Car Washing vs Car Detailing

Busting a Car Detailing Myth

One can easily confuse a standard car wash like the one you go to down on Main Street; however, a car detailing at Auto Bell for $39 isn't exactly a professional car detailer.

Not to knock em, but they don't offer reconditioning of the vehicle, its a quick getcha in and out service that's it. While these cleanings might be ok for when you're in a rush to ride around in a squeaky clean ride and are super cheap, they do not offer the level of shine and more importantly protection your vehicle deserves.

So let's talk about reconditioning for just a minute, what does that entail? This and a lot of other commonly asked questions that come up, and we have the answers. In the automotive world, we have to admit there is a whole lot of mystery at times; we are 100% transparent with you always.

Such is life – a little understanding goes a great distance. Because of this shady allure, we are again fully transparent with you in every step of the automotive detailing and reconditioning process.

Car Washing vs. Car Detailing

Car detailing is entirely different from car washing because, you guessed it, detail work is involved! Car washes come in several colors, shapes, sizes but they all work the same. A chemical detergent, or soap, is used in a basic car wash to loosen debris from the surface areas of the vehicle with the use of a high-pressure water gun and or brush.

For TIPS AND TRICKS on how to suitably clean your ride see our blog.

Car Wash vs, a Car Detail's Shine

The simple act of washing a car can be gradually damaging by scuffing and swirl marking your automobile’s paint. Though moderately benign, dirt and debris that slowly settles and builds upon the exterior of the vehicle are unattractive. 

During the wash, dirt and filth that adhere to your fabric, or sponge works like sandpaper – damaging the clear coat, dulling it and making it far more susceptive to accumulating more debris. Here at Car Detail Pros of Virginia, we have perfected a system to carefully “elevate” filth and soil apart from the exterior, reducing the abrasions caused by the actions of an improper wash process.

Remember that car detailing starts with the proper wash, so this entire detailing process has only just begun. As you run a hand across the surface of the paint, you start to realize that the exterior still reveals imperfections as the wash only removed what was visible. 

From bugs to tree sap and of course bird poop all accumulate on can even become embedded into the clear coat of a vehicle. Luckily, reliable auto detailers in Virginia harness a secret weapon in their arsenal to combat these Marvins of mayhem - automotive clay, or clay bar.

Paint Reconditioning - The Fun Stuff

Remember talking about the reconditioning process a little while back; this is the fun stuff, ok here we go we are ready to begin that process. Making your vehicle look wet and feel as if baby oil has been applied starts with the way your paint reflects light. 

If the light that reflects from any painted surface reflects uniformly, then the shine you see will be brilliant. However, if there are any imperfections on the paint, the reflecting light will become scattered and show scuff and swirl marks.

If we take a panel and look at its cross-section for a minute, we would observe what looks to be mountain range silhouettes. The tip of the mountains would represent the clear coat and that with time, the sun, other natural elements have worn this layer making the peaks appear more numerous and valleys deeper and reflecting more light from different angles etc. causing a dulling effect.