Tesla Detailing: Know your Car and the Exact Care it Requires

This guide covers essential facts and maintenance tips on your vehicle’s materials and maintenance needs, helping you preserve its luxury finish and high level of appearance for years to come.

Exterior

Tesla Paint Type

All car paints fall into one of three categories: soft, medium, or hard. Each has unique characteristics that affect appearance, maintenance, and durability.

Tesla models are known for having soft paint across their range of electric vehicles. Here's what that means for you:

High Gloss Finish with Less Effort

Soft paint always looks incredible when treated right. It come up full of colour, gloss and shine with less work input compared to hard paint types.

Whether you're just washing and waxing, or you're fine polishing for a showroom finish, the result on your Tesla, thanks to its soft paint, will be exceptional.

Good for Attracting Attention

Besides the fact it's a Tesla, it's very easy to make your car stand out from the rest. A wax, ceramic coating, or any type of glossy finish really amplifies your cars look in the car park, thanks to the appearance properties with soft paint.

Any gloss or shine is boosted when applied on a soft paint vehicle. We recommend using this to your advantage.

Regular Washing Tips

While Tesla's soft paint finishes very well, a property of soft paint is extreme delicacy.

If you're driving your Tesla often, regular washing is a requirement, and we recommend avoiding the low cost washes for your Tesla specifically, as your paint is so soft, it requires extreme care during washing to avoid heavy swirling or worse.

There are also areas on your Tesla that shouldn't be power washed, and without consideration of these areas, the low cost washes could lead to high cost expenses.

We recommend you use a strong Pre-Wash for every wash, unless your Tesla is ceramic coated.

Pre-Wash is a washing solution that's applied after the first water rinse, but does not include physically touching your Tesla. It uses the power of the washing chemical to remove the dirt.

After the pre-wash is rinsed off, if there is still dirt present, you can now go into your contact wash with a large amount of the dirt already gone - minimising the dirt and grime you would have been pulling and dragging across your Tesla's easily marked paint, reducing your natural swirling.

On top of this extra washing step, we recommend the 2 bucket method, which includes 1 bucket for rinsing your dirty mitt in, after you've cleaned a panel, and a clean water bucket for rinsing your mitt in, after the dirty water bucket.

Both of these washing steps are the most effective, least hassle adding washing methods to reduce your paints marking from washing.

As you're most likely aware, there are sensors around the body of your Tesla, and a charging port. These areas are not to be power washed. Any damage or slight movement to your sensors will give you false readings, leading to recalibrations or replacements - both of which are not cheap.

The Perfect Coating

Another major recommendation is applying a ceramic coating with a proven high hardness rating. This means along with the general ceramic coating benefits, it also provides your car with light abrasion resistance, taking some of the natural swirling damage away from your paint.

This abrasion resistance also helps with the likes of bushes and overgrown branches on roads.

It's for this reason we include a Guaranteed 10H Hardness Rating, 7 Year Ceramic Coating in our Tesla-Tailored Detail.

Polishing Considerations

Polishing is a strong appearance booster on Tesla paint, and could be called "easier" compared to hard paint users, when aiming for the same defect-free finish.

Less aggressive compounds and polishing pads remove swirls and scratches on your soft paint quicker than those on hard paint.

Fine Finish and High Gloss polishes not only remove slightly deeper marks on your Tesla  compared to the likes of an Audi, but they also work incredibly well together, bringing your Tesla to a super glossy, full of colour finish, relatively easily.

However, with easier high results also come more dangers.

Machine polishing softer paint brings more risks than harder paint.

With your paint being softer, your polisher will cut through it quicker, meaning you can burn through soft paint a lot easier and quicker than harder paints. Only an experienced machine polisher user should polish your Tesla - It's too risky otherwise.

If you're hand polishing, avoid pressure, let the polish do the work.

Water Spots

Water spots are an annoying side effect of our countries water supply. They're caused by the water drying up faster than the minerals within it, leaving only the minerals on your paint, causing "water spots", or mineral deposits.

Unfortunately, on softer paints, water spots can etch into the paint if left for too long, requiring a polish to remove.

Either use filtered water to remove water spots completely, a Quick Detailer that's designed to also remove water spots, or make sure to clean your Tesla regularly if you're not removing the spots at the end of each wash.

