If you have never heard of vehicle detailing and have only ever taken your car for a bog-standard wash, you can be forgiven for believing that it’s simply another term for a fancy car wash. However, we are here to tell you that this isn’t entirely true and will explain the main differences throughout this post.
So What’s The Difference?
While both options aim to get your car looking spic and span, they are different in a few key ways. While a standard wash focuses mainly on a relatively fast and straightforward washing of the exterior (and sometimes the inside), car detailing takes a bit more time to complete and really focuses on deeply cleaning your vehicle from top to bottom to make it look like new. In reality, detailing should be chosen to restore your car's appearance and increase its resale value, while washing is more of a regular event to get your car sparkling after a few weeks of driving sound. Let’s jump into a bit more detail so that you can make an informed decision if
Detailing
As already previously mentioned, bringing your car to a professional car detailer is a far deeper process than simply spraying it with water and getting it all soapy. Instead, it involves a thorough inspection of a plan of action. Once the person performing the detail has a good idea of what's required, based on their expertise, they will get out their tools of the trade and get cracking. In most cases, this will also include a general car wash to prep the vehicle, then a more in-depth approach involving getting into even the smallest nooks and crannies to remove the years of dirt and grime that has a habit of piling up over time. While you can certainly do this yourself, unless you know what you're doing, you will never be able to bring your car back from the brink and make it look like it has just rolled off the dealership lot. It takes a keen eye for detail and a plethora of specialist tools to perform a quality detail, making it generally out of reach even for the most ardent DIYer.
Washing
While you might be unable to perform a detail by yourself, arguably the primary difference between these two disciplines is that you undoubtedly can wash your own car without much issue (although whether you do a good job or not is uncertain!) When it comes to a car wash, you have three options:
Take it to a local car wash: Almost all towns have local car washing facilities, either a pressure washer and vacuum cleaner you can use yourself or a drive-through wash.
Have a professional hand wash: This is not the same as a detail, but likely better than you could do yourself. You can usually also request that they clean the interior for a complete cleaning.
Buying your own equipment and washing it at your home: If you enjoy the process and appreciate the look of a sparkling, clean car, you can invest in a few pieces of equipment, roll up your sleeves, and get cracking!
As you can see, there is a considerable difference between a detail and a run-of-the-mill car wash. To sum up, if you want your car to look as good as new because you're selling it or you love your car, then a full-service detail is always the way to go.
