Tyres, Dash and Glass: The Finishing Touches for a Detailer Look

Ever washed a car and felt it still didn't look quite right? Professional detailers know the secret is in the finishing touches: tyres that look deep black, a dashboard without dust or glare, and glass you can't see. These three jobs take about twenty minutes.

1. Tyres: deep black, not greasy

1. Clean the tyres first. Dressing applied over dirt looks blotchy and wears off fast. Scrub the sidewalls with soapy water and a stiff brush, then rinse and let them dry.
2. Apply Tyre Shine with an applicator pad or cloth rather than spraying wildly. Overspray on paint and brake discs is a common mistake.
3. Wipe off any excess after a few minutes so it doesn't sling onto the paintwork when you drive.

Keep tyre dressing off the tread and off motorcycle tyres. It belongs on sidewalls only.

2. Dashboard and trim: clean, not shiny

A glossy dashboard looks nice in photos but reflects onto the windscreen in sunlight. Aim for a clean, satin finish.

• Dust vents and seams with a soft brush.
• Spray an interior cleaner such as Dash Dazzle onto a microfibre cloth, not onto the dash, so it doesn't drip into electronics.
• Wipe, then buff with a dry cloth.

3. Glass: the streak-free finish

• Clean glass last, so you remove any overspray from the other jobs.
• Do the inside of the windscreen with two cloths: one damp to clean and one dry to buff.
• Work the outside in straight lines, horizontally outside and vertically inside, so you can see which side a streak is on.
• Fill the washer bottle with a proper pH Neutral Windscreen Wash. It cuts through bugs and road film without harming paint, rubber or wiper blades.

For valets and car wash businesses

Standardise the finishing steps so every car leaves looking the same. Buy tyre shine, interior cleaner and windscreen wash in bulk and decant into labelled spray bottles for each bay.

Stock up

Tyre Shine, Dash Dazzle and PH Neutral Windscreen Wash Solution are available in retail and trade sizes from maxproducts.co.za.

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Products mentioned in this guide

Available now from our sister company Max Products at maxproducts.co.za, in trade sizes and delivered in Cape Town.

Tyre ShineShop now →Dash DazzleShop now →PH Neutral Windscreen WashShop now →

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