As the new year unfolds, you may be revelling in the joy of your latest investment, a new car! The gleaming finish, the scent of fresh leather, and the smoothness of flawless paintwork can make any car lover’s heart skip a beat. However, preserving that showroom shine requires more than just admiration; it demands a commitment to proper care and maintenance.
As a specialist in automotive cleaning products, we understand the nuances of detailing and the importance of preserving your vehicle’s lustre.
The foundation of any successful detailing routine is your maintenance wash and the techniques/steps used. Follow this guide where we explore the essential steps and products you’ll need to maintain ’that new car look’ all year round, detailing the properties of a successful maintenance clean to produce the best results every time. Let’s begin!
As the new year unfolds, you may be revelling in the joy of your latest investment, a new car! The gleaming finish, the scent of fresh leather, and the smoothness of flawless paintwork can make any car lover’s heart skip a beat. However, preserving that showroom shine requires more than just admiration; it demands a commitment to proper care and maintenance.
As a specialist in automotive cleaning products, we understand the nuances of detailing and the importance of preserving your vehicle’s lustre.
The foundation of any successful detailing routine is your maintenance wash and the techniques/steps used. Follow this guide where we explore the essential steps and products you’ll need to maintain ’that new car look’ all year round, detailing the properties of a successful maintenance clean to produce the best results every time. Let’s begin!
1. Begin with a Pre-wash!
The foundation of any successful detailing routine is a gentle yet effective pre-wash.
Begin by applying Nielsen Pre-Wash to a pre-rinsed vehicle, via a pump sprayer or a trigger bottle, diluted between 10:1 & 4:1 for heavily soiled vehicles. This will loosen any built-up muck, mud, traffic film, road salt, and grime. “Our Pre-wash is gentle on Ceramic coatings, waxes and sealants.”
Apply this liberally, focusing more on the car’s rear bumper, boot area, and wheel arches. Let the product sit for 5 minutes or so, before rinsing off using a pressure washer – never let the product dry onto the vehicle.
If you regularly clean your vehicle, there may be occasions when you can skip the pre-wash stage and go straight to Snow Foam. Formulated for added cling with extended dwell time, Nielsen pH Neutral Snow Foam quickly softens and dissolves stubborn deposits and is safe on coated, sealed, and waxed vehicles.
Again, apply your pH Neutral Snow Foam to a pre-rinsed vehicle, diluted as per the instruction. Allowing a dwell time of up to 10 minutes or, until most of the foam has left the vehicle.
While you let the snow foam sit, why not get started on those wheels?
2. Wheels and Tyres
Wheels and tyres are often overlooked, but they play a crucial role in maintaining a vehicle’s overall aesthetic. Use Nielsen Wheel Cleaner to remove brake dust, traffic film, oil, and everyday road grime.
Getting started on your wheel clean whilst allowing the Snow Foam to dwell is good practice for any enthusiast, it means that any dirt you bring out of the wheel barrel will be picked up by the foam and safely travel down your vehicle instead of clinging to the vehicle’s body.
Take the extra step – for a thorough clean, decontaminate your wheels using Nielsen Fallout Remover. It bleeds red when it comes into contact with iron fallout and makes light work of stubborn brake deposits!
Come back during the finishing stage with Nielsen Non-Silicone Tyre Dressing to enhance the rubber with a deep gloss shine. This not only contributes to the visual appeal but also protects against cracking and fading.
3. Mastering the wash stage
Now you’ve completed the pre-wash stage, Let’s move on to the wash stage! First, pre-rinse your vehicle and you’re ready to start washing.
Avoid stripping away the protective coatings, wax, or sealant on the paint with a pH-neutral car shampoo. Our Cherry Shampoo is the ideal partner! It’s super foamy, fruity fragranced, and leaves a streak-free finish. A high-quality microfiber wash mitt and the two-bucket wash method will help prevent swirl marks and scratches. Have one soapy bucket and one rinse bucket for your mitt. Clean your mitt after each panel to reduce the chance of scratching your vehicle, working from the top down and doing the bottom sills last as these tend to be the dirtiest areas.
