Winter is the worst time to be a car!
Cold weather brings rain, snow, mud, and salt on the roads.
The highly-corrosive environment destroys
automobiles inside and out,
and makes them look terrible all along the way.
Proper preparation is the best line of defense
against rust,
corrosion,
and deep staining across all vehicle surfaces.
Follow our step-by-step Winter Prep Detail process
to properly clean and protect all exterior and interior parts
from the elements, and extend the lifespan of any automobile.
The Chemical Guys Detailing Flow Chart is like your
road map to prep your own vehicle for winter!
After a thorough inspection of the vehicle to highlight areas
that need special attention, we move to the first step of the
Detail Flow Chart:
Avoid leaving water standing on paintwork any
longer than necessary by cleaning the wheels first.
Clean one wheel at a time.
Start by rinsing the wheel, tire, and wheel well to loosen
heavy contamination.
Keep wheel tools clean in a separate wash bucket
filled with auto shampoo.
Scrub rubber tires with a stiff bristle brush and all-purpose
cleaner to remove embedded dirt and old tire dressing.
Saturate metal parts with specialty wheel cleaners,
then agitate dirt and brake dust with specialty soft wheel brushes.
Rinse away all dirt and soap,
then move on to the next wheel.
Once the wheels are cleaned, it’s time to wash the rest of the car.
The safest way to remove heavy winter road grime,
salt, and mud is with a pressure washer.
If you don’t have your own pressure washer,
use the high pressure wash wand at
a self-service car wash.
A proper wash requires:
wash buckets with grit guard,
a premium microfiber wash mitt,
and a premium auto shampoo.
To prepare your wash and rinse buckets,
fill them with water and place a Grit Guard at the bottom of the bucket.
The first step is a thorough rinse from top to bottom.
Rinse away heavy dirt and contamination, and pay close
attention to lower regions and the rear end of the vehicle.
Rinse the undercarriage to remove any road salt that can cause corrosion.
Next, saturate the vehicle with a foam cannon.
Start at the top and work down one side at a time,
and blast the vehicle with soapy suds.
Foam loosens the bulk of dirt and contaminants, and
gently guides them off the car to reduce scratches...
and it's lots of fun!
After saturating the car with foam,
use your premium microfiber wash mitt and shampoo
and wash from top to bottom in straight lines.
Rinse the wash mitt in the rinse bucket often,
then wring the dirty water out onto the ground.
The two bucket method keeps the dirt washed off your car
OFF your car for scratch-free washing.
Finally, rinse from top to bottom until all surfaces and
undercarriage are free of soap and dirt residue.
Give the wet car a quick spray down with
After Wash to release standing water and add extra lubrication.
Dry the vehicle with a premium 70/30 blend Microfiber Towel.
Buff off any remaining streaks with a smaller towel in straight lines only.
When using smaller towels, wipe away the bulk of
water and drying aids in one direction with one towel.
Buff off any remaining streaks with another plush towel
in straight lines only.
Congratulations!
You have completed the first step of the detail flow chart,
and you're on your way to a full Winter Prep Detail!