How To Detail

Getting started with detailing. This handy how to guide will walk you through what's needed and the most common processes to detail like a pro. We'll give you tips and tricks including the best products to use for a professional result.

1. 🧼 Pre-Wash – Loosen Dirt Before Touching Paint

Purpose:

This crucial first step softens and lifts dirt, grime, bugs, and road salt before any physical contact, helping to prevent swirl marks and paint damage.

❄️ Option A: Blizzard pH Neutral Snow Foam

  • Best for: Foam lance users
  • Dilution: 50-100ml in a 1L foam cannon
  • Action: Thick, clinging foam that gently softens surface contaminants
  • Use: Apply bottom to top, let dwell 5–10 minutes (do not allow to dry), then rinse off with pressure
  • Safe on waxes and ceramics

🧴 Option B: Citrus Blitz Pre-Wash (No Snow Foam Setup Needed)

  • Ideal for: Pump sprayers or trigger bottles
  • Usage: Spray heavily on lower panels, wheel arches, and bug-prone zones
  • Action: Citrus-based cleaner that breaks down oils, traffic film, and light grime
  • Rinse thoroughly before contact wash

🔍 Detailing Tip: Agitate tight areas (badges, grills) with a soft detailing brush while foam dwells.

2. 🧤 Contact Wash – The Safe, Hands-On Clean

  • Gear Checklist:
  • Two Buckets: One for shampoo, one for rinsing your mitt
  • Grit Guards: To trap grit and reduce paint marring
  • Wash Mitt – Ditch the sponge. Use the Luxury Microfibre Wash Mitt for gentle, scratch-free washing. They're Safer and softer than sponges

Product: 💧 Cosmos Luxury Shampoo

  • Dilution: 20–30ml per 10L bucket
  • Method: Work top-down using straight-line motions
  • Rinse mitt often in the rinse bucket to prevent dragging grit
  • Final rinse with free-flowing water helps sheet water off before drying
  • Pure, pH-neutral, and wax-safe. Great for weekly washes.
  • Safe on waxes and ceramics

3. 🧪 Decontamination – Dig Deeper for a Smooth Finish

Purpose:

Even after a contact wash, embedded contaminants like iron fallout and tar remain. This step deep-cleans your paint before protection.

Product: 🧪 Blood Rain Fallout Remover

  • Action: Reacts with iron, turning purple/red as it dissolves contamination
  • Use on: Paint, wheels, and glass
  • Agitate: Use a soft brush for extra cleaning. Rinse thoroughly

Product: 🧱 Clay Bar Kit – Fine & Coarse (200g)

  • Purpose: Removes tar, overspray, and embedded grit
  • Lubricate: Use diluted shampoo or Finis Quick Detailer
  • Glide gently in straight lines. Fold and reshape the clay frequently
  • Use Fine bar for maintained cars; Coarse bar for neglected surfaces

Product: 💧 Extract Tar & Glue Remover

  • Action: Dissolves stubborn tar, glue, and mastic without harming paintwork
  • Use on: Vehicle bodywork, heavily soiled engines, mechanical parts, door shuts
  • Agitate: Apply directly, allow to penetrate, agitate if necessary, then wipe clean
  • Finish by washing the surface with clean water and shampoo to remove any residue

4. ⚫ Wheels & Tyres – Boost the Final Impression

Product: Activex Acid-Free Wheel Cleaner

  • Safe for: Painted, diamond-cut, and sealed wheels
  • Spray, dwell, then agitate with dedicated wheel brushes (barrel, face, and lug areas)
    Rinsing thoroughly after

Product: ✨ Drizzle Wet Look Tyre Gel

  • Gel-based dressing that clings well and lasts
  • Apply with foam applicator, allow to dry for a deep black gloss
  • Can also be used to restore exterior trim and plastics

5. 💦 Drying – Lock in the Shine, Avoid the Spots

Product: 🧻 Twisted Loop Drying Towel – 1200GSM

  • Technique: Gently drag the towel in one direction on body panels, pat dry any hard to reach areas
  • Ultra plush, highly absorbent, and large enough for full vehicle drying
  • High GSM means less pressure, more absorbency

🔍 Detailing Tip: Lightly mist Finis Quick Detailer on panels before drying to enhance gloss and lubrication

6. 🛡️ Protection – Gloss, Seal, and Defend

Protection preserves your clean, swirl-free paint while enhancing gloss and water-repellence.

