Headlight Restoration 1

Complete Car Headlight Restoration Guide

Complete Car Headlight Restoration Guide

Your car headlights need to be in good working order to keep you and others safe on the road. You also have a legal responsibility to make sure your vehicle is roadworthy. Therefore, it is important to seek out a car headlight restoration service if you have any concerns whatsoever about the appearance or functionality of your headlights. Common problems that you need address include scratches, foggy-looking headlights, or discoloration from too much exposure to strong sunlight. UV affecting the acrylic headlight lens causes this discoloration is oxidation. Headlights have a clear coating to reduce this effect, but it gradually wears away and the lens starts to discolor.

Heavy oxidation reduces light output from your car headlights. This can increase the risk of accidents, particularly when driving at night. Headlight restoration can help to avoid this. Studies have shown that daytime running lights can also reduce car accidents. The reason is simple. Your car is more visible to pedestrians and other motorists, even during the day when it is naturally light thanks to bright headlights. Furthermore, cleaning cloudy, or foggy headlights not only prioritizes road safety day and night but can also help you save money that you would otherwise have to spend on a costly headlight replacement.

Professional Car Headlight Restoration Service

If you want to do something about your hazy or discolored headlights, here is what you should expect when you use a reputable car headlight restoration service.

Protecting Paintwork

Headlight restoration treatment begins with the preparation stage. A car headlight restoration service may include the careful removal of the headlights before the clean-up and restoration begins. However, most professional detailers prefer to keep the headlights in place. If this is the case, careful preparation is important. The detailer will use a couple of layers of masking tape around the headlights to protect the car paintwork while they work, especially when using sandpaper (see below). They may also cover the hood and surrounding area with plastic sheeting or some other type of covering.

Car Headlight Restoration Service Includes Sanding to Remove Oxidation

Different grades of specialty fine grit sandpaper are used to remove all signs of oxidation and imperfections. First, the detailer will spray the headlights with water to help act as a lubricant. Then the sanding process takes place with occasional spritzes of water to help rinse and clean the area. The detailer carrying out the car headlight restoration service will rub the lens area to gradually remove all the oxidation. Then he will do sanding evenly back and forth for a consistent finish. Sandpaper is a key component of car headlight cleaning supplies because it effectively removes the oxidized layer of plastic that makes the lens look discolored and cloudy.

Rinsing Off Residue

Wiping down the lens and thoroughly rinsing with water will remove any residue left behind from the sanding stage. The lens should feel quite smooth to the touch at this point. However, it will still look hazy. Buffing with a dry microfiber towel will leave the headlight lens clean and dry ready for the next important step in the car headlight restoration service.

Using Rubbing Compound and Buffer to Restore Lens

The professional tools used in a car headlight restoration service include a rotary polisher. This handy piece of equipment will effortlessly remove any remaining marks or sanding scratches. The detailer will also use a rubbing compound that is suitable for cleaning plastic automotive lenses. The compound is simply dotted onto the rotary polisher and applied to the lens to buff away any traces of haziness and minor imperfections to achieve the glass-like finish found on a brand-new lens.

Adding Wax or Sealant

Once the rotary polisher has cleared the headlights, any residual polishing compound will be wiped off. The final stage of a car headlight restoration service is to make sure the headlights are protected from fading or any new signs of oxidation because of exposure to UV rays. The detailer will choose a wax or sealant that is suitable for use on plastic lenses to help prevent headlights from yellowing and protect them from other contaminants.

Buffing the Headlights with a Soft Cloth

After the wax has been applied, it is left to dry for about half an hour. Then all it takes is a soft microfiber towel to go over the lens to remove any excess sealant or wax. If you ever consider attempting DIY Headlight restoration, be sure to choose a quality wax that will offer maximum protection.

Removing Protective Tape

Once the detailer is satisfied that the car headlight restoration service is complete, the surrounding tape is removed. Your car headlights will now be looking as good as new again and feel smooth to the touch. This flawless finish not only looks great but will offer optimum light output to keep you safe when you are on the road. Your visibility for night driving will be enhanced and you will also be more visible to other road users and pedestrians whenever you are out in your vehicle.

Conclusion

Choosing a reputable car headlight restoration service to tackle oxidation damage will improve the appearance and performance of your headlights. Yes, you can buy DIY Headlight restoration kits to tackle dull and yellowing lenses, but it is not a quick job. It requires time, care, skill and, preferably, experience. Therefore, if you would much rather leave the hard work to the professionals, a car headlight restoration service is an excellent idea.

