Dishwashing detergent is simply too harsh. It sucks important oils out of your car's finish and can actually shorten the life of your paint. A car detailer will use car wash soap for professional car detailing, like Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash.

The main difference between car washing and auto detailing is how in-depth the cleaning is. A car wash is a surface clean meant to keep environmental debris from harming your car's clear coat. An auto detailing is a maintenance service that extends the life of most external and some internal components of your car.

: the meticulous cleaning and refurbishing of an automobile. While some owners prefer to clean their own vehicle, a complete auto detailing may be worth the cost, especially when done by professionals.

The auto detailing results should last four to six months. However, a number of factors come into play. There will be less need for detailing if you clean, car wash, and wax your vehicle on a regular basis. Detailing for such a neat person should be done only twice a year, which is sufficient.