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15. CARE FOR THE TRIM The plastic trim pieces inside your car need care and protection to prevent fading, cracking and decomposing. Tran recommends a water- or silicone-based solution  and

says petroleum-based products “typically dry out trim, and they're really streaky and don't leave a nice finish.” To minimize ozone and UV light damage, choose the proper type of

solution to clean plastic trim.  16. INVEST IN VACUUM ATTACHMENTS Most professional detailers recommend using a shop vac to remove dirt and debris from the interior of your vehicle. Whatever

type of vacuum — larger or handheld — that you use, Tran says it’s important to invest in the proper attachments. “Look for a crevice tip,” she says. “A crevice tip is going to help with

detailing because you can get into the tight corners in between the seats, you can get underneath the seats, you can get into the cupholders. The tip of the vacuum is kind of what makes it a

detailing specialty.” 17. THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILING “You definitely need detailing brushes. That is one thing I wouldn't skimp on,” Tran says. Natural bristle brushes, used dry,

can be implemented throughout the interior to remove dirt from vents, seams, between buttons and in crevices around the steering wheel, cupholders and other equipment. “We’ll just take that

brush and just go in there and dust,” she says. “That cleans it up big-time to the point where all I need to do now is just take a damp towel with my interior cleaner and wipe right up to

get in between all those buttons and such.” Yisharry Li makes a good budget five-piece set. Chemical Guys’ three-piece set is professional grade. Proper Detailing lands right in the middle.

18. BE GENTLE WITH THE HEADLINER The headliner is the material that covers the ceiling of your car’s interior. It is usually made of fabric but can be leather. “If you want to clean the

headliner, spray onto the microfiber cloth first, then blot and dab and do very light scrubbing,” Tran says. This delicate treatment is rooted in the area’s general fragility. “You don’t

want to put too much force when you’re scrubbing the headliner, because all these are glued on, so if you scrub too hard, you’re kind of starting to detach the headliner from the roof.”

Spraying product directly onto the headliner can have a similar effect, according to Tran, saturating and delaminating the glue that holds it in place. 19. GLASS CLEANING CALLS FOR NEW

GLOVES The windows and windshields can be difficult areas to clean because they will display any imperfection. “The Achilles’ heel to detailing is glass, because you can’t make any mistake

because you see through it, literally,” Kosilla says. To avoid contamination from oils or dirt or anything else you may have picked up while cleaning, he recommends donning a fresh pair of

gloves before starting the glass. 20. FOR GLASS, WATER WORKS BEST “The best way for a streak-free finish is to use water,” Tran says, because glass heats up outside, and if it’s warm when

you're using a window cleaner, the heat will evaporate the water out of it. “So it’s not giving the solvent time to do its job, and the solvents are leaving a chemical trail on there,”

she says. A damp microfiber cloth, and another for drying, should do the trick most of the time. 21. REACHING THE INTERIOR WINDSHIELD To get the best access to the front interior windshield,

Kosilla recommends working  from the passenger side. This way, he says, “you don’t have the steering wheel in front of you to limit access to it.” If you’re right-handed, he recommends

placing your left hand on the passenger side seat, providing pressure and the ability for your right hand to lie flat against the glass. Again, a damp microfiber towel will do the trick. 22.

REMOVE STUBBORN PET HAIR  Removing pet hair can be difficult, even with a vacuum or brush. Tran recommends a rubber squeegee blade or roller. “The rubber just attaches itself to the hair

based on a molecular charge, and it's a little bit sticky,” she says. “So the rubber brushes help remove hair better.” Uproot makes a quality set. SM Arnold makes a budget version.

Chemical Guys has a midrange option. Getty Images CLEANING THE EXTERIOR 23. START WITH A TOP-DOWN RINSE Once you begin washing the rest of your car, remove as much dirt as possible with a

top-down initial rinse. Use a power washing tool or your garden hose’s jet on its strongest setting. “This is when you want to knock off as much dirt and debris as you can so that when you

go for the wash, you’re not dragging dirt all over the paint,” Tran says. 24. CHECK UNDER THE HOOD The area under the hood of your car needs care and cleaning to stay free of debris buildup.

Even small leaves or pine needles can hold moisture and cause corrosion, prevent the proper functioning of airflow into or inside your vehicle, and provide nesting areas for insects. In

newer cars, Kosilla recommends using a power washer, though in older cars, he says to simply “take a damp towel and wipe down the engine real quick.” He adds, “This is also the point where I

usually check the air filter and just make sure everything is functioning.” 25. FOCUS ON LUBRICATION Don’t attempt to remove a stain or scratch by furiously wiping. Kosilla says that any

scrubbing motion on your car’s exterior, in the absence of proper lubrication, can lead to further damage. Lubrication makes the process of cleaning easier and smoother. “Lubrication is the

number one mistake that most people make. They don’t have enough lubrication,” Kosilla says. “It's like running an engine with no oil. Agitation just has to be lubricated.” 26. USE

STRAIGHT LINES If you wash the exterior of your car using circular movements, you risk creating swirls or rounded scratches in your paint, and these are much more noticeable, as well as

difficult to remove or correct. “The old days of the _Karate Kid_ ‘wax on/wax off’ is actually terrible for your paint. So don’t do that,” Tran says, referencing the round motions favored by

sensei Mr. Miyagi in the 1984 film. This goes for removing water, too. “When it comes to drying the car,” Tran says, “grab a good microfiber drying towel and dry again in straight lines.”

27. START WITH THE WHEELS  It is common practice to start at the top of the car and work your way down, so the dirt flows with gravity. But there is an exception to that rule. “Start with

the wheels first,” Tran says. “That’s the dirtiest part of the car. And so if you wait [until you finish the exterior to wash them], a lot of that dirt is going to splash back on to the car

in the wash process,” she says. “But if you do the wheels first, and then wash the car, even if all the dirty, soapy water from the car is going to get on the wheels, once they’re clean, all

you have to do is rinse.” 28. AVOID ACID  Many wheel cleaners contain acids. These can be very effective for removing stubborn stains, but they pose great risks. According to Tran, they

should be used only by professionals who are familiar with their capabilities. “My biggest advice is get an all-in-one wheel cleaner, a nonacid wheel and tire cleaner,” she says. “Acid-based

wheel cleaners can work really, really well; however, you can mess up the wheel pretty quickly. ”  29. USE A WHEEL CLEANING MITT Tran says many contemporary wheels are delicate and need

extra care. “A lot of wheels these days are also clear coated, just like your paint, so they can swirl and scratch,” if you don’t clean carefully. This is especially true, she says, “if you

have shiny gloss black wheels.” To protect your rims, she recommends purchasing a microfiber wheel cleaning mitt. Chemical Guys, Griot’s Garage and Autoglym, among other brands, all have

quality products. “It sits over your hand like a little glove,” she says, making it easier to poke into all the little nooks and crannies.” As with cleaning other parts of your car, she

reminds washers to clean in straight lines. 30. CONSIDER TIRE GLOSS After you finish the wheels, for a professional look, Tran recommends that you scrub down your tires as well. Then feel

free to apply some tire gloss, of your choice. “If you don't have a properly clean tire, whatever tire shine you put on there, it's not going to look that great,” she says. She

recommends a matte finish. “Nobody really likes the super glossy tires anymore,” she says. “But it’s still important to put on because these contain conditioners and inhibitors in them, like

dust repellent. So it keeps your tires healthier for longer.”