Top 5 Mistakes Amateur Detailers Make

Amateur Detailers will always make mistakes, but you won’t…

Ever bring your car to a car wash? Wonder how they can only charge $10 for a full exterior wash and still have 10 guys drying the car? Imagine the abuse the towels receive or even the quality of those towels and the wash chemicals in order to make a profit. Just the thought of a drive through car swash gives me the shivers. You paid thousands for your car, why cheap out on a factor that can increase the value of your car by 20%? We professionals use only the best products designed specifically for a cars delicate paint. But a lot of amateur detailers are just your average Joe with a wash bucket and some soap.



The point of detailing is to pay attention to even the most minute detail. The towels we use are high grade microfiber designed to limit the amount of marring and scratching on the paint and the waxes are specifically formulated to bring out the best shine in modern clear coat.

Here are the top 5 mistakes that an amateur detailer makes on a daily basis:

1. Dirty Wash Sponge
   Never use something that has been sitting in dirt, dust, or any other particles. The sponge or wash mitt has to be clean and free of any damage that could potentially scratch the paint. Also, never use the same sponge you use on the wheels on the paint. That is a big lazy mistake many do. To prevent dirt from building up in your water, the best option is to follow the Two Bucket Method. I wrote a guide on the Two Bucket Method, go check that out.
2. Non-lubricating Soap (Dish Soap)
   Car soaps, especially professional-grade, are designed specifically to be as lubricating as possible along with being able to suspend any dirt and grime over the paint. Essentially the soap will lift the dirt off of the paint, suspend it within the soap particles, then it can be gently slid away over the lubricating particles. Use the proper soap and you will get the proper results. I’m a huge fan of Chemical Guys products and I recommended to use their PH balanced Citrus Wash in my other guides.
3. Dirty Water with No Grit Guard (A must have)
   Many people just grab any old bucket, fill it up with some water and soap, then be on their merry way… This is horrible and will cause so many scratches and swirls to your paint. First things first, read the guide on the Two Bucket method. This is the proper way to clean a car, and be sure to use a grit guard. These grit guards, I have those exact ones, will hold the dirt and grime to the bottom of the bucket along with providing you a surface to scrub the grime off the sponge with.
4. Old Body Towels
   Welcome to the practice of 99% of drive through car washes and soccer moms alike. Body towels are used to do exactly as they are called, dry your body. Do not use them on your paint, they will severely mar and scratch the paint. Look into buying dedicating waffle weave microfiber drying towels. They are specifically designed to absorb insane amounts of water and not scratch your paint. They are worth the investment and a DIY-er would only need about 2-3 towels.
5. Skip Straight to Wax
   Ever feel the surface of your paint and its rough even after washing thoroughly? That is because there are still very small contaminants stuck into the clear coat. There is only one method to removing these and that is by “Claying” or “Clay Barring.” The method is simple and I will have a much more in depth article coming soon. All you need is some Clay Lubrication and a small Clay Bar. You then basically lube up the location (one panel at a time) and the clay itself and rub the clay against the paint, gently, to pull off the contaminants. This is the final prepping stage before waxing or polishing paint and will help in both the adherence of the wax but also the looks and feel of the paint.

These are mistakes so many detailers and do it yourself-ers have made over the years and will continue to make. Do not fall into this category!