

Sometimes car detailing can do a lot more than what just an external wash couldn’t. You must get your car detailed regularly if you want to shield it from external elements and retain its look and shine. 

But to get the best results, how often should you get it detailed? So in this article, we will talk about each aspect of car detailing and why you should do it and how often it has to be done for the finest results. 

What is car detailing? 

Car detailing is restoring and protecting a vehicle’s interior and exterior to make it look as close to new as possible.

What does car detailing involve?

It is split up into two parts: Internal car detailing and external car detailing. 

In External car detailing the vehicle is cleansed and reconditioned from top-to-bottom which involves cleaning headlights, engine bay, windows, wheels, and other essential parts of the car. 

Clay bar treatment, waxing, polishing, ceramic coating, and other external detailing services will give your automobile a dazzling shine and protect it from numerous impurities.

On the other side, Internal car detailing uses services like vacuuming, steam cleaning, leather trimming, and so on to upgrade the interior of your car. To provide a dust-free driving experience, the interior of your vehicle is thoroughly cleaned and detailed.   

We will break down the detailing process into different levels ( from minimum to most in-depth) and provide you with an idea of how frequently they should be done. 

• Quick Detailing.

• Decontamination and Protection. 

• Paint rectification. 

• Internal details. 

QUICK DETAILING

It involves freshening up the inside and outside of a vehicle. It’s not intended to completely convert a vehicle, but rather to keep it maintained and protected in between more in-depth detailing.  

Quick detailing includes:

1. Exterior glass, trim, paint, and alloys should all be well-cleaned.

2. Clean the door jambs.

3. If necessary, top up paint protection using a spray wax or quick detailer spray.

4. Tire dressing application

5. Clean the glass and vacuum the inside surfaces. 

A quick detail will usually take between 1-2 hours. It differs from a standard “vehicle wash” in that it focuses on the interior, paint protection top-up, and alloys. 

How often should it be done?

This type of detail should be done at least once a month. Ideally, the car should be washed and inside cleaned every week, and the paint protection should be covered up with a spray wax or a quick detailer spray every month, depending on the level of protection already in effect. 

FULL INTERIOR DETAILING 

A full interior goes a step further because it focuses on deep cleaning the interior of the automobile to make it seem brand new and securing it to keep it that way. 

It Includes: 

1. Clean the glass and vacuum the surfaces. 

2. All carpets, mats, upholstery, and the headliner should be shampooed.

3. If necessary, use a steamer to deep clean. 

4. Using compressed air and fine brushes, clean all the crevices. 

5. Cleanse the door jambs. 

6. Deep clean and seal or condition leather. 

As you can see, this is significantly more detailed than a quick detailed clean-up. As a result, depending on the current state of the car, it normally takes 1-2 hours. 

How often should it be done?

A full interior detail, including deep cleaning and surface protection or conditioning, should be conducted at least every 6 months. If you drive your car every day, it may be required to detail the interior every three months to ensure it appears as new as possible. 

DECONTAMINATION AND PROTECTION

This is the next level of external detailing. It also goes much beyond simply cleaning and topping up the protection. Instead, it comprises a thorough cleaning followed by the application of a longer-lasting sealer or ceramic coating to ensure the finish is adequately guarded. 

It includes:

1. External glass, trim paint, exhaust tips, alloys, wheel barrels, wheel arches, and tires must be washed thoroughly. 

2. Using an iron fallout and tar remover to decontaminate the chemical. 

3. Physical decontamination should be done using a clay bar, mitt, or cloth. 

4. Remove any old waxes, coating, and sealants. 

5. Applying durable sealant, wax, or coating to the paintwork. 

6. Tire and trim dressing. 

7. Cleaning and polishing the glass. 

A decontamination and protection service will thoroughly cleanse and preserve the vehicle, enhancing the paintwork and keeping the finish appearing newer for a longer period. This type of detail normally takes 3-4 hours to complete. 

How often should it be done?

A decontamination and protection detail should be conducted once a year to ensure that your car is adequately maintained and cleansed. Cars that are driven every day typically require a full exterior detail every 6 months to stay in good condition.  

PAINT CORRECTION DETAIL

This is the most detailed type of external detailing. It will include everything we have discussed so far but as well as an additional phase, and that is paint correction. 

To completely remove clear coat scratches and swirl marks, a layer of the car’s coat is removed. A dual-action polisher is typically used for this. 

This level of detail should not be a part of the routine. Instead, only adjust the paint when required, as you can do it so many times before removing all of the clear coat. 

It includes the following:

1. Exterior glass, trim, paint, exhaust tips, alloys, wheel barrels, wheel arches, and tires should be well cleaned. 

2. Chemical cleanup with iron fallout and tar remover. 

3. Decontamination with a clay bar, mitt, or cloth. 

4. Compounding is the first stage of paint repair (damage removal).

5. Polishing is the second stage of paint correction (refinement).

6. Applying a long-lasting sealer, wax, or coating to the paintwork. 

7. Tire and trim dressing. 

8. Cleaning and polishing the glass. 

How often should it be done?

To preserve the car’s clear coat, paint correction details should be made only when necessary and not as part of the routine. A cleansing and protection detail is more appropriate to improve the appearance of the car. 

So those are the four major categories of detail and the frequency with which they should be executed. Here is a quick recap of the processes we discussed and how frequently they should be performed. 

EXTERIOR DETAILING PROCESS 

1. Cleansing External surfaces –  Weekly.

2. Tire dressing application –  Every 1 to 2 Weeks.

3. Paint Protection top-up – Every month.

4. Trim dressing application – Every 6 months. 

5. Decontamination –  Every 6 to 12 months.

6. Full Paint protection – Every 6 to 12 months.

7. Glass and alloy sealant application – Every 6 to12 months. 

8. Paint correction (Polish or compound) –  Only when needed. 

INTERIOR DETAILING PROCESS

1. Vacuum and clean the surfaces –  Weekly. 

2. Cleaning all the crevices with brushes or compressed air – Every 3 months.

3. Deep cleansing leather and seal –  Every 3 to 6 months. 

4. Deep cleansing door jambs – Every 6 months.

5. Dashboard dressing application – Every 6 months.

6. Fabric sealant application –   Every 6 months 

FAQs

How long does it take for a car to be clean after detailing?

While an interior detail can last up to six months, the exterior protection provided by a detailing service typically lasts approximately 2-3 months. While this may not seem like a long time, it is due to various things that can affect your automobile after a detail, such as driving frequency.

Is car detailing effective at removing scratches?

Minor scratches can be concealed by polishing, waxing, and sealing, but deep scratches cannot be concealed. You must seek professional assistance for the repair of such a car scratch.

How often should you detail your car?

The frequency with which you should have your automobile detailed varies depending on how much wear and tear you put on it and how frequently you wash and wax it, but most experts suggest having it done twice a year, or once every 4 to 6 months.

I think now you must be convinced why you need car detailing and how often you should do it, and if you are looking for the best car detailing services, then Knight skin has certified professionals who give you what you need and makes your car look shiny and preventing it from all the impurities.