Ever wonder how to get that valet-style clean without paying someone else to do it? Here are some tips for getting that showroom finish:

1. Do not clean your car in extreme heat or direct sunlight, you will have to work faster as some parts of the car dry faster than normal and it affects the strength of the chemicals inside the products you are using.

2. Do a ‘pre-wash’ to get as much dirt and grime off of the car before actually washing it.

3. Use multiple buckets and a wash mitt. One bucket should have water and washing solution and the other just with water for rinsing, also ensure a grit guard is in the bottom of both buckets.

4. Don’t use silicone-based sprays in the interior of your car, it can make surfaces too slippery or so shiny as to cause a glare.

5. Use a specialist triple-layered microfiber cloth for drying. Driving the car to dry it can cause streaking and water to pool in seals and gaps.

6. Choose cleaning products based on a car’s use. Before detailing, consider if the car will be in the elements every day, hidden in the garage for a while or paraded at a show the next day.

7. Pay close attention to wheels and wheel arches. After the prewash and hands-on wash, you can spray on an alloy cleaner and let it work for 3 min whilst spraying on an all-purpose cleaner and washing it again to really get all the brake dust and tough grime.

8. Clean glass inside and out with a glass cleaner and two microfiber cloths, one for cleaning and one for buffing. (Last step in cleaning)