Taking care of your car involves major repairs, getting a regular oil change, and getting small tune-ups. You can also take care of your vehicle by cleaning it using the best methods, cleaners, and waxes to prevent damage to your paint, glass, and body. Explore these differences between a car wash and an auto detailing so you know which one to get and when.
What’s Included
Depending on where you go and how much you spend, you can expect a rinse, some soap, some wax, and a blow-dry when you get your car washed. At an automated car wash, your car might get the water-only treatment or get some scrubbing from the car-wash brushes. Car washes with actual human operators may use some elbow grease to scrub your tires, your car’s backend, and other hard-to-reach spots. And while a car wash is just for the outside, you can also use the on-site vacuum to clean up the interior of your car. However, that might cost extra.
When you get your car detailed, you get a good wash and much more. An auto detailing typically includes a thorough cleaning of the exterior, including the hardest-to-reach spots, plus a detailed cleaning of the car’s interior. But that’s not all! Your car also gets a good scrub to remove tough substances like bugs, tar, and sap as well as paint touch-ups, small dent repairs, and a wash under the hood.
The Steps
The most common steps in any car wash, no matter where you go, are as follows:
- Wet the whole car.
- Scrub hard-to-reach areas with a brush.
- Apply soap.
- Use brushes and/or powerful water sprayers to remove debris and dirt.
- Rinse.
- Apply wax or sealant.
- Rinse again.
- Air dry, blow dry, or towel dry.
While this might leave your car looking really clean for a few days, a car detailing has many more steps to make sure your vehicle is actually clean and to prevent dirt from sticking for a while longer. Here are the most common steps in a car detailing service:
- Wash the whole exterior of the vehicle: Professionals use foaming soap that softens dirt and special brushes and washing mitts to remove grime. They then rinse the vehicle with clean water and dry it with soft microfiber towels to prevent scratches or water streaks.
- Scrub the wheels: Since the wheels are often the dirtiest parts of your vehicle, detailing pros will scrub the tires, wheels, brake calipers, and lug nuts to remove all grime.
- Touch up the paint: The first step here is to use a clay bar surface to completely remove dirt from the clear coat. Then, detailers can polish the paint to remove swirls, scratches, or signs of oxidation, either by hand or using a polishing machine.
- Wax and seal the car: In this step, detailers add a protective layer to prevent harm to the car’s paint from dirt build-up or scratches.
- Polish the windows, rubber, and plastic parts: Detailers finish the exterior cleaning by polishing the outdoor glass and other areas that need additional cleaning.
- Vacuum and shampoo the carpets, mats, and upholstery: Using commercial-grade machines, detailers vacuum, steam clean, and shampoo all of the cloth upholstery, including your interior roof. If you’ve got leather upholstery that needs cleaning, the pros will use the right stuff to do so.
- Wipe the dash, steering wheel, console, and doors: Detailers remove dust, dirt, pet hair, and crumbs from every surface, including your vents and cupholders.
- Clean the interior side of the windows and the mirrors: Detailers make sure you can see from every angle.
- Freshen up the engine bay: This step is typically optional, but a detailer may recommend removing grime, dust, debris, and anything else that might get in a mechanic’s way when checking under the hood.
How Long It Takes
A car wash can take anywhere from a few minutes in an automated car wash to an hour or two if you’re doing it yourself. However, car detailing typically takes between two and three hours, depending on how large your vehicle is and how much cleaning they need to do.
The Price
Going to an automated car wash in Grand Forks, North Dakota, can cost a few dollars for each visit. Some places allow you to pay a flat monthly charge for unlimited washes. At Rydell, we offer a wash in our cutting-edge facilities for as low as $8.
Car detailing can cost anywhere from $40 to over $200 with additional cleaning and detailing services. The cost can also depend on how large your vehicle is.
Whether You Can Do It Yourself
Washing your car yourself can be a fun activity to do with the kids or a meditative solo experience. Though buying the best car-friendly soaps, washing mitts, wax, and towels can cost a pretty penny upfront, you might be able to save money by washing your car yourself rather than taking it to the car wash regularly.
But if you want your car detailed, it’s best to leave that up to the professionals because of their expertise, special equipment, and attention to detail.
Benefits for Your Car
While the benefit of a simple, automated car wash is that your car’s body looks clean, auto detailing offers many more benefits:
- Little-to-no risk of scratches or damage to the body.
- Keeping your car in better shape, potentially improving its longevity and resale value.
- Better protecting your vehicle from oxidation.
- Greater likelihood of a spotless clean.
When You Should Get Each Done
Choose to get your car washed when:
- You just want a quick clean.
- You’re in the middle of a season when the weather can change at the drop of a hat.
- Your car is covered in pollen, salt, or sludge from the snow.
It’s recommended that you get your car fully detailed every four to six months, but the frequency may change depending on where you live, the kind of weather you get, how much you drive it, and how often you wash it. Opt for a full auto detailing when:
- You’ve never had it detailed.
- You’ve gone more than six months since you last had it detailed.
- You’re between seasons and need to remove the previous season’s buildup.
- You want to sell your car.
Rydell Auto Group knows how important your vehicle is to you, which is why we offer our own automated car wash locations and great wash packages to freshen up your vehicle, no matter how big or small. Do you have questions about our car wash, our vehicle selection, or our service options? Contact us today — we’re happy to help!
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