Summary
Tesla paint delivers true, deep colour with high gloss, but it's relatively sensitive. Gentle techniques, regular decontamination, and good ceramic protection will keep it looking showroom-ready and standing out no matter where you go.

Tesla Brake Dust Output

Tesla uses regenerative breaking systems, which for you means less brake dust cleaning required.

Brake dust on the majority of other vehicles are what stain people's wheels. It's a black/brown substance that when left, will find its way into your wheel.

While there is a low output, and cleaning is still required, with regular washing, you shouldn't experience brake dust staining. Use a reactive wheel cleaner once a month to ensure no staining.

Body Iron Removal

Brake dust however ends up on vehicle's bodies, either from their own brakes or from driving through other drivers brake dust. Brake dust creates micro-damages due to their hot and sharp particles penetrating your clear coat. This then creates space for water ingress, potentially leading to rust specks on your Tesla.

To avoid this huge value drop damage and appearance destroyer, body iron decontamination should still take place.

Taking into account your Tesla produces a lot less than the average car, but still drives through other vehicle's dust, you should consider getting iron decontamination carried out 1-2 times per year to help avoid any body damage that brake dust causes.

Exterior Gloss Plastic Care

If you have a Tesla Model S or X, it's likely you have Gloss Black Trim on your Tesla's exterior.

Pre-Wash
Always use a strong pre-wash to lift dirt before any contact is made with this trim. Even small dirt particles caught in your mitt will scratch this delicate material on your expensive car.

Refinement
Gloss plastics can be machine-polished if there are some light scratches present, but gently.

Use low-speed settings, finishing pads, and light polishes only. Avoid generating heat, which can warp or burn the material. Gloss plastics can't withstand the same amount of heat as a normal body panel can.

Summary
Gloss black trim offers contrast and luxury but requires soft hands and precise technique to stay looking its best. Rinse your wash mitt often when cleaning these areas.

Exterior Glass Roof

After washing your Tesla, if you have a glass roof or a sun roof, make sure to dry the water properly to avoid water spots from ruining your natural light and luxury look of an all glass roof.

This unique touch highly benefits from a ceramic coating, making dirt and rain slide off much easier.

Luxury Interior Materials

Leather

Tesla's use a material known as Vegan Leather for their seating. This is currently a rare material, but more manufacturers are moving towards this material choice, and some higher end brands offer it as an optional extra.

Do Not Use APCs
All Purpose Cleaners are too harsh for vegan leather. Use a pH-balanced cleaner only that gently lifts dirt without stripping your leathers protective coat.

Using an APC in your Tesla will lead to more harm than good.

Extra Protection
When you've spent a large amount on something, it's ideal to protect it as much as you can, within reason.

Leather ceramic coatings are used globally and highly recommended to preserve your leather seating by preventing food and drink stains along with dye transfer staining, and also blocks UV damage from discolouring your leather.

Very minimally, they can provide some abrasion protection also, but this does not mean your leather can withstand sharp objects.

We recommend a leather ceramic coating for your Tesla for that additional protective layer, especially if you have a white interior, as dirt and staining is much more likely on your white leather.

Summary
Your Tesla uses a currently rare type of leather, that shouldn't be cleaned with an all-purpose-cleaner as this will damage the leathers protective coat.

Interior Gloss Plastics

Tesla centre consoles, screens, and dash trims often use high-gloss piano black plastic. These areas scratch very easily with the lightest of pressure.

Clean Gently
Use a clean, plush, edge-less microfiber and diluted APC or screen-safe cleaner. Never apply pressure, just wipe. 

Polish if Needed
If swirled, a jewelling polish and soft pad can restore gloss. Use low machine speed and avoid edge pressure. Only do this if you're experienced, as it's easy to make things worse instead of fixing.

Tesla-Tailored Detailing Package

Tap onto the Tesla-Tailored Detailing Package for the only designated Tesla detailing service in Northern Ireland, with high considerations of your paints soft delicacy, the many areas inside and out that require gentle cleaning methods, and the different cleaning solutions required for your Tesla compared to generic, other options in Carrickfergus - Exclusive to Carrickfergus Car Care

Tesla-Tailored Detailing Package

Tesla-Tailored Detailing Package

Inside this package are specific detailing procedures tailored to your Tesla for the best results available to you within Northern Ireland.