Product: ✅ Finis Quick Detailer / Wax / Polish / Sealant

  • 2-in-1 product: Adds gloss and protection
  • Application: Spray lightly on one panel at a time, buff with a microfiber cloth for a smear free finish
  • Safe for: Use after every wash to refresh shine and hydrophobicity

Product: ❄️ Actic Ceramic Snow Foam

This is a coating foam – not a cleaner. Apply after washing as a spray-on ceramic sealant

  • Dilution: 10-1 or around 50-100ml in a foam cannon
  • Method: Foam the clean, wet car. Let dwell for 3–5 minutes
  • Rinse thoroughly. No agitation required
  • Result: adds gloss enhanced, hydrophobic ceramic layer that lasts weeks

🧠 Why It’s Useful: Ideal for topping up ceramic protection between full details.

Product: 🧪 Finis SiO₂ Ceramic Spray

  • Fast ceramic protection offering weeks of durability and water beading
  • Apply on dry paint in shade. Mist lightly, spread with one towel, buff off with a second
  • Can be layered over Actic Ceramic Foam or Finis Quick Detailer

7. 🔎 Glass – Streak-Free Clarity Every Time

Product: 💨 Crystal Clear Glass Cleaner

  • Use on: Windows, mirrors, touchscreens, and nav displays
  • Application: Spray direct on to windows, wipe in straight passes, flip towel to buff dry. Use our Glass Cloth for best results
  • For touchscreens, and nav displays it's best to spray on to a soft microfibre cloth then wipe in straight passes, flip towel to buff dry

8. 🧽 Interior – Clean, Condition, and Protect

Product: 🧴 Rapid Interior Detailer (Concentrated or RTU)

  • Safe for all surfaces including rubber, plastic, screens, and fabric trim
  • Spray on towel or panel, wipe down, and follow with a dry towel
  • Leaves a natural factory finish with no greasy residue

Product: 🍒 Multisheen Cherry Dressing (Optional)

  • High shine interior or engine bay finish
  • Use sparingly on vinyl and plastics for showroom effect - not for use on gloss plastics
  • Cherry scent adds a fresh touch

Product: Dressed - All Purpose Satin Dressing (Optional)

  • Satin interior dressing - water based
  • Can be used on any surface including plastics, leather and vinyl - not for use on gloss plastics
  • Multiple available scent adds a fresh touch

🔄 Maintenance Schedule:

  • Weekly: Pre-wash → Contact wash → Dry → Quick Detail → Tyre dressing
  • Monthly: Add fallout remover, interior detail
  • Quarterly: Full decon (optional clay) → Arcic Ceramic foam or Finis SiO₂ spray

🛒 Explore More Products

We stock a wide range of detailing products beyond this guide — including alternative shampoos, wheel cleaners, dressings, and protection options.

👉 Browse the full collection here.

Quick Detail Combos

  • Goal: Fast Gloss

    Product Combo
    Cosmos + Finis + Drying Towel

    Why It Works
    Simple routine with high-gloss results

  • Goal: Protection Wash

    Product Combo
    Cosmos + Actic Ceramic Foam

    Why It Works
    Safe wash with ceramic top-up

  • Goal Winter Kit

    Product Combo
    Citrus Blitz + Activex + SiO₂ Spray

    Why It Works
    Salt-fighting essentials

  • Goal Interior Revive

    Product Combo
    Rapid + Multisheen + Interior Brush Set

    Why It Works
    Cleans, conditions, and dresses