Before we start on the nitty-gritty stuff, we'd like to educate you on how to wash your car and maintain the condition that we gave you back your car in. As much as we'd like to have returning customers, at the same time we cannot stand the same customers mistreating and swirling their paint that we worked so hard to perfect. Here we go:

1. Get your car out of the sun! Washing, waxing or polishing in the sun is a bad idea.
2. Use one bucket of soap with a "dirt guard" (which you can purchase from us). The guard isolates the dirt from your sponge/mitt at the bottom of your bucket, so your sponge/mitt won't pick it back up and scratch/swirl your paint. Please DO NOT use dishwashing detergent unless you really want to strip all the wax and protection off.
3. Apply any wheel/tire cleaners you may have. Make sure it is safe for the particular type of wheel you have. Using the wrong type WILL etch or discolour them.
4. Rinse your entire vehicle with your hose/pressure washer to loosen large dirt particles.
5. Soap with a CLEAN natural sea sponge or high quality wash mitt, starting from the top of the car downwards. Try to wipe along the car, avoid wiping in circles. Don't let soap dry on your car, rinse frequently. Wring your sponge/mitt frequently.
6. Dry your car with a dedicated microfiber drying towel, synthetic chamois or natural sheepskin chamois. Again, wipe along the length of the car.

That was a quick once-over on how to wash your car. If you have any questions on equipment selection, technique or tips, please don't hesitate to ask.

On to the real F.A.Q!

1. Why should I get my car detailed?
   
2. Why choose Blink Detailing?
   
3. What is swirling?
   
4. What does wax do?
   
5. What is sealant?
   
6. What is dressing?
   
7. What's better, wax or sealant?
   
8. What is contamination?
   
9. Why should I clean my leather?
   
10. Why should I clean my carpets?
    
11. Why should I protect my tires?
    
12. Why should I detail my engine bay?
    
13. Why don't I just go to the gas station, or use a coin-operated wash?
    
14. Is Blink a mobile service?
    
15. What is the difference between Stages 4 and 5?
    
16. Detailing is only for exotics and high-value cars!
    

1. Why should I get my car detailed?
   Aside from having your car always looking like it just rolled off the showroom floor, proper car care not only improves resale value, but protects your car's finish from corrosion and deterioration. Rust repair and repainting costs hundreds of dollars more than taking proper care of your automobile.
2. Why choose Blink Detailing?
   We are all about details, and constantly improving to serve your needs. We use the highest quality chemicals and equipment we can get our hands on and clean our towels on a regular basis with detergent specially formulated to break down wax and other car care substances. We have experience from professional detailing locations. We wear buttonless and zipperless attire, and remove all jewelry before servicing your vehicle. On top of that, we offer prices that undercut many other companies while providing an equal or greater level of service.
3. What is swirling?
   Numerous small/light scratches that show up as swirls or arcs in your paint. Swirls detract from the overall appearance of your vehicle. Click here for a picture
4. What does wax do?
   Wax forms a protective coating over top of your paint, shielding it from the elements. It also repels rain and dust, making it easier to clean and improving overall appearance. Wax will hide most light swirls. Take a look at our Stage 1 package.
5. What is sealant?
   Sealant forms a synthetic coating over your paint, much like wax. However, these are engineered to last much longer than waxes. The shine from sealant is very different from the 'wet' look from organic waxes, however. Blink Detailing's Stage 4 package uses a special layered sealant to give your car a high gloss.
6. What is dressing?
   Dressing are protective coatings for your tires and wheels, as well as vinyl, rubber, and plastic surfaces. Keeping these in shape will keep them from deteriorating and/or discolouring over time. Blink Detailing offers full all-around dressing in its Stage 1 package.
7. What should I use then, wax or sealant??
   The answer is, whatever suits your personal taste. On one hand, organic waxes will give your car a deep gloss, but the lifespan is shorter. The melting point of Carnauba (a plant derived substance used in most waxes) is around 75C, whereas the melting point of most polymers used in sealants is around 200C. Now before you say "Hey, if it was 75C outside we'd all be toast" think about how hot the metal surface of your paint can get on a hot summer day in Toronto. On the other hand, sealants provide much better protection from the elements. For example, it provides much better UV protection (but thats a whole different story). Blink Detailing provides a full body wax in its Stage 1 package and a full paint prep and sealant service in its Stage 4 package.
8. What is contamination?
   Oxidation (from paint reacting with oxygen), bugs, tar, sap, and the list goes on. These are substances that have 'baked' into your paint and cannot be removed with a regular wash. Blink Detailing offers a paint prep service (removal of paint contamination) in its Stage 4 package.
9. Why should I clean my leather?
   Without proper care and conditioning your Leather will age rapidly, losing its luster and flexibility. This process is rapidly accelerated in warmer climates. Mistreated leather will dry and crack much faster than leather that is well taken care of. At Stage 2, Blink Detailing will clean and condition your leather using products from Lexol, widely recognized as the standard in automotive leather care.
10. Why should I clean my carpets?
    Dirty carpets will deteriorate faster, smell, and detract from overall appearance. If left long enough, contaminants will bond to the surface of the carpet, wearing out the fibres and becoming even harder to remove. Blink Detailing vacuums your carpets (including trunk) with every package, and at the Stage 3 level, even steam-cleans them.
11. Why should I protect my tires?
    Water, UV radiation, petroleum distillates, and ozone are common hazardous elements that your tires contact with. Tire manufacturers do their best to protect your tires as long as possible out of the factory, but the protection they provide will gradually deteriorate over time. Neglected tires will deteriorate and crack the rubber much faster if you do not take care of them. Common tire 'dressings' contain petroleum distillates and a host of other chemicals and eat away at your rubber (ironic, isn't it?). Blink Detailing will dress your tires with every package, using supplies free of harmful chemicals.
12. Why should I detail my engine bay?
    Neglected engine bays will corrode faster, as well as be a performance detriment. A clean bay also helps your mechanic to spot leaks easier. Lastly, if you like to show off what is underneath your hood, it will not be very impressive if yours is caked in grime. Blink Detailing will detail your engine bay at Stage 3.
13. Why can't I just go to the gas station, or to the coin-operated wash to save money?
    Gas stations operate convenient car washes, the majority of which use hard bristles on your paint which have touched thousands of cars without being cleaned. As for touch-free washes and coin-operated washes, consider the following situation. If you were to take a shower after a long sweaty day, which option would leave you more squeaky clean? 1. Be sprayed down with soapy water, be rinsed off quickly and dried with a blow dryer, or 2. Scrub yourself down by hand with soap, and towel dried? Furthermore, your wax will have a hard time surviving the harsh soaps used in automated car washes.
14. Is Blink a mobile service?
    The location is up to you. We have locations near Bayview & Major Mackenzie and Yonge & Elgin Mills in Richmond Hill, or we can do any of the following: wash at your house, wash at your workplace.
15. Detailing is only for exotics and high-value cars!
    Wrong! Detailing is for anyone who cares the slightest bit about the appearance and longevity of their vehicle's finish. When performed at regular intervals, detailing fends off deterioration of your finish, as well as the inevitable rust that forms from chips and contamination in your paint (see What is contamination?).