Designed around all of Tesla's materials, this hand picked selection of processes are guaranteed to bring both your Tesla interior and exterior up to an incredible condition.

Packed with specific value to ensure your package suits you and your car perfectly - Nothing generic, every action is Tesla specific.

This detailing package requires a minimum stay of 2 nights, depending on your Tesla's condition - A replacement vehicle can be arranged for your packages duration if required.

Tesla Gloss Enhancement | Machine Polish

Superior Tesla results, bringing out your cars colour and gloss tremendously, minimising light defects in your paint, and saving time with 1 polish / pad combination that works smoothly with your ultra-soft paint.

You can expect your electric vehicle's exterior to look the best you've ever seen it with our precise care and knowledge on how to best work with your delicate paint and bring out its true colour and gloss.

Gloss Plastics Machine Polish

If you have a model S or X, your gloss trim is polished to a bold, black pop, returning their mirror-like finish to compliment your Tesla's exterior the way they were designed to.

Polishing Preparation

Before polishing your Tesla, a thorough deep exterior clean, including iron decontamination, is carried out. 

This step removes anything on your paint that shouldn't be there, like your Tesla's high  brake dust output.

This step, recommended for your electric car at least once a year, will remove the multiple previous years worth of brake dust that's yet to be removed from your paint work.

7 Year, 10H Hardness Rated Ceramic Coating

This Guaranteed Ceramic Coating is the perfect choice for your Tesla.

After your Tesla's exterior is cleaned, decontaminated, and polished, we seal this new, revived look in for the years to come with an extremely durable, 7 year ceramic coating with a 10H Hardness Rating for protection against light abrasions. 

The 10H Abrasion Resistance will prolong your Tesla's swirl free look for much longer, even with regular contact washing.

However, now that your soft paint is coated, more chemical only washes can provide you the same clean, high gloss finish as a contact wash could, which will further prolong your swirl free paintwork. This match works perfectly together, considering your soft paint that's easily marked, and the highest hardness rating coating available - that comes with a manufacturer warranty.

Super quick and easy washing with your 7 year ceramic coating, that also boosts your Tesla's glossy look far past the average car in Northern Ireland.

The 7 year coating also protects your EV's paint from our country's Winter's salt and bad road conditions, prolonging your paintworks look and health for much longer once again.

This 7 Year Coating is an option we keep very limited, for the likes of our highest Ceramic Protection Solution choice, so you will not find this exclusive and guaranteed 7 Year Ceramic Coating available in many other packages outside of this one.

Interior Detailing | Tesla

Seating

All Tesla models use the rare material known as Vegan Leather.

This leather is delicate and coated in a protective layer to help ease with cleaning and keep it looking as good as it does.

To avoid damaging this layer, a diluted pH-neutral cleaner is used, which refreshes your seating and returns their natural colouring to your Tesla interior.

If you have a white interior, it's highly recommended to request more information from us on the Leather Ceramic Coating.

White interiors are known for getting dye transfer stains from clothing, and showing all dirt a lot more than darker leather. Our coating will help prevent the stains and make cleaning super easy for you.

Deep Carpet Clean: Steam cleaned, shampooed and wet extracted to remove even the deepest of engrained dirt and stains.

Interior Gloss Plastics: Your piano black, gloss plastics, typically around your audio system and infotainment system, and your centre console on some models, are gently cleaned, removing oils that easily sit on the material, creating smudging and reflections that spoil the materials polished look.

To enhance your Tesla's interior further than other detailing options within Northern Ireland, these sections are lightly polished, boosting their black gloss, and reducing minor scratches that are taking away from your solid black trim.

Interior Glass: All smudges, finger prints, and any other marks on your glass are removed for a streak-free vision and thoroughly detailed look.

Foot Mats: If your mats are carpets, they're steam cleaned, shampooed and wet extracted, just like your flooring carpets, to return their new, unused look.

When they're used often without deep carpet cleaning for months on end, this procedure makes a huge difference in your interior's appearance.

If you have all weather mats - the rubber style, they're power washed and shampooed, followed by a protective layer that returns their unfaded, unused, grey/ black colour, and keeps them looking brand new for longer.

To Discuss or Book Your Tesla for NI's Only Dedicated Tesla Detailing Service, Designed Around Your Cars Exact Materials for Maximum Value and a 5-Star Finish, Tap Book Now, or Contact us on Social Media for more info.