How To Detail a Jeep
Jeeps are the oldest four-wheel drive vehicle in production today – and they were designed to be used on hard terrain, in the most extreme weather, and to still run as smoothly as they did on day one. And that’s all well and good for the engine and interior parts – but what about the exterior? Jeeps have a variety of different options that need special care – from increased area of plastic trim to soft tops, and the proper maintenance of such will guarantee your Jeep looks as smooth as it runs!
Our How to Detail a Jeep guide can help keep every inch of your Jeep washed, detailed, and shining!
First up – Washing!
As with any vehicle, regular washing of your Jeep will help keep paint clean of road grime and contaminants that can degrade your Jeep over time. Make sure you are washing properly to ensure your Jeep’s paint isn’t marred unnecessarily. That means investing in quality washing tools – such as one of the Micro-Chenille Wash Mitts, or the Aussie Merino Wool Wash Mitt. These wash mitts were designed to pull debris from the surface and trap them in the long fibers – keeping them away from the surface!
Depending on what activities you’ve recently done with your Jeep, before washing be sure to use a strong jet of water to remove any chunks of dirt and mud. Load your 5 gallon bucket with water and pour in your measured amount of car wash solution – we recommend the BLACKFIRE Car Wash, the Wolfgang Auto Bathe, or the DP Car Shampoo as all produce thick suds that provide ample lubrication.
It’s best to wash your wheels and tires last so you don’t accidentally splash dirt and debris onto freshly washed paint. Dunk your wash mitt into the car washing solution and thoroughly scrub the surface. Don’t allow the solution to dry on your paint and rinse each section as you go. Following best practices, be sure to dry your paint with something like the Cobra Guzzler Drying Towel or the BLACKFIRE Car Dryer and do not allow water to dry on the surface.
Check out our, “How to Properly Wash & Dry Your Car” for more information on the proper washing techniques!
Next – Plastic Care
Jeeps are well known for having large amounts of plastic exterior trim. While these panels are look nice, if not properly cared for they can become an eye-sore. The degrading affects of rain, snow, sleet, mud, road grime, and UV rays can all cause neglected trim to dull, fade, and even crack. The key to preventing this is first, to ensure the fading doesn’t happen in the first place – thus, you must protect it!
However, if you buy used or simply didn’t realize how much care plastic trim would require, you can restore the original look and feel! Using a product such as BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant or Pinnacle Onyx Trim Restorer will bring back the sleek matte finish of your black trim without too much work on your part! Pinnacle Black Label Ceramic Trim Restorer will both restore your faded trim and protect it from the elements for up to 2 years!
Once restored, you can protect the trim from future fading by applying a specialized trim coating like IGL Ecocoat Trim Kit, GYEON Q2 Trim, or Dr. Beasley’s Plastic Trim Coating Kit.
For more information on the proper care of exterior trim, check out our, “How to Properly Care for Trim & Molding Guide”!
Lastly – Your soft top!
While caring for a Jeep is basically the same as caring for any other vehicle, many Jeeps featuring something that aren’t typically found – soft tops! Luckily there are dedicated products designed specifically for the proper care and maintenance of Jeep soft tops.
RaggTopp SoftTopp Products are uniquely formulated to safely clean your soft top of all staining from dirt and grime and then product against future assaults. And, they’re the only clean and protect system approved for use by Haartz – the leading manufacturer of Jeep tops since 1970!
When you buy a Jeep, you buy it with one thing in mind – off-road driving. Jeeps can take you places your Honda simply can’t! Through mud, up mountains, through rivers, and everything else in between. But imagine how dirty your Jeep’s soft vinyl top gets on those trips! That’s where the SoftTopp Fabric & Vinyl Jeep Top Cleaner comes in. SoftTopp Fabric & Vinyl Jeep Top Cleaner will remove tough dirt and grime from your top using a gentle, bio-degradable, and environmentally friendly cleaning formula – and it won’t harm any of the surrounding paint, trim, glass, or plastic windows!
Once your Jeep’s top is clean, it has to be protected! RaggTopp SoftTopp has a different protectant product for vinyl and one for fabric to ensure your Jeep’s soft top is as protected as it can be!
Having a Jeep means you’re reach for an adventure – but don’t let your Jeep’s appearance fall to the wayside while you’re out mountain climbing!