There are car washes and professional detailers that advertise auto detailing services. However, taking your car to one of these businesses to be detailed can be costly. You can get the same results at home in a few hours with some basic cleaning supplies.

1. A vacuum cleaner with an upholstery attachment
2. Rags
3. 1-2 chamois towels
4. Paper towels
5. Lint free towels
6. Cotton swabs
7. Air compressor or leaf blower
8. Glass cleaner
9. Cleaner/conditioner designed for automotive interiors
10. Wax or exterior treatment
11. Car wash soap or dish detergent
12. Toothbrush
13. Car washing brush or mitt
14. All-purpose cleaner and degreaser
15. Bucket
16. Water hose with high pressure nozzle

• Note: Ensure that any soaps, waxes, degreasers or brushes used to detail the car are safe for your car's finish.

Cleaning from top to bottom is the most effective way of detailing, as it will prevent you from having to clean the same area more than once.

1. To begin the cleaning process, use a vacuum to clean the floor, floor mats, seats and areas beside the seats. Slide the seats back and forth to vacuum the entire surface beneath the seat.
2. Clean the rear view mirror, the inside of the windshield and the windows with glass cleaner and paper towels, or a lint free cloth.
3. Wipe down the dashboard, console and inside of the door using interior cleaner.
4. Use cotton swabs, a toothbrush or compressed air to clean all the knobs, air vents and any hard to reach areas.
5. To remove excess dirt that may accumulate from cleaning, adjust the front seats all the way forward, vacuum around them, then adjust them all the way back and vacuum again.
6. Vacuum the front and back seats, flip the front seats forward and vacuum the area where the seat-back hinges; vacuum the rear of the seat base, continuing to vacuum any remaining particles off the floor.
7. To protect from the sun, you can apply a conditioning protector to the dashboard, steering wheel and upholstery as desired.

To keep the soap from drying on the vehicle before it can be rinsed off, you should wash the car on overcast days or under a shaded roof on cold days. 

1. Using your hose, give the car a good once-over spray to remove any loose surface contaminants.
2. Mix up a bucket of soapy water and use a soapy sponge or cloth to remove any contaminants from the car's surface.
3. Start with the roof first, then all the windows. Continue to wash the hood, trunk, doors, fenders, grill and rear areas. Work in sections, completely cleaning and drying one area before moving on to the next.
4. If you are using a chamois or lint free cloth, rinse it often to avoid dirt transfer and to reduce the chance of scratching the paint with gritty debris.
5. Rinse off any excess water.
6. Completely dry the area with a chamois, lint free cloth, air compressor or leaf blower.
7. Repeat Steps 5-7 for the front, back and side windows, hood, trunk, doors, front and rear quarter panels, rear of vehicle, grill assembly and mirrors.
8. Use a toothbrush or cotton swab to clean out the crevices around the lights and door handles. Wipe or rinse away any dirt you remove.
9. Wash your tires and wheels. For detailed instructions on doing so, refer to Mahalo's guide on how to clean car tires.
10. Now, you should apply car wax according to the product directions.