A good car headlight restoration service will include careful preparation to make sure there is no damage to the car paintwork. The detailer will also use all the correct equipment, plus have the best compounds and sealants to achieve excellent results. Technique is important too, including going right to the edges of the headlight to make sure nothing is missed.

FLEET DETAILING

5 Benefits of Regular Fleet Detailing

5 Benefits of Regular Fleet Detailing

 For any fleet-related business, the upkeep and maintenance of the vehicles are one of the most important aspects of the company. Fleet detailing on a regular basis keeps your trucks in good condition, leaving behind a lasting impression in the community.

Here Are 5 Benefits of Regular Fleet Detailing:

1. Regular Fleet Detailing Elevates Company Image

The image and brand of the company determine whether you are successful. For a fleet business, trucks present the company to the public eye. Thus, the trucks are essentially Moving advertisements for your business. People often associate the upkeep of your vehicles with the professionalism of the company. Overall, potential customers are more likely to trust a company with a neater and well-kept image. This makes a business come off as more organized, reliable, and trustworthy.

2. Less Maintenance

Additionally, regular fleet detailing needs extends the life of a truck. Traveling during different kinds of rigorous weather takes a toll on a truck’s undercarriage, especially during winter. Chemicals and salt used for de-icing roads can be corrosive to vehicles. However, even if you travel to warmer areas, there are other types of damage that occur. Dirt, grime, and other debris can still find its way into crevices to disrupt the proper working condition of your vehicle. The solution to this would be regular fleet detailing performed on your trucks to prevent the dirt and debris from settling into the vehicle.

3. Save Money

Everyone knows that maintenance of trucks can be expensive but consistent fleet detailing helps. For example, keeping a current vehicle clean and maintained will reduce the frequency of buying a new truck replacement. Additionally, spotting problems become easier, leading to a faster resolution. Clean trucks attract more customers, thus increasing sales. As an added benefit, investors are more interested in the company due to the presentation and are more likely to invest.

4. More Drivers

Cleanliness attracts both customers and employees. Drivers looking for a job will want to work for a company that cares about their brand. This allows employees to have a peace of mind that they can trust the business, as well as will receive pay and benefits for their efforts. Furthermore, it will cause current drivers to stay with the company. When a truck is clean, the drivers feel like their comfort and health are cared for by their employer. Due to the amount of time spent on the road and traveling, this is extremely important. Considering there is currently a driver shortage, there are many options for drivers if your fleet is not to their standards.

5. Safer

Dirty trucks have the potential to hide flaws like broken headlights, cracks in windows, or messed up wires. However, a clean vehicle cannot hide defects. Damaged vehicles are not only a hazard to your company but the driver and everyone on the road. Muddy or cracked taillights may prevent another car on the road from knowing that a semi-truck may be trying to change lanes or make a turn. This allows no time for the vehicle behind to make any adjustments to prevent an accident from happening. Thus, this is dangerous to the company as well due to constant accidents that can hurt your company’s reputation.

Conclusion

Overall, the appearance and brand of the company impact a large part of the business. Clean trucks promote a sense of confidence in your customers, drivers, and business. Generally, trucks in better cosmetic condition are assumed to be in better working conditions as well. This attracts investors, franchisees, and employees which can help your business grow.

However, certain factors could be preventing you from wanting to keep your trucks clean such as time or lack of knowledge. To save yourself the hassle consider finding a professional fleet cleaning service. There are many fleet detailing companies to choose from. UFO Detailing, an eco-friendly, mobile detailing company will restore and clean your vehicles timely and efficiently.

What is Ceramic Coating?

What is Ceramic Coating?

WHAT IS CERAMIC COATING?

What is Ceramic Coating? Ceramic coatings, also commonly known as glass coatings or nano coatings are defined as a semi-permanent, non-metallic, inorganic protective clear coat, that is applied on several type of different surfaces. Ceramic coatings are utilized in different industries such as automotive, marine and architecture, primarily for its easy-to clean properties and protection against weathering. A Ceramic Coating creates a semi-permanent bond with a vehicle’s paint, meaning that it does not wash away or break down and does not require repeated application every few months.

What is Ceramic Coating?

What does ceramic coating do for your vehicle?

Ceramic Coating adds additional protection to your car’s exterior and helps keep it looking like-new with comparatively minimal maintenance. The coating achieves this result by making your vehicle more resilient and easier to clean. There are many benefits to having your vehicle ceramic coated.

