Spring is right around the corner — March 20th, to be exact. As the ground thaws and the snow melts, many vehicle owners consider the benefits of protecting and enhancing the surfaces of their automobile. But just as quickly, those proud drivers begin to notice just how messy their automobile got during those cold and slushy winter months.
Diamond ProTech products’ easy application process is already becoming legendary for consumers around the world and this do-it-yourself mentality is not only reserved for the automotive body protection process. In addition to sealing your automobile’s surfaces with one of our nanodiamond composite car coatings, the preparation that takes place beforehand determines the level of luster and caramel-like shine that your ride’s exterior will provide you with that wow factor wherever you go!
But is it as simple as waiting in line at a public car wash? Our experts say that properly cleaning and preparing your vehicle’s surfaces for your Diamond ProTech car coating is actually simpler and safer than letting soft touch or touch-less equipment give your paintwork a once-over.
The Correct Process of Washing and Decontaminating an Automobile
From our team to your home garage, here is a comprehensive look into the at-home detailing efforts you should perform prior to applying any Diamond ProTech car coating:
Initial Exterior Rinse - Cleaning the exterior of your car, truck, or SUV starts with a simple yet thorough rinse. Assuming you do not already have a pro-grade nanodiamond car coating applied to your paint, glass, metal trim pieces, or other surfaces, this initial rinse will only clear off easy-to-remove contamination, such as loose dust or dirt, without causing swirls or scratches in your clear coat.
Cleaning Vehicle Wheels and Fenders - Following the first full rinse of your vehicle’s exterior, cleaning your wheels, rims, and fenders is the next logical step. Because you will be removing heavy road grime and brake dust from these areas, you do not want to then use these same wash mitts or brushes on paintwork, as that will result in cross-contamination and the unnecessary infliction of paint defects.
Outside of certain brushes and equipment, you may also need to consider certain safe cleaning solutions that help with eliminating tar and heavy brake dust.
Automobile Body Wash - Here is where the real work gets put in — Hand washing all other areas of your automobile’s exterior, including paintwork and glass. All vehicle owners should utilize a two-bucket hand wash method paired with microfiber towels and professional-grade wash mitts when doing so. Additionally, it is helpful to incorporate a grit guard in each of your wash buckets, as it will help to filter out any contaminants that are lifted from your paintwork.
As far as washing technique is concerned, it is standard in both the pro and novice detailing industries to wash in a grid pattern, starting from the top down and moving back and forth. As you can see, much of the auto body washing portion of cleaning your automobile is about safety and consistency.
Optional Paint Decontamination - Once you have fully eliminated much of the surface contamination that was residing on your vehicle’s exterior surfaces, now you have a clear picture of what remains on those areas. If your automobile calls for it, go the extra mile by incorporating iron and tar remover and a clay bar decontamination effort on surfaces that still show visible or hard-to-remove grime.
Iron and tar treatments help break down iron deposits that have embedded themselves in your vehicle’s paint and tar residue from the road. Another option performed by pro detailing shops is claying, which involves a clay bar being rubbed against all exterior surfaces. Any residual contamination or grit molecules are agitated by this process, latching to the clay as they are pulled away from your ride’s exterior.
Final Rinse - Just as you began with a full exterior rinse, you finish with one as well! This cleans off any residual cleaning solutions and gives you a nice, even appearance and likewise, washes away any contamination that may still remain after your initial cleaning efforts. Be sure to rinse your ride thoroughly and leave no area unaddressed.
Proper Drying Procedure - Drying is easily done by the at home do-it-yourself detailer; however, it is imperative that we highlight the importance of safe and effective drying efforts. Letting an uncoated vehicle completely drip dry is not always the best option, as the hydrophobicity of its surface is not what it will be after you install one of our nanodiamond car coatings. Therefore, you must hand dry many parts of your exterior, especially the paintwork.
Be sure to only utilize microfiber towels and gentle techniques, fully soaking up any residual water droplets to leave a smooth, even clean finish across your exterior surfaces. This is imperative to not create dreaded swirl marks, streaks, or other paint defects prior to hand applying your Diamond ProTech products.
When is Automotive Paint Correction Necessary?
Now, a question remains: Should you get your vehicle’s paintwork corrected prior to coating it with a nanodiamond car coating? Likewise, what are the benefits of different levels of paint correction?
Automotive paint correction services are not traditionally something you can perform as easily as vehicle cleaning or installing our composite car coatings, as it requires light abrasion and is best left in the hands of a highly trained auto detailing professional. Yet, you should consider the possibility of having your ride’s paint corrected for the sake of removing defects and enhancing the gloss that will then be exemplified by our glorious nanodiamond car coatings.
For automobiles with lighter defects, such as swirl marks or very subtle scratching, a one-step swirl removal is enough to smooth out those discrepancies and enhance surface gloss. Most automobiles that have been well cared for fall under this category.
