Many car owners can be seen taking out the hose, the buckets, brushes and wipes and a variety pack of DIY cleaning supplies in the summer time. You likely do a great job cleaning your car before a long weekend road trip with the family. Well before your next trip out of town with the rug rats, you should keep the following differences between a cleaning and a detailing to ensure your cabin is clean, smells nice and that you have the peace of mind knowing that your entire car is as clean as a whistle.

The truth is that washing and vacuuming your car at home won’t cut it, if you want to maximize your car’s useful life to the fullest. Your car needs more than just regular appointments with buckets of water and soap to ensure that it will stay in tiptop condition for the long run. Plus, your vehicle is a sound investment that you have to consistently maintain, or its resell value will be next to nothing should you decide to turn it in for a newer model.

Car detailing is much, much more extensive than cleaning. Car detailing would be the equivalent of a day at the spa followed by a long shower whereas cleaning is the equivalent of jumping in the river and soaping up your hair for 2 minutes and then rinsing off. Sure you may not have mud on you or smell as bad but you are nowhere near as clean as the spa day with a long shower.

Detailing your car means checking every nook and cranny to get rid of accumulated dirt, grease, dust, soil particles, and all the other bad stuff that can eventually eat away at the metal parts or simply mask the natural beauty of your vehicle.