Spring Cleaning your ride

Address Lingering Odors

When cold weather hits, it can be tempting to put off cleaning your vehicle for a few months which can lead to some building odors. To keep everything smelling fresh, address the two most common causes of car odor during your spring clean including dirty upholstery and dirty air vents. To clean your vents, use an air sprayer with a long thin nozzle to blow any dust out from inside the vents that may be trapping odors. Then, clean vent itself with a small piece of fabric or a toothbrush to get into the small ridges.

To clean your upholstery, remove any pet hair or debris with a vacuum cleaner and then use upholstery fabric cleaner and/or a handheld steam cleaner to clean deep down. Be sure to test any new products on a small inconspicuous spot before covering your entire seat in case of a negative reaction.

Remove Winter Salt

If your fabric floor mats are covered in salt from the winter streets, vacuum off any large pieces of debris and then scrub the area with a mixture of vinegar and water. This should remove any leftover stains. The inside of your car isn’t the only place vulnerable to salt, be sure to also give your exterior a good wash and don’t skip your undercarriage with salt can build up.  Check out our Detailing Packages and schedule your appointment today!

Why Your Brand New Car Needs a Detail

When you buy a new car you expect it to have rolled right out of the factory in pristine condition, right? Unfortunately, this is not what actually happens. Chances are, unless you’ve custom ordered the car, it’s been quite some time since it was at the plant, and you had better believe that the car has swapped hands once or twice. Sure, it’ll be spot cleaned and buffed a few times here and there, but believe me, your brand new car is in dire need of a detail. Here’s why…

The finish may have been butchered.

One of the major factors in why your new car needs to be detailed is what happens to the car between rolling out of the factory and being parked in your driveway. Chances are multiple dealerships and distribution centers have seen and touched your car before you have. During that time your car is going to be “prepped” by someone in the service department. I’ll let you in on a little secret… most dealerships have an inexperienced detailer with a high speed machine quickly go over your car to make the finish glisten, unknowingly creating swirl marks. Sure the polishes will hide the damage for a few weeks, but once they’ve diminished you’ll notice the butchering your car has received all because the dealer didn’t allow the proper time and attention needed to detail it. Again, and I can’t stress this enough, not all dealerships do this – some are better than others and that’s for you to decide when you go to buy your car. A paintwork correction detail by a professional should do the trick and fix any damage that may have been caused by a dealership.

You must protect the clear coat.

Every new car needs to be protected.  Additionally, contrary to popular belief, the factory does not put a protective layer of wax on the car for you. The car you receive is basically naked with clear coat protecting the paint and nothing to protect the clear coat itself. This leaves your finish highly susceptible to environmental contaminants that cause imperfections. Now don’t be a fool and purchase the $500-$1500 paint protection from the dealer – most are a complete sham (basically a spray on sealant that coats the car for a month or two). You can pay a professional such as Pucktastic Auto Detailing a fraction of what a dealership would charge you and get professional results that you would expect.  All you have to do to combat this is give your car a once over with a quality paint sealant. You’ll be protected for a full year (depending on the product) from dust, debris, fallout, and UVs.

The ‘New Car’ Detail

Now that you know why, it’s time to give your brand spanking new car its detail.

Let a professional detailer protect your brand new investment. Your new car is extremely vulnerable to the environment; UVs, debris, fallout, dust… they’re all gunning for the downfall of your clear coat. As always, I recommend a paint sealant for long term protection. And keep this in mind: it is essential for a new car to be protected, not just once, but regularly.

You’re now ready to give your new car the detail it’s needed since the day you bought it, so what are you waiting for? Contact us today to schedule your new car package detail to ensure your new ride is protected to the max!

Car Detailing Tips for Spring

Spring time is finally come and while many people think that spring cleaning is something that is done just at home, this is also a great time for you to think about detailing your vehicle as well. A long winter of driving in rain, snow, sleet and harsh winter conditions can take a toll on your vehicle. Pucktastic Auto Detailing can help you bring your vehicle to shed the damage of winter and get your vehicle ready for spring and summer cruising.

What steps should you take to get your vehicle ready for spring and summer driving? Pucktastic Auto Detailing has the answers you need, including these steps:

Clean your vehicle inside and out:

Salt, sand and other hazards of winter driving can lead to issues both outside and inside your vehicle, so make sure that you completely clean and detail your vehicle during the spring. A complete detailing can help rid your vehicle from any corrosive elements left on your exterior while cleaning your interior can also help get rid of anything that may have been tracked inside your vehicle. A detailing can also help restore the luster to your vehicle paint to help ensure longevity as well.

Treat your windshield with Aquapel for safe driving:

Of course the best way to see how Aquapel Glass Treatment works is to have it applied on your windshield.  Ask for Aquapel whenever you get you vehicle professionally detailed by Pucktastic Auto Detailing.  Aquapel Glass Treatment is your chance to change the way drivers see the road in the rain. Unlike Rain-X water repellent, it is not a silicone-based compound. Aquapel Glass Treatment consists of fluorinated compounds which create a chemical bond with glass surfaces, causing water to bead up and roll off. Because of this chemical bond with glass, Aquapel is reported to last much longer than silicone-based rain repellents. Learn more about Aquapel here.

