What is The Difference Between Detailing and Polishing?

Keeping your car looking its best takes time and effort. Sometimes, though, it's best to leave it up to the experts. At Al-Futtaim Toyota, we offer our customers a complete detailing and polishing service. But what's the difference between the two? And why is it so important to keep your car in tip-top condition?

Why get your car detailed?
While a quick wash with warm, soapy water and a vacuum will get everyday dirt and dust off the inside and outside of your car, eventually you’re going to need to give your vehicle a proper clean. Detailing is a deep-clean carried out by specialists who have the equipment and the experience to make your car look, feel, and smell like new.

Detailing protects the paint from damage over time and ensures the inside stays pristine, with no mould, unpleasant odours, stains or dirt. If you’re planning on selling your car in the UAE, a full detailing and polishing session is essential if you want to get the best price.

What’s involved in detailing?
Let’s look at it on two levels – the interior and the exterior.

The interior
During a thorough detailing, all seat surfaces, door panels, headliners, carpets and floor mats will be shampooed and treated for stains to remove dirt and odours. All interior surfaces are cleaned, including plastic and vinyl dashboards, the steering wheel, sun visors and door handles. Then the whole interior is carefully vacuumed to remove every last crumb, dust mote and spec of dirt.

The exterior
Outside, the car is washed from top to bottom. This process will remove light marks but won't deal with scratches or imperfections. The wheels and tyres are cleaned. Once everything is completed, the polishing and waxing process can start.

Polishing process have stages depending on your vehicle external surface based on hairline scratches our expert will use the material on stage basis, first to clear your scratches on clear coat of the paint followed by surface alignment then proceed with waxing which gives a sparkle shine to your vehicle.

The car’s clean. Does it need polishing?
Washing won’t bring out that lustre that polished paintwork has. A professional polishing service uses specialist polish and equipment to bring out the very best in the paintwork. A polish will create that ‘wet paint’ look that gives you a deep, glossy appearance. Once the car has been polished, it’s then waxed to seal in the shine and protect the paint against the elements.

Is it necessary to polish before you wax?
If you don't do the preparation first, you won't get the same results. Polishing prepares the surface and can also help mask any imperfections on the car's surface, such as little dents and minor scratches. It won't hide them completely, but it will make them far less noticeable.

As far as the paint is not damaged in scratches it will be unnoticeable after polishing but there is no guarantee that all the scratches can be eliminated.

How often should a car be detailed and polished?
Regular detailing can prolong the life of your car by protecting the paintwork and keeping it in pristine condition. If you're selling your vehicle, then a full detail and polish is a must. Otherwise, you should have your car detailed every few months recommended after complete detailing every 6 months maintenance of a wax will protect to enhance the polishing work performed on your vehicle. It keeps your vehicle looking beautiful and makes it a much more pleasant place to be!

If your paintwork’s looking a little tired and the inside of your car is a bit grubby and smelly, Al-Futtaim Toyota can help. Our skilled detailing and polishing team are ready to bring your car back to life. Contact us today to find out more or book online.