If you haven’t got around to protecting your vehicle yet, use Nielsen Gloss Shampoo to add some basic protection between washes. We’ve blended 3 high-quality waxes including a Brazilian Carnauba to add a hydrophobic coat that will protect your vehicle between washes.
4. Drying
Once you are happy with the wash stage, you can now begin drying your vehicle. We recommend using a plush drying towel and having some microfibre cloths handy for delicate areas such as wheel faces/tyres, door shuts, and bottom sills.
As an added bonus, you can spritz the painted surfaces with our Quick Detailer during the drying process to add an extra gloss enhancement to your freshly cleaned vehicle. This also provides a great finish to gloss-painted alloy wheels!
5. The key to crystal clear glass
Crystal-clear windows are essential for a polished look. Use a streak-free glass cleaner to remove smudges and fingerprints from both the interior and exterior surfaces. Nielsen Glass Cleaner is an easily applied glass and Perspex cleaner designed to produce a crystal-clear finish.
Formulated to rapidly remove all residue left by flies, road film, and nicotine, ensuring complete clarity for driving in all weather conditions.
6. Don’t forget the Interior
The interior of a new car deserves as much attention as the exterior. Clean and protect leather upholstery with a high-quality leather cleaner such as Nielsen Leather Maintainer. Specially formulated to clean and revive whilst enhancing the appearance of all leather interiors, while safeguarding your leather interior so it can retain its natural suppleness.
Nielsen Interior Cleaner is a complete multipurpose cleaner for all types of upholstery, fabrics, and plastics, designed to tackle the most stubborn stains and provide a clean, fresh result every time. This ready-to-use formula can be applied directly to any surface alternatively, apply to a cloth. If required, agitate using a detailing brush, then wipe dry with a clean microfibre.
Did you know that our Interior Cleaner can also effectively be used to remove bug grime from the exterior of your car? (allow several minutes dwell time and wash off using a pressure washer).
7. Finishing – Quick Detailer & Dressings
To maintain that new car shine between thorough detailing sessions, keep a quick detailer on hand.
A quick detailer can remove dust, grime, fingerprints, and watermarks, providing a quick refresh without the need for a full wash whilst still achieving a smear and streak-free finish. Nielsen Quick Detailer is a super versatile product that has also been designed to work as a clay bar lubricant or a drying aid.
We have developed 3 dressings products within our range.
- The first is our Non-Silicone Tyre Dressing. Use this to enhance the rubber with a deep gloss shine. This can be layered too! Add a thin base layer with an applicator pad then dull it down with a cloth, add a second layer evenly either leaving this for a high gloss finish or matte it down for that OEM look!
- Secondly, an Interior Dressing for older cars that require some dashboard rejuvenation. Simply, follow the instructions on the bottle for the best results.
- Finally, we have our Exterior Dressing. This can be applied to cleaned plastics and rubbers, such as mud flaps, engine covers, and bumper trims. Again, follow the instructions on the bottle for the best results.
8. Choosing the right products
The key to successful detailing lies in using high-quality products that are specially formulated by professionals in our field. Look for products free from harsh chemicals that may damage surfaces and opt for those that enhance the longevity of protective coatings.
As a specialist automotive cleaning chemical manufacturer, we take pride in offering a range of products designed to cater to the unique needs of detailers and car enthusiasts. Gear up with the Nielsen Heritage Range for the best results, click here!
In summary
By following these steps and using high-quality automotive cleaning products, you can ensure that new car look all year round! From the initial pre-wash to the final touches, each step contributes to a comprehensive care routine. Remember, the key lies not just in the products you choose but in the care and attention you invest.
Follow this guideline for a successful maintenance clean, ensuring optimal results at every turn:
1) Pre-Wash
2) Wheels
3) Washing
4) Drying
5) Glass cleaning
6) Interior
7) Finishing – Quick Detailer & Dressings
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