Exterior car detailing in 9 steps

Have you ever wondered what the process of professional exterior detailing looks like? Or maybe you want to take care of your car’s appearance yourself?

We’ve prepared a list of 9 key steps that make up a comprehensive car detailing process. Most of these steps can also be performed at home – step by step.
The order and details of each procedure may vary depending on the studio and the detailer’s preferences, but the basic scheme remains similar.

Discover the 9 fundamentals of exterior detailing!

Step 1: Assess the car’s condition before detailing

Control the surface carefully before starting. Identify areas that require special attention, plan the work sequence, and prepare all necessary tools. Silence your phone to avoid distractions and focus on the task at hand.

Step 2: Check wheel arches, tires, and rims

Start exterior detailing with the wheels, as they are the dirtiest elements requiring thorough cleaning.

Apply a dedicated wheel cleaner that dissolves brake dust and metallic residues. Clean the wheels with brushes and rinse them off after a few minutes.

During the pre-wash, apply active foam to the rims and rinse it off with the rest of the car. This removes leftover chemicals and prevents dripping.

Note: Brushes, sponges, and gloves used for wheels contain a lot of sand and can scratch paint. Use them exclusively for wheels. This is a common cause of minor paint damage, especially when using touchless car washes or washing the car yourself.

Step 3: Pre-wash

The pre-wash step is designed to soften and dissolve dirt on the paint, as well as remove dust and particles that could scratch the surface during further washing.

Use products safe for all exterior surfaces and apply them evenly over the entire body.

Let the foam sit for a few minutes to loosen contaminants.


Finally, rinse the foam and dirt off under pressure.

Tip: Before pre-wash, use dedicated products to remove bird droppings and insects, which facilitates their removal along with the foam.

Step 4: Clean hard-to-reach areas

Areas such as the grille, handles (including their interiors), fuel filler, and plastic components also collect dirt and require careful cleaning.

 

• Precision and gentleness are key at this stage. Use small brushes and APC+ cleaners for effective removal while maintaining full control over the surfaces.
  

Perform this step right after applying active foam, before rinsing, to save time by cleaning both large surfaces and small details simultaneously.

Step 5: Main wash – “two-bucket method”

Touchless washing removes most dirt but cannot handle road film, which can be felt on the surface after a touchless wash. For a truly clean car, hand washing is essential.

Use the two-bucket method: one bucket with clean water and another with water and car shampoo. Both buckets should have a grit guard – a dirt separator that prevents particles from transferring back to the mitt, protecting the paint from scratches.

Use a dedicated car washing mitt. Dip it in the shampoo bucket, wash the section of the car, and rinse the mitt in clean water. Repeat regularly to avoid transferring dirt.

Always wash the body from top to bottom: start with the roof, then hood, windows, and finally the lower panels.

Rinse the entire shampoo thoroughly with pressurized water after washing.

Step 6: Decontamination

Decontamination removes industrial deposits, tar, asphalt, and resin – contaminants that cannot be removed by active foam or standard shampoo. The effectiveness of this step determines how easily protective coatings can be applied and how long they last.

The most popular method is clay bar treatment – rubbing the body with a clay bar to extract contaminants from the paint pores. It requires precision; excessive pressure can cause scratches. Use a lubricant to reduce friction and protect the surface.

Alternatively, chemical decontamination with slow-drying products for tough dirt is effective and reduces the risk of paint damage.

After decontamination, wash the car thoroughly with shampoo or pre-wash to remove residues and contaminants. Incomplete decontamination can hinder polishing and create defects in the paint.

Important: Chemical products must be applied to dry paint; water reduces their effectiveness. Improper product selection can weaken the results.

Step 7: Polish the paint

After previous steps, the paint may still have scratches, discoloration, hazing, or holograms that need correction. Polishing is a technically demanding stage of detailing.

Even a minor mistake can cause permanent paint damage, such as scratches or burn marks.
Professionals use polishing machines and specialized compounds. For DIY, start with Dual-Action (orbital) polishers, which reduce the risk of damage and allow safer polishing with more margin for error.

Step 8: Clean surfaces after polishing

After polishing, residues of polish and other contaminants may remain. This step is the final chance to clean the surface before applying a protective coating.

 

• Use dedicated cleaners to degrease the paint, remove residues, and regain full control over the surface.

 

Apply cleaner directly to the paint and work it with a clean microfiber until the surface is fully clean, smooth, and ready for coating.

Step 9: Protect the paint – apply coatings

This final step protects the paint from external factors, keeping it clean, glossy, and resistant to degradation.

How is it done?

This final step protects the paint from external factors, keeping it clean, glossy, and resistant to degradation. Applying coatings requires precision and a clean, degreased surface. For ceramic or graphene coatings, use dedicated applicator pads to spread the product evenly and avoid streaks. Proper product quantity is crucial: too much causes streaks, too little reduces protection.


Environmental conditions – temperature and humidity – must follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure proper curing. After application, allow the car to rest for about 24 hours to achieve maximum durability.

For enhanced visual and protective effects, the coating can be applied 1–2 times, leaving proper intervals between layers.

Summary

Detailing is a process that requires precision and consistency – every step matters.

You can leave your car to professionals for top-quality results, or take control yourself – provided you approach it methodically and are well-prepared. Don’t take shortcuts, and the results will be satisfying – DIY detailing can be very rewarding and save a significant amount of money.