A proper detail isn't about spending the whole weekend on the car — it's about doing the steps in the right order, with the right cloth at each stage, so nothing gets re-contaminated by the step before it.

1. Wheels and tyres first

Always start here — wheels carry the most abrasive grit (brake dust, road grime) of anywhere on the car. Use a dedicated wheel brush and a separate towel that never touches the paintwork afterward, no matter how "clean" it looks.

2. Exterior wash — two-bucket method

Wash top to bottom using the two-bucket method (soap bucket, rinse bucket with a grit guard) so grit picked up on lower, dirtier panels never gets dragged across the bonnet or roof.

3. Dry with a dedicated high-GSM towel

Blot, don't drag. A dense, plush towel — 500 GSM territory — will lift water off in two or three passes per panel instead of smearing it around.

4. Glass — the two-towel technique

One towel to apply cleaner, a second, completely dry towel to buff in straight lines. This is the step most people rush, and it's the one that shows up most obviously if skipped.

5. Interior — dust first, then wipe

Dry-dust the dashboard and trim first to lift loose particles, then follow with a lightly damp cloth for surfaces and screens. Cleaning damp-first just turns dry dust into mud on a hard surface.

6. Final buff and inspection

Finish with a fresh, dry microfiber towel for a final all-over buff, checking panels at an angle in direct light to catch anything missed.

The real secret: it's less about product and more about never letting one dirty towel touch a clean surface. Rotate towels by task — wheels, wash, dry, glass, interior — and the whole detail gets both faster and safer for the paint.

What to have on hand

Realistically, a proper weekend detail uses four to six towels across these stages. A multi-pack in distinct colours makes it effortless to keep each one assigned to its job without a second thought.