Protection from UV Damage / Oxidization

When a vehicle is contently exposed to the sun’s harsh elements year after year, it slowly begins to oxidize over time, which can create fading in the vehicles paint and clear coat. When the vehicle is applied with a ceramic coating, this process adds an additional layer of protection that helps protect the paint from harmful UV damage.

Protection from Satins, Oils and Contaminants

With the added layer of ceramic coating, this process also prevents satins, oils and other road contaminants from bonding to the vehicles paint. This leads us to one of the best benefits to the Ceramic Coating process, ease of cleaning.

Ease of Cleaning

One of the most significant features of a Ceramic Coating is that it is hydrophobic, which is a fancy way of saying it repels water. With normal driving, vehicles come in contact with mud and grime that can easy be removed with less effort when the vehicle is coated. No more tough scrubbing and causing paint damage when cleaning your car.

Additional Shine

Ceramic coating offers additional gloss to your vehicles exterior paint, enhancing the reflective properties to your paint and clear coat. Therefore, your vehicle shines like it did the day it rolled out of the factory, essentially adding value to your vehicle.

What is Ceramic Coating?

Tips For Ceramic Coating

Hire A Professional Detailer

If you’re in the market to have your vehicle ceramic coated, we always recommend hiring a professional auto detailer to apply the ceramic coat. UFO Detail automotive detailers have years of experience with ceramic coating in Jacksonville, FL and have always used the best professional products on the market along with the best techniques to get the job done right the first time. Visit us at our UFO Detail office at 4656 Collins Rd. Unit 5 Jacksonville, FL 32244 or call us to come to your location for all mobile detailing services.

Apply A Deep Clean To Vehicle’s Paint

It is very important to have a perfectly clean exterior surface when applying a ceramic coating. Any dirt and elements left on the paint will negatively affect the longevity and performance of the ceramic coat.

What is Ceramic Coating?
Blog - Interior Detail Benefit 3-2

What To Expect From Professional Auto Detailing

UFO Detail is known for its top-rated detailing services in Jacksonville, but what is included and what can others expect from these professional detailing services? Like most auto detailers, UFO Detail has several different detailing packages that cater to all customers.

FULL INTERIOR DETAILING PACKAGE

This package includes steam cleaning to the carpet areas and the removal of collected dirt, small debris, sand and even removal of stubborn pet hair (+$25). Steam cleaning of all interior surfaces such as the dash, doors and seats while deep cleaning those hard to reach areas like cupholders and air vents. Refreshing to either cloth or leather seats with the removal of dust and stains. Finally, leaving all plastic trims and vinyl with a soft shine that is not greasy, as well as UV Protection using only premium products. For full interior detailing, customers can expect to pay $125+ depending on vehicle size.

MINI DETAIL PACKAGE

The Mini Detail Package is our most popular detailing package that consists of everything that is included in the Full Interior Package along with superior exterior detailing.

Once your vehicles interior is clean and spotless, with the mini detailing package, we offer a hard surface wipe down and apply a UV protection to all exterior plastics and rubber surfaces using only professional detailing products. Next comes a full exterior hand wash and spotless hand dry, never leaving any water spots or streaks. Also included is a tire scrub, shine and wheel cleaning, leaving your vehicles shoes shining. Final steps to our Mini Detail is to clean of all the vehicles glass and apply premium paint sealant to protect your vehicles paint. For full interior detailing, customers can expect to pay $150+ depending on vehicle size.

PLATINUM DETAILING PACKAGE

The Platinum Detail is one to really rave about. This package not only focuses on cleaning, but is designed to restore and protect your vehicle in many ways.

UFO Detail’s Platinum package consists of everything included in the two previous detailing packages along with an exterior clay bar treatment, which is very beneficial when needing to remove containments like over sprays, brake dust and industrial pollution from the surface of your vehicle. A deep cleaning and degreasing of the engine is also preformed, getting rid of that hard to remove engine dust. With the platinum package, the interior detailing is also taken a step further with shampoo and reconditioning to the vehicles seats and carpet. This process cleans and eliminates any odors that may be present. For full interior detailing, customers can expect to pay $250+ depending on vehicle size.

UFO detail also offers additional advanced auto detailing services such as Ceramic Coating, headlight restoration and ozone treatments.

CERAMIC COATING

Ceramic Coating, which includes compound & polish, is a chemical polymer solution that is applied to the exterior of a vehicle that prevents dirt, grime, and stain marks from appearing on the vehicles paint or vinyl wrap. Typical ceramic coating protects your vehicles paint or wrap for 2-5 years. Customers can expect to pay around $600+ for a professional ceramic coating.

