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Car detailing is the art and craft of restoring and preserving a car’s appearance both on the exterior and interior. Detailing is so much more than just car washing. It incorporates safe car washing techniques along with a whole realm of restoration methods for different materials you might encounter on a vehicle.

My philosophy is not to fixate on always trying to make something look as new as possible, but to ensure that the restoration is balanced with the preservation of the vehicle. This, I believe should be at the forefront when you want to take care of your vehicle and to keep it looking great for a long time.

Headlight Restoration

Headlights can be hazy, yellowed, foggy, or scratched up. The easiest way to restore headlights is to use a headlight restoration kit.

Restoring Faded Seatbelt Buttons

The red color on seatbelt buttons fade over time. Use a wax, sealant, or coating to apply to it for a quick-and-easy restoration.

Guide to Cleaning a Stick/Tacky Steering Wheel

It’s uncomfortable to use a steering wheel with a sticky feel to it. Majority of the time, it’s just requires cleaning off the built-up grease, oils, and contaminants.

Removing Food Stain From Fabric Seats (Without An Extractor)

If you don’t have an extractor, it’s still possible to remove food stains from fabric seats. You just need a fabric cleaning solution and a wet/dry vacuum.

What are the best detailing products are on the market today?

Asking what the best detailing products may be a subjective question since the term “best” can mean different things to different people. It can also depend on what the particular product is. To me, the best products are those that perform well, have good bang-for-the-buck, and are vetted by the industry pros/enthusiasts.

These best-of lists have been compiled based on the number of recommendations made by experienced detailers on car detailing forums, authoritative websites, Youtube channels, and even Facebook groups. I believe that this will help you with your quest to find the best detailing products on the market today.

Garage/Shop Renovation Series

If you want an easy installation and want to avoid issues with safety with a window air conditioner unit, another convenient option may be to use a portable air conditioner and punch a hole through your wall for the vent hose. Just like the window air conditioner, a portable unit will likely not have ability to fully cool down your garage space, but it can certainly keep a small section of your garage cool and at least bring the temperature down a bit overall.

This deadbolt lock is called the U-Bolt Pro WiFi Smart Deadbolt. It can connect to your home’s WiFi and to an app on your smartphone, allowing you to remotely lock and unlock your door, as well as configure various settings and users on the device. You can even set up your fingerprint (or other family members’ or guests’ fingerprints) to unlock as well.

One of the biggest improvements to my garage during my renovation has been upgrading the standard ceiling-mounted, belt-driven garage door opener to a wall-mounted one that has smart capabilities. I purchased the Genie B6172H Wall Mount Smart Garage Door Opener while it was on sale (around $425) when it typically sells for about $500 regular price. This unit mounts to the wall right by the garage door and drives the garage door using its internally driven shaft, eliminating the need for the bulky ceiling-mounted garage door opener and track.

One of the biggest investments in my garage is the purchase of a garage cabinet system. While I was shopping for a cabinet system, I knew that I wanted a more budget-friendly option as I usually try to find the best bang-for-the-buck type of deals. This led me to one of two options, either the Husky Garage Storage System from Home Depot, or the New Age Garage Storage System from Costco.

One of the issues with my garage is that it’s not very deep, therefore getting a car all the way inside of the garage can be challenging. If I bring a car all the way in so that I close the garage door behind it, there is little to no room in front of the vehicle especially if I have a table there. I do like to have a workbench at the back wall of the garage, yet I need extra depth in the garage for cases like this. A really good option to have the best of both worlds is to install a workbench top that folds using folding shelf brackets.

The fastest and easiest way to get a work surface in your garage is just putting out a fold out table kind of like the one you see below. It’s probably the most affordable option and does the job as a work surface wherever you need it. However, if you’re looking for a better-looking and more permanent work surface, you might think about getting a wood or steel workbench. I was considering these options since I wanted to have a more permanent work surface, but installed as a wall-mounted fold out workbench. Before using your new wooden slab as a work surface, you’ll need to protect it so that it stands up to wear-and-tear you’ll be exposing it to. I’ll demonstrate the process of preparing and protecting the wooden workbench top.