There is a lot of information on black car detailing tips. Many of these black car detailing tips are based on what’s out there at the moment. These black car detailing tips are more on the side of what works, versus theory. I have done all the research to find the best tips and techniques for getting your car looking its best.
Table of Contents
Tips to Keep Your Black Car Clean
- Do not use household cleaners to clean your car. All household cleaners contain acids that will eat away at your car’s paint finish.
- Use baking soda and water to clean your interior. This will keep your upholstery looking new for a longer period of time.
- Use quality microfiber cloths to clean instead of paper towels or rags that you may have laying around the house. You can find these at any auto parts store and they are very cheap as well.
- Use ArmorAll Leather Cleaner and Polish to clean your car’s seats, dash, and console. This will keep them looking new for a long period of time.
- Further Reading: Maintain & keep your black car CLEAN! Mistakes to be avoided!
How to Paint a Car Without Fading Black?
Shine up and paint any faded areas on your car, if there are any. This will take away the appearance of a faded car.
Make sure that you use a good clean-up towel while you are painting. You do not want any paint to get on other painted surfaces or in other areas of your car where it will cause harm or damage.
Use quality wax and polish to protect your car’s paint from further fading and weathering issues. Also, do not use low-quality products or your car will have a bad reaction to it. Your car may look new, but it has done damage to your paint.
Tips for Painting a Black Car
- First off, use good-quality primer and paint. The primer will remove any contaminants from the surface of your car’s paint.
- Second, use quality paint. (not the cheapest stuff at the local auto parts store). You do not want to use cheap paint or primer because it will not last, may cause rust, and fade faster.
- Third, make sure that your car is cool before you spray on the primer and paint. Doing this could cause the paint to run and drip everywhere.
- Lastly, if you are painting an area that has a large body line such as a door or trunk lid, try to mask off the area with plastic wrap. This will prevent the paint from running down and dripping onto other areas of the car.
How to Wash a Black Car
Using a good car wash that is designed to clean and protect your car’s paint finish is the most important factor. I would advise you not to use dishwashing soap or anything like that because it will take off the wax and leave your paint unprotected, which can result in scratches.
Wash your car at least every 6-8 weeks. You can use a brush to agitate any dirt or grime on your car. This method will help remove any contaminants that may scratch up and dull down the paint finish on your car.
How to Remove Scratches from Black Car Paint?
Here are some tips that will help you get rid of scratches from your car’s paint finish.
- First, start by washing your car and if you want to use a scrub brush or sponge, do so on a low setting.
- Second, use a polish made specifically for your car’s paint finish. Make sure that it is a quality product and not one of those cheap products that you would see at the local auto parts store.
- Lastly, take a soft cloth and use circular motions to try and remove the scratch. If you do not have a soft cloth at home, you can use one of your old t-shirts.
You can also use sap or tree sap on some of those scratches as well. This is what we use to get rid of scratches from our vehicles.
What is the Best Way to Remove Scratches on Your Black Car?
The best way to remove scratches on black car paint is to use a good scratch remover and use circular motions until the scratch is gone. After you are done using the scratch remover, clean the area with an all-purpose cleaner to remove any residue left behind. To finish up, apply a quality wax or polish to protect the cleaned area.
How to Improve Your Black Car’s Paint Finish
- Wash your car at least every 6-8 weeks with a good car wash that is designed to clean and protect your car’s paint finish.
- Do not use household cleaners or any type of chemical products when cleaning your car because they will eat away at the paint finish.
- Use baking soda and water to clean your interior. This will keep your upholstery looking new for a longer period of time.
- Use good-quality wax and polish to protect your car’s paint finish from further fading and weathering issues. Also, do not use cheap polishes or waxes because the quality is not good enough for such an expensive vehicle as a car.
- It helps to wash your car at night; this will allow the sun to dry off the car and prevent moisture from being trapped under the wax or polish.
- Keep all of your cars windows, doors, and trunk lid closed as much as you can. This will help prevent rainwater from getting inside of your vehicle which can damage your upholstery and other interior parts such as your radio system or other electronic equipment. It also helps prevent bird droppings from landing on your car’s paint or glass.
- Do not let your kids play in your car because if they fall, it can result in scratches and scuff marks all over the car. Also, prevent your pets from running on the paint or upholstery.
Tips to Avoid Scratches
- Keep all matters of an abrasive nature away from your car. These include things like sanding blocks, cheese graters, wire brushes, etc…
- I know it is hard to believe that such items could cause scratches, but it is 100% true.
- If you do not believe me just look at a wire brush next time you are in the hardware store. In many cases, a wire brush is the only thing that we use to clean our cars.
Now when you buy this wire brush, you are buying into the biggest joke of all time.
I mean who would use a wire brush to clean their car? The funny part about this is that you can own a new car and it has never been used, or abused… but still get scratches from using these items.
Tips for a Smooth Finish
You may have read the last tip and you may be thinking “how stupid could this guy be”? I am not going to claim that these are the best tips, but they are simple.
First off, do not wash your car with any soap or chemicals. This will cause swirl marks and scratches. If you must clean your car with soap or a chemical, then use a soft hand towel to wipe your car down or use the inside of a plastic shopping bag.