Now if your automobile is riddled with more intense defects, such as longer scrapes and nicks in the clear coat, you will want to consider a multi-step correction that involves heavier cutting with compounds, buffing, polishing, and even jeweling to revitalize the detail that will then be proudly showcased by a caramel-like surface gloss from Diamond ProTech consumer car coatings!
Incorporate Diamond Body Prep for a Deeper Surface Cleanse
Detailing your vehicle’s surfaces is not only for preventing contamination from being sealed behind our fully cured nanodiamond car coating formulas. Cleaning a car, truck, or SUV allows our composite coatings to bond with your paint, metal, and more evenly and properly, facilitating maximum surface gloss, hydrophobicity, scratch-resistance, and UV protection.
We at Diamond ProTech have made the auto cleaning process much more effective by offering an enriched nanodiamond car prep formula in Diamond Body Prep. This auto detailing formula designed by incorporating the same high-end nanodiamond technology found in our auto protection coatings cuts through some of the toughest grime you may find on your ride’s body surfaces!
While you may have a wide selection of auto detailing solutions to implement during your two-bucket hand wash and thorough rinse processes at home, Diamond Body Prep really gets the job done in ways that would otherwise take a multitude of cleaning formulas. Cutting through contamination residue, residual wax, and old spray sealants, Diamond Body Prep should be on hand for all your auto surface preparation needs.
Simplicity in detailing is key, just as simplicity in installing any of our nanodiamond car coatings is why we develop them for all makes and models. To clean your vehicle’s exterior successfully with Diamond Body Prep, simply spray it across all necessary areas and wipe with a microfiber towel. You will notice an exponential shine return to your paintwork that will be worth protecting!
Choose the Best - Diamond ProTech Nanodiamond Car Coating Options
Of course, if detailing is made simple, installing a car coating should be just as easy! Fortunately for all vehicle owners who want top-tier protection against the elements while keeping their ride looking like it is fit for a showroom, Diamond ProTech has several exterior nanodiamond car coatings that will work wonders on paint, glass, wheels, and other surfaces.
Here are three iconic products that cover all bases of your car, truck, or SUV’s exterior and allow you to easily install them yourself right at home:
Diamond Body 36 - Get the shine and protection of a professional vehicle full body coating with the ease of use that Diamond Body 36 offers! Your hydrophobic protection will last up to three years — 36 months of a durable candy apple shine. This protective coat enables your vehicle to remain chemical-resistant while repelling dirt and dust.
Transform your vehicle in 90 minutes with Diamond Body 36! All you need is a microfiber towel, an applicator pad, protective gloves and our special Diamond Body Prep. Achieve that coveted glimmering shine with just two layers of this superior coating solution. Get everything needed all in one convenient starter kit.
Learn how to apply Diamond Body 36
Diamond Body - We highly recommend Diamond Body for all who own multiple vehicles that need protection from the next wave of environmental contamination that comes with spring. We have a 30mL & 50mL bottle of this 18-month nanodiamond car coating formula, going the distance to coat more than one automobile in a candy-apple gloss layer of hydrophobic, oleophobic, and scratch-resistant protection.
All you need to install this product is a microfiber towel, an applicator pad, protective gloves, and Diamond Body Prep to help with the effective bonding and curing of this nanodiamond car coating. Get everything, including Diamond Body Prep, in one convenient starter kit.
Learn how to apply Diamond Body
Diamond Glass - Cleaning glass is one thing, but keeping its profound clarity up through spring and into the summer is imperative. Diamond Glass is an automotive glass coating easily hand-applied to your windshield, windows, and rear windshield. The enriched nanodiamonds at play in Diamond Glass from our team here at Diamond ProTech bond with fully decontaminated glass surfaces, preventing the buildup of road wash, bug splatters, bird droppings, and oil with hydrophobic precision.
To successfully install Diamond Glass at home, use two microfiber towels, a sponge applicator, a bottle of Diamond Glass Prep to clean all glass surfaces with, and protective gloves. NOTE: This product must be installed out of direct sunlight. Purchase everything you need to protect your windows and windshield in one convenient starter kit.
Learn how to apply Diamond Glass
Diamond Wheels - When you need to protect your wheels and rims from road grime to keep them looking like they have never been driven on, pick up a bottle of Diamond Wheels and easily hand apply it today! This nanodiamond car coating is extremely resistant to high temperatures, bringing similar characteristics to your wheels in rims that you find in the paint protection characteristics of Diamond Body. Get the Diamond Wheels Complete Starter Kit here.
For installing Diamond Wheels on your car, truck, or SUV, apply Diamond Body Prep to the surfaces of your wheels and rims before using two microfiber towels, one applicator, and protective gloves. Letting this product cure for two hours, you will notice a major difference immediately after.
Learn how to apply Diamond Wheels
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