Attention to detail is what true thorough car cleaning is all about.  This is when you use a keen eye to scrutinize every inch of your vehicle to be sure that every nook and cranny has been cleaned, and every fender has been polished to perfection.
    It would be wonderful if all of us owned a beautiful Ferrari, but the reality of it is that most of us own a different type of vehicle.  Whether it's a European sports car or a "Good Ol' American" made vehicle we all have a love affair for our vehicle and most of us take pride in what we drive.  You'll know what I mean the next time you get out of your car.  How many times do you look back at your vehicle taking that last glance as you're walking away from the car.  Were you looking back because you thought your car might disappear?  Of course not... you looked back because your vehicle represents a substantial investment.  It's a piece of property that you own and respect.  It is your prized possession no matter how valuable it might be.   Are you getting the picture now why most people like to glance back at a vehicle that at least looks good?
    There are certain basic things that you can do to get that good feeling of owning and driving a vehicle that you can be proud of.  First of all besides the obvious of a good thorough car washing, one of the areas most difficult for individuals to maintain are the wheels and tires.  For heavy brake dust problem associated with many types of wheels, I recommend a good wheel and mag cleaner capable of breaking down grease and brake dust.  Along with this cleaner use a parts brush available from most auto parts stores.  This special brush works well to get in between spokes, vents and around wheel lug nuts too hard to reach by hand cleaning.  Be aware that some mag and wheel cleaners contain a mild acid product and may not be suitable for certain types of wheels.
    For white walls with black scuff marks I recommend using a good, strong, all purpose cleaner and a stiff brass wire brush available at most auto parts stores.  The stiff bristles quickly and easily remove yellowed dirt and black curb marks associated with white wall tires.
    For cleaning glass mirrors and windows I recommend a glass polish or glass wax for effective and thorough cleaning.  Many typical over-the-counter products that are liquid ammonia cleaners work well enough for clean windows; but for those windows that have been contaminated with animal nose prints, kids greasy fingers, or nicotine smoke stained glass, a much stronger cleaner is necessary to properly remove these contaminates.  A good glass polish available at most auto part stores will really cut through these situations and leave streak-free.. dazzling... perfect glass!  Be aware that a glass type polish may not be suitable for after-market tinted windows.  A glass polish is also an excellent cleaner and polish for side mirrors, bumpers, chrome wheels as well as grill and light areas.
    If your chrome bumpers are dulled out from age or are pitted with rust, try using a piece of #000 gauge Steel Wool to buff out and loosen rust and bugs from these areas.  Follow this process with a good glass and chrome polish.  Be aware that some chrome type of bumpers are coated with a clear plastic type of finish.  These types of bumpers should not be polished with steel wool as it could cause scratching or damage to the bumper.
    As with any cleaning process you do on your own, I strongly recommend that you check with your professional detailer or the car manufacturer as to whether or not certain products are acceptable to the vehicle's finish.  Use of improper cleaning processes or products could cause irrepairable damage if not properly used.
    For dingy greasy antennas use a piece of steel wool to clean the antenna area from rust or grease.  Follow this by wiping the antenna with a light coat of WD-40™.  The license plate is an area often overlooked.  For chrome finished license plates I recommend polishing this area out with a good chrome polish.  For brass finished license plates I recommend polishing these with a good aluminum/brass polish available at any auto part store.
    Depending on how meticulous you want to be you can even remove the license plate to clean and polish this area as well.