9 Things You Need to Thoroughly DIY Detail Your Car Like a Pro

One of the perks of being a driver is having a freshly detailed car that looks great outside and smells wonderful inside.

If you want to avoid paying hundreds of dollars for professional detailing, DIY detailing is a smart car owner move that can save you money and let you focus on parts of your car you want to stand out.

Here are nine things you need to DIY detail your car like a pro without the big bill.

Editor's note: Prices are subject to change and may vary by location.

Let’s start with the basic item you’ll need: some quality car wash soap. This shouldn’t cost much money.

At places like AutoZone or Walmart, you can find lots of options for under $10. You can even find soap in fun colors since a thorough DIY detailing can take a few hours or more.

A good painter likes to use a good brush. It’s similar to a good DIY detail of your car. You’re going to want a quality wash mitt and brush. They shouldn’t cost you more than a few dollars.

But it may take some practice to perfect the art of detail, which is why some people call it an art form. That means you may not like your results the first time, but don’t give up.

Many DIY detailers like to pay special attention to their tires. It can be a part of the car that really stands out after a thorough detail.

Again, a quality tire cleaner costs very little. You can get one for around $5 to $8 at retailers or shops where you gather your detailing supplies.

As with the other items you’re getting for your detail work, read to make sure the product you select works for your particular vehicle’s tires.

Once you clean the tires, it’s time for that extra touch. This is where a good tire shine can help your car look like you just had an expensive professional detail.

A good tire shine will probably cost around $6. It’s another detail item you can easily pick up when you’re gathering supplies to detail your car.

This is likely to be one of the more expensive items you purchase to detail your car at home. However, you can find them starting around $30 or so.

You’ll likely want to look for a professional-grade one. Again, you can find these at places like Walmart or AutoZone.

Again, this is likely to be a bit more pricey than other items for DIY detail work at home. Keep in mind that these one-time buys can be used over and over again for your detail sessions.

You’ll likely want to find a power polisher with compounds. One that works for your needs should be available at places like Amazon or Walmart for around $30.

You’ll want some quality cloths to do a really professional-looking job on your car. That’s why you could look for chamois or microfiber cloth options. These start at just a few dollars.

This is an area of DIY detailing where you can try and experiment with options to see what works best for you and gives you the results you want for your car.

Since you’ll be sitting inside the car for long periods of time and seeing the results of this work, you may want to pay special attention to how the spray you select works for your particular car.

You’ll probably find lots of options when it comes to interior detailing sprays. A quality spray should cost under $10.

If you want to shampoo your upholstery, you'll need an extractor. This item is purposely placed last on our list and might be quite pricey.

While it’s possible to find one from places like Amazon starting around $30, prices can go up significantly from there.

If you’re ready to try DIY detailing on your car, you'll need only a few simple items. You can get most of them on your next trip to save money at Walmart.

While the cost of supplies may seem a bit pricey at the beginning, consider that a professional one-time pro visit may cost you hundreds of dollars.