Detailing shortcuts that save you time 🏁
There's no denying that some aspects of auto detailing take a long time.
That's kind of how it got its name - it's all about the fine details.
The mistake people make is thinking that every task is supposed to take hours and hours.
The truth is, there are shortcuts you can take to speed up the process without hindering the results or risking damage.
Here are a few that might help you:
Simplify your products
Repeat after me:
You don't need a cabinet full of products to clean your car properly.
Seriously, car enthusiasts get so caught up in the marketing hype that they end up spending hundreds of dollars on bottles that just sit on their shelves.
Remember, the detailing industry has 1 job and 1 job only: to sell you more products.
You don't need a different wax depending on the color of your paint.
You don't need 15 different cleaners for each specific surface of your car.
Fun fact: A bottle of Optimum No Rinse can replace your car soap, quick detailer, drying aid, clay lube, window cleaner, and interior cleaner.
Compressed air is your friend
There are 2 uses for compressed air that will save you hours of time combined.
First, open all the doors and use an air compressor to blow out your interior before you start vacuuming and cleaning.
This sends most of the loose material flying out of the car so you don't have to chase it with a towel or vacuum.
Second, use a leaf blower (or dedicated car dryer if you're fancy) to blow your car dry.
If it's ceramic coated, you might not need to do anything else.
If not, you can follow up with a towel and drying aid of your choice.
Blowing the standing water out of all the places it tends to pool will save you from having to chase water marks when it inevitably leaks out.
Stop trying to vacuum pet hair
That'll take forever and it doesn't even do a very good job.
Use a pet hair brush, rubber glove, or even a pumice stone to gather the hair up into clumps and remove it that way.
Pet hair needs to be scraped off rather than sucked up.
Avoid it 🤣
Not joking. Benjamin Franklin said "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and that applies perfectly to detailing.
I hate cleaning interiors.
So you know what I do? I try my best to avoid getting my interior dirty in the first place.
Garbage leaves with me as soon as I get out of the car.
I kick my shoes clean before climbing in.
As of now, my toddler has a "no eating in the car" rule but we'll see how long that lasts haha.
If it doesn't get dirty, you won't have to clean it.
This works for the exterior too.
If possible, avoid driving in bad weather when you've recently detailed your car.
I know, that's a long shot.
But if it's not absolutely necessary, leave the car in the garage or take another vehicle (if your family has one).
If you'd like a bunch more tips to save time with detailing, head over to this blog post!
