Pro Tips to Keep You Shining!

Paint is not as smooth as it appears! Under a microscope, you’ll see that the paint has valleys and ridges. This is where particles like to stay. Over time, the particles make you paint feel sand paper like.
How to correct this: Decontamination of the paint. Use a clay bar to remove these particles. A clay bar is like a magnet and will pull these pesky things from the valleys and create a smooth feeling again. After you have successfully removed the contamination, apply your favorite wax to create a level protection on the entire surface.

The biggest Uglification to a vehicle is break dust. If you are a DYI-er, you can go and purchase a NON- Acid wheel cleaner that will break down the dust and with a little effort and a brush, you should be able to remove the brown grime that makes your wheels look nasty. However, Do Not allow it to sit too long as this is still corrosive!
Over time, the dust will eat into the finish of your wheels (Rims) and will start pitting them. Prolonged procrastination could also result in a weak bead on the rim causing the tire pressure to decrease causing unsafe driving experiences.
Tires: These necessary things have oils imbedded in them to keep them pliable and increase their life. The use of the wrong products can cause them to lose their black look and become brown. Use the best product to keep them looking new regardless of their age. Do not use degreasers as these pull the oils and remove the benefits. As far as Tire Shines go, I prefer a tire coating product with little to no “Sling”. Tire shine is bad for the paint and vinyl ppf. When using tire shine, allow it to fully dry prior to driving to avoid the slinging of this liquid onto the paint surface. If you do not like the wet look, simply apply the shine and after you apply it to all the tires, go around the same way of application and carefully wipe it off. This will leave a dark, black tire without the shine!

This is where you spend most of your time! Keep it Clean & Refreshed! As this part is overwhelming, it is truly a simple process.
Steps: Remove the big stuff first. This will be the easiest but best thing as it will lower the anxiety for the rest of the process. Depending on the equipment that you have, go into a quick vacuuming of the entire cabin area; seats, cup holders, carpeting, cargo area. From here, using a general cleaner like “Simple Green” work Top to Bottom wiping the plastics and leather down applying a light mist to the surface or apply on the rag; dash, doors, center consul, etc. Finish this general cleaning process with a thorough vacuuming to remove whatever else fell onto the floors. Now, the protection. Carefully and methodically, go over everything that you want to protect; there is NO rush here. Finally, use a window cleaner to clean your glass and clear plastics. If it streaks, do it again.

APC (All Purpose Cleaner-Simple Green)
Vacuum
Window Cleaner (Stoner’s Invisible Glass)
Mirco Fiber Towels ( Soft for sensitive spots like paint)
Craft Paint Brushes ( gets into the tight spots)

Your Detailing by Drake contact information in case you have questions or something difficult you need assistance with!