Top Five Auto Detailing Supplies

Purchasing auto detail supplies can be a challenge because of the broad range available. Lets walk through the process.

The first step in detailing an auto is to give it a good wash. All of the surface grime, oil and dirt have to be removed in order to achieve the best results with the various chemicals you will be using in the detail. Pressure washing with de-ionized water will remove all of the above contaminates as well as hard water spots. De-ionizing also removes minerals from even the hardest water and replaces it with pure. A good system to use is the CRSpotless Wall Mounted Water De-ionizing System.

Next you will be using a clay bar to remove embedded surface contamination that remains after the surface wash. A clay bar will leave you with a smooth as glass, workable surface. Clay bars do not remove scratches or swirls and can actually add minor imperfections.

Following the clay bar, you will need a good surface buffer. Polishing yields the most dramatic affects on your paint. The object is to remove imperfections in the paint, such as swirls, spots, scratches, water spots, etching, and oxidation. It is always best to use an orbital buffer and Porter Cable 7424XP Random Orbital Buffer is a good choice for the job.

You are going to follow up the polish with a good glaze, an optional step in the detailing process but when done correctly can add extra layers of gloss and depth. Glazes are basically polishes that leave behind oils, kaolin clay or some other substance that bring out the shine while covering up some minor imperfections in the paint. If the paint is badly scratched you are better off using a polish instead of a glaze. Several good glazes on the market are Chemical Guys EZ Crème Glaze, which is acrylic based. Top glazes to use under the polish are Clear Kote, Red Moose Glaze, or Dodo Juice Lime Prime Lite.

The last step is sealing up your work. Sealant is used to properly protect your auto from the elements and provide about 3 to 6 months protection. This is quite a bit longer than Carnuba wax offers.

There are a wide array of auto detailing supplies and equipment available depending on how much you want to invest. Take your time and shop around. There are also several online tutorials that offer very good suggestions for both how to do the best job and top products available.