The second is to wax your car every 3-4 months. In between, you can use a quality polish to keep the shine.
General Wheel Cleaning Tips
- First, spray your wheels down with a good wheel cleaner.
- Second, let them sit for 3 minutes and agitate them with a brush attached to a long-reaching pole.
- Third, using a soft rag, use circular motions to try and remove any dirt, grime, or brake dust that you may have missed the first time.
- Fourth, use your pole to lightly buff up your wheels. This will help to bring out the shine in the paint finish and make it look new.
- Finally, put on a good tire dressing product or two on your tires. Then using a soft rag buff off any excess dressing or polish that may be left.
How to Polish a Black Car
There are a few different ways you can polish your car.
- First, use whatever method you prefer…
- Second, mix up a good polish product and apply it to the paint surface. You do not have to go fancy here, just get the job done.
- Third, use some sort of buffer that will get rid of any swirl marks or scratches in the paint finish. Use these at a low speed and leave them on the wheels for several minutes or until a clear coat is achieved.
- Finally, use a soft rag and buff off the excess shine left behind.
How to Wax a Black Car
Waxing your car every year is one of the best things that you can do to protect the paint finish and keep it looking new.
- Find out: How much a car wax may cost you?
Waxing your car is like putting on your armor. You are putting something that will protect it from acid rain, snow, moisture, and other harsh elements.
- First, I would use a good stripping wax product to remove everything from the paint surface. This will remove any wax or polish that you may have used previously to protect it.
- Second, clean off the surface with a good all-purpose cleaner. You want the surface to be completely clean so that you do not have any surface dirt or grime leftover.
- Third, apply your first layer of wax. This will act as a buffer to keep your car from getting scratched in the future.
- To finish up, apply your second layer of wax after about 24 hours or when you are ready to take your car out for a spin. Once you have applied the second layer of wax, buff out the paint with a soft cloth.
Frequently Asked Questions
#1 What’s the Main Difference Between Regular Wax and Those Which Are Formulated Specifically for Black/dark-colored Cars?
The main difference between the two is that regular waxes are made to provide a real high gloss shine while dark-colored waxes are formulated to provide a deeper and glossier shine. The darker colored waxes tend to be more reflective, which makes them great for people who want their car to have some protection from the rain.
#2 If I Was Over the Scratches on My Car, Can They Still Be Removed at a Later Date?
It’s really difficult to say whether or not these scratches can be removed as the damage is determined by the type of paint you’re using. If the scratches are really deep, then there is a very good chance that they cannot be fixed. A good example would be if you scratch your car door while on a jog and then shut it hard.
If this is the case, then chances are that the door will never look new again. However, you should not worry too much. Most cars have scratches on them from daily use that will never go away. If you do see some scratches on your car that are a little bit deep, then you might want to invest in some scratch-removing products.
#3 Will Waxing Remove the Oxidation on My Vehicle?
The answer to this question really depends on the level of oxidation you are dealing with. If the oxidation is very deep and has taken up a lot of the paint, then there is a high chance that it cannot be removed.
However, if the oxide is more shallow and only exists on a thin layer of paint, then it is probably safe for waxing to be used.
#4 Is Black Wax Safe to Use on My Car’s Paint?
As long as you are using a quality wax, then yes, you can use it on your car’s paint. However, you should not go too crazy with the wax. If the vehicle has black paint, then you would want to use a dark-colored wax that will provide more shine and reflection.
#5 How Can I Remove Swirl Marks From My Paint Job?
In most cases, the swirl mark removal will be handled by a professional. However, if you are feeling up for a challenge, then you might want to give it a go yourself.
The first thing that you should do is use tape wax to blend the swirl marks together with the rest of the vehicle’s paint finish. This will help to remove most of the marks but will leave behind some little scratches in the finish.
The second thing you should do is use a buffer to take out any remaining swirl marks. Since the swirls are now blended together, it will be easier for you to buff them away. This process can be painful if you do not have the right tools so I would suggest leaving it up to the professionals.
#6 Can You Wax a Black Car With Your Hands?
No, you cannot. The reason why you need to use wax is that the wax has to be able to cover the paint surface. However, if your hand is too oily then the wax will not have enough time to get a good grip on the paint and leave an even finish.
#7 Do Black/dark-colored Cars Have to Be Waxed More Often Than Other Colors?
Yes, they do. If you are using a high-quality wax product then there is no reason why you need to wax your car more often than once every 4 months. However, if you are using the cheaper low-grade products then chances are that you will have to get your car’s paint surface waxed more often.
Conclusion
Black cars are beautiful and super popular. However, they require a lot more work to upkeep than other colors. While this may seem like a lot of work in the beginning, it is well worth it in the end.
The trick here is to keep using a good wax and follow the instructions I presented above on how to properly apply wax. This way your car will stay looking fresh and new for years to come.
Hi there! I’m Naomi O’Colman. I’ve got years of experience working at an auto repair shop here in Texas under my belt. On top of that, ever since I was a kid I’ve been passionate about the auto industry. Since I’ve joined the team at automotivegearz.com I’ve been enthusiastically sharing my passion and insights with my readers. I’m dedicated to delivering high quality content and helping you stay up to date with the latest automotive trends and products out there!