Extend the life of your vehicle:

The investment you make in your vehicle is often one of the most expensive costs that you may have and protecting your vehicle’s value can pay off in the long term. The auto detailing services available from Tint World® can help keep your car looking showroom new for years to come. With the wide variety of auto detailing services that Pucktastic Auto Detailing offers for the exterior and interior of your car, you can keep your vehicle looking good as new at an affordable price.

When you start your spring cleaning, don’t forget to include your vehicle in your plans for this year. To find out more about the auto detailing services that are available from Pucktastic Auto Detailing, visit our website or contact us to make your appointment today.

Vehicle Cleaning: Preparing for the Season

Vehicle Cleaning:  When getting you vehicle detailed, it is important to remember to always consider the season that the vehicle will be exposed to in order to ensure maximum protection from the unique problems that can arise in specific seasons. Soap on a car

Springtime Detailing:

As winter comes to a halt and the temperature starts warming up, the springtime would be a great time to refresh the protective elements of your vehicle. This is because the salt that is applied to the roads during a snowstorm can be a real threat to the protective properties of your car’s application of wax. Road salt’s corrosive properties eat away at your wax protection. If left long enough, the dirt and salt from the roads can completely remove the protective properties of many waxes and paint sealants. Without wax on your vehicle your clear coat will become contaminated, and your vehicle will not be able to stay as clean for as long as it can be with fresh coat of wax (since the enhanced slickness of a waxed surface reduces the ability of dirt and rain from sticking onto the surface). Since there is a high probability that your wax protection was compromised, a thorough clay barring treatment prior to waxing would be a great way to start the new season.  Pucktastic Auto Detailing also likes to focus on applying a water repellent (Aquapel) to all exterior windows to make driving in the rain much safer and easier. At highway speeds you shouldn’t have to use windshield wipers very often because the rain will bead and fly off the windshield in a very dramatic fashion.

Summertime Detailing:

As summer approaches one should prepare their vehicles for warm temperatures and the sun’s damaging UV rays. This means your paint should have a fresh coat of wax to prevent the sun from fading your paint, especially red cars, as this color is the most prone to oxidation. Having a fresh coat of wax also facilitates easier removal of bugs and tar from the front end of your vehicle.  When interior detailing, materials should be dressed with a product that includes UV inhibitors to prevent the sun from prematurely fading and cracking the surfaces. As the temperatures increase, your brakes pads will produce more brake dust, which means your wheels should be waxed as well to ensure no brake dust etches into the wheel’s surface.

Fall Detailing:

Fall detailing is all about preparing for winter. Since the temperatures are manageable at this time, it is important to add as much protection as possible to the exterior of the vehicle before the first snowfall to ensure you can fight the damaging effects of road salt. To ensure the most protection possible, Pucktastic Auto Detailing suggests using more durable paint sealants and car waxes (such as the ones we use from Detailing King), as well as the application of a ceramic coating.  To ensure maximum protection, fall is a good time to re-apply your rain repellent (Aquapel) to all exterior windows to make driving in the rain much safer and easier. At highway speeds you shouldn’t have to use windshield wipers very often because the rain will bead and fly off the windshield in a very dramatic fashion.  This also helps in prevent the snow and ice from sticking as much during the winter months.

Winter Detailing:

Winter detailing is all about prevention. Ideally one should clean their vehicle as often as possible to ensure no build-up of road salt on painted surfaces. The longer road salt stays on a vehicles surface, the more time the salt has to eat away at your wax’s protective elements. Taking advantage of warmer temperatures to do this will ensure minimal loss of protection throughout the season.

 

5 Reasons to Detail your Automobile

5 Reasons to Detail your Automobile

There are many reasons to detail your automobile, but not all of them are purely cosmetic. Proper detailing improves and maintains the health of your car in much the same way as changing the oil and spark plugs. While detailing takes a bit of effort, the benefits to reliability, safety and beauty are all worthwhile.

Paint Health
Proper cleaning, polishing and waxing greatly extend the life of a car’s paint. Your paint protects the metal underneath. If allowed to degrade, rust and corrosion can wreak havoc on your car with potentially devastating results. Contacting Pucktastic Auto Detailing is a good place to start to detail your automobile.

Road Salt
Area like our here in Pennsylvania that experience seasonal snow fall, road salt can be one of the best reasons to regularly detail your car. Deposits of salt and mud can build up in wheel wells and under the chassis. Given enough time, these deposits can eat right through your paint, causing damage to the chassis that isn’t easily repairable.

Improved Lighting Ability
Part of proper detailing is making sure your headlights and taillights are clean and free of damage. Even mild deposits of dirt and grime on your lights can cause large reductions of available light, which can be potentially dangerous at night or in harsh weather.

Interior Condition
By regularly cleaning your interior, you get rid of bad odors, protect surfaces from fading and help prevent cracking and discoloration of the dash panels. Not only does this greatly improve resale price, it also adds a great deal of comfort for the driver.

Wheels and Tires
Oils, solvents, brake dust and other chemicals frequently encountered during normal driving can have a negative effect on your wheels and tires. By properly detailing them, you not only keep them looking good, but you also reduce the risks of cracking in the sidewalls or failure of the wheels due to corrosion.

Proper detailing not only helps to keep your car looking great, it helps to keep it running great both inside and out. This not only improves value and safety, but also personal comfort and pride in your car.  Call Pucktastic Auto Detailing today to detail your automobile today!