HEADLIGHT RESTORATION

Headlight restoration helps get rid of the yellow, sun damage to your headlights and restores them into crystal clear lenses with a sanding, buffing and sealing process. Customers can expect to pay around $60 for headlight restoration.

OZONE TREATMENT

Ozone treatment services have become extremely popular for professional detailers over the past few years. These ozone treatments kill bacteria, viruses, mold, smoke and other fowl odors that may linger within your vehicle. Customers can expect to pay around $60 for Ozone treatments.

For a premium quality vehicle clean, there are countless reasons for hiring a professional detailer. Detailers have the tools, products and expertise to leave your vehicle spotless in record times. UFO detailing also offers fully mobile detailing services in Jacksonville, FL and is able to come to your location for services.

Contact us or visit us at: 4656 Collins Rd Unit 5, Jacksonville, FL 32244 for an “out of this world clean”.

Drive-thru Wash vs Professional Detailing

Traditional Drive-thru Car Wash vs Professional Detailing Services

Potential dangers of a drive-thru car wash

At first glance, your traditional drive-thru car wash service seems like it does a pretty decent job for a relatively cheap price. However, over time these washes can poorly affect your vehicles paint. We’ve all seen the tornado mops sweep across your vehicle to give the entire surface an “even clean” but often times there is poor maintenance and upkeep inside these machines, allowing the mops to hold onto grime such as dirt, sand and other fibers. Therefore, these machines could be very harmful to your vehicles paint and clear coat, causing serious scratching and swirl marks into your paint.

What does a traditional Car Wash Include?

The Basic drive-thru car wash is pretty simple; initial rinse, wash, rinse again and dry.

Basic drive-thru car wash typically includes:

  • Exterior wash
  • Wheel and tires wash
  • Vacuum
  • Interior wipe down

Pros to a basic car wash:

  • Cost efficient
  • Quick service time

Cons to a basic car wash:

  • Potential harm to vehicle and vehicles paint
  • Often left with water spots or residue due to poor drying (touchless wash)
  • Car Washes focus on quantity, NOT QUALITY

What does a Professional Detail include?

While your tradition car wash simply focuses on quick cleaning, UFO detailing focuses on a in-depth cleaning and restoration of your vehicle, delivering the “new car look and feel. Every area of the car is meticulously cleaned, by hand, to insure quality and safety for your vehicle. A thorough detail should be done 4-6x a year to protect and preserve your vehicle. Beyond simply washing, auto detailing can include elements of cleaning and restoring the exterior and interior of a vehicle such as:

  • Washing
  • Waxing
  • Bug and tar removal
  • Clay bar surface treatments
  • Degreasing
  • Exterior plastic and rubber treatments
  • Buffing
  • UV protection
  • Wheel cleaning and tire shine
  • Headlight restoration
  • Paint correction
  • Paint protective coating (ceramic coating)
  • Small dent repair
  • Interior vacuuming
  • Steam cleaning
  • Leather restoration treatments
  • Window and mirror cleaning
  • Odor elimination
  • Cleaning of hard to reach areas such as vents, cupholders, door jams and other components
  • Carpet shampoo treatments
  • And more

Pros to Professional Detailing:

  • Superior Service
  • Clean and restore for a new car look and feel
  • Safe in the hands of a professional
  • Spotless clean and shine
  • Use of professional products
  • Many detailing services are mobile and can come to you.

Cons to Professional detailing:

  • More costly
  • In-depth detailing takes more time

Mobile Detailing Services

UFO detailing understands we all have busy schedules, but that shouldn’t eliminate you from getting your vehicle the professional detailing services it deserves. With mobile detailing, getting your vehicle detailed has never been more convenient, we are able to come to you! You would never be able to tell which vehicle was detailed in a professional shop and which one was done by a professional mobile detail service. Depending on the lighting in a shop, it can help with paint correction but can still be successfully done outside by someone with the expert skills and a trained eye. The same goes for the interior. The sun light outside can actually be beneficial and help you see things easier than a lot of shops lighting. There may be differences on how certain things get done but can both produce amazing results in either setting. Everything that is done in a detailing shop can be done with in a mobile detail service.

The UFO Difference

Here at UFO Detailing, we believe in providing our customers with the highest level of professional detailing, leaving every vehicle we service with an “out of this world clean”. With years of experience, use of only professional products, and countless happy customers, we are proud to be one of the top rated detailing services in Jacksonville, Fl. Visit us at our location in Orange Park at 4656 Collins Rd. Unit 5 Jacksonville, FL 32244, or book us to come to you with our mobile detailing service. We look forward to working together and delivering an out of this world clean.