DETAILING
TERMS

Washing vs Detailing

What's the difference between washing and detailing?

Washing is routine surface care: it removes dust and mud, keeps the car clean. Detailing is in-depth work that restores and protects the paint, plastics and interior for months or years, not just a few days.

Two Bucket Method

What is the two bucket method?

A safe hand-wash technique using two buckets (one for shampoo, one only for rinsing the mitt) with grit guards at the bottom. It stops sand picked up from the bodywork from landing back on the paint and causing new scratches.

Foam Cannon

What is a foam cannon?

A device that mixes shampoo with air and pressurised water, covering the bodywork in thick foam before hand washing begins. It loosens dirt chemically, reducing friction and the risk of scratches.

Wash Mitt

What is a wash mitt?

A microfiber mitt with deep, dense fibres used instead of a sponge. Dirt gets trapped inside the fibres instead of being dragged across the paint, drastically reducing the risk of scratches compared to a classic sponge.

Grit Guard

What is a grit guard?

A plastic grid placed at the bottom of a wash bucket. When you rinse the mitt, sand settles below the grid instead of sticking back onto it. A core part of the two bucket method.

Microfiber Towel

What is a microfiber towel?

A towel made of synthetic microfibers that absorbs water and dust without scratching the paint, unlike regular cloth or a chamois. Different types exist depending on use: drying, polishing, applying products.

Clay Bar

What is a clay bar?

A soft, sticky material glided over wet paint with lubricant that picks up microscopic contaminants, iron dust, tar, pollen, that don't come off with shampoo alone. Leaves the surface completely smooth to the touch.

Decontamination

What is paint decontamination?

The process of removing what doesn't come off with ordinary washing, through specialised chemicals (iron remover, tar remover) or clay. Always happens before polishing or ceramic coating, because anything left stuck ruins the result.

Descaling

What is car descaling?

A chemical process that removes mineral scale from seaside exposure or hard water, which shows up as dull, white residue on paint and glass. A different process from ordinary washing, needs a targeted product.

Swirl Marks

What are swirl marks?

Fine, circular scratches in the paint that look like a spider web under strong light. They almost always come from the wrong washing technique (sponges, dirty cloths, automatic car washes with brushes), not from driving.

Orange Peel

What is orange peel in paint?

An uneven, textured finish in the paint that resembles orange skin, usually a factory paint defect. A different problem from scratches; reduced by deep polishing but rarely fully removed without a respray.

Polishing

What is car paint polishing?

Removing micro-scratches and haze from the paint using mechanical means, a polisher and compound, which restores depth and gloss to the colour. A required step before any ceramic coating.

DA & Rotary Polisher

What's the difference between a DA and a rotary polisher?

Two core polishing tools. The DA (dual action) moves in an oscillating pattern, is safer for beginners and covers most cases. The rotary spins in a pure circular motion, cuts more aggressively and needs experience to avoid burning the paint.

Cutting & Finishing Compound

What's the difference between cutting and finishing compound?

Polishing compounds differ in aggressiveness. Cutting compound removes deeper imperfections but leaves some haze behind. Finishing polish works afterwards to bring back the final gloss and clarity in the paint.

Paint Correction

What is paint correction?

A broader term covering polishing in 1, 2 or 3 stages, depending on the severity of the imperfections. 1-step removes light scratches, 3-step tackles heavy oxidation and deep scratches that need more work.

Paint Thickness Gauge

What is a paint thickness gauge?

A tool that measures paint thickness in microns, showing how much "reserve" is available for polishing without breaking through to the primer underneath. Essential before any serious paint correction.

Overspray

What is paint overspray?

Microscopic paint droplets from nearby work (construction, painted railings) that land on the bodywork and stick to the paint as a rough layer. Removed with a specific technique depending on the paint type, never with solvent.

Wax

What is car wax?

An older form of paint protection, natural or synthetic, that gives gloss and some hydrophobic effect but only lasts 1-3 months. Largely replaced by ceramic coatings.

Sealant

What is a paint sealant?

A synthetic, mid-tier solution between wax and ceramic coating. Usually lasts 3-6 months and gives hydrophobicity and protection without the cost or process of a full ceramic application.

IPA / Panel Wipe

What is IPA in detailing?

A final surface wipe-down using isopropyl alcohol solution, done right before applying ceramic coating. Removes any trace of oil or polish residue, so the coating bonds properly with the bare paint.

Ceramic Coating

What is ceramic coating?

A liquid, chemical protection that bonds permanently with the paint, hardening the surface and making it hydrophobic. Lasts years, not months like wax, and drastically eases every future wash.

Nano Coating

What is nano coating?

A commercial term often used as a synonym for ceramic coating, referring to a nanometre-level layer the product forms over the paint. Not always the same product, some "nano" sealants are actually closer to an enhanced sealant than true ceramic, with a shorter lifespan.

Graphene Coating

What is graphene coating?

A newer generation of ceramic coating that incorporates graphene into its formula. Marketed for better heat management and less dust adhesion compared to classic ceramic, though the core protection principle stays the same.

Hydrophobic Effect

What does hydrophobic mean for a car's paint?

The property of a treated surface to repel water into beads instead of spreading out. A result of ceramic coating or sealant, it eases future washing and reduces water spotting.

PPF

Paint Protection Film

What is PPF?

A transparent polyurethane film that sticks onto the paint and physically absorbs impacts, scratches and stone chips. Unlike ceramic coating, it's not chemical but physical protection, like a shield.

Matte PPF

What is matte PPF?

A variant of PPF with a matte, non-glossy finish. Converts glossy paint to a matte look without repainting, and shares the same advantage of being removable whenever you want, revealing the original gloss underneath, untouched.

Self-Healing

What does self-healing mean in PPF?

A property of certain PPF films to "heal" minor scratches on their own with the heat of the sun or warm water, without any further intervention. The film returns to its original form.

Bio Deep Cleaning

What is bio deep cleaning for a car?

Deep interior cleaning using enzyme-based products and extraction, which removes odours, bacteria and stains at the root, rather than simply masking them with an air freshener.

Ozone Treatment

What is ozone treatment for a car?

Use of an ozone generator to neutralise odours at a molecular level inside the cabin. It doesn't mask smells, it breaks them down, usually applied after bio deep cleaning for a definitive result.

Headlight Restoration

What is headlight restoration?

Removing the yellowed, hazy surface layer from plastic headlights through polishing, restoring clarity and visibility at night. Can be protected afterwards with PPF so it doesn't fog up again.

Engine Bay Detailing

What is engine bay detailing?

Cleaning the engine bay with low pressure and proper covering of electrical points, so oil and dust come off without risking damage. Always done with a cold engine, never with a direct water jet onto connectors or the air intake.

Trim Dressing

What is trim dressing?

Applying a hydrating product to exterior plastic trim, bumpers, mirrors, mouldings, that restores the deep black colour and protects it from fading in the sun.