If I learned (or relearned) one thing during my SUV detailing clinic at Meguiar's, it was this: "Frequent car is easy care." The final step of detailing is also the first step of detailing, and that is maintenance.

As it pertains to detailing, maintaining your SUV means frequently and consistently removing dirt and contaminants before they have a chance to become bonded to your vehicle.

The details and frequency of maintenance depend a lot on where you live, how much and where you drive, and where and how you store your SUV between uses.

If your SUV sits in your garage under a clean fleece cover and you only drive it once a month, you may not need to go through all of the steps of detailing very frequently. If you are an off-roader and you put your SUV through its paces on muddy trails, you will probably need to wash your SUV after each use, at least to get the big dirt and contaminants off of the surface (and undercarriage). Most of us will fall somewhere in between. If you push the Meguiar's detailing gurus to the wall and force them to make a recommendation, they'd say that you should wash your vehicle once a week, and reapply wax once every three months.

But I would never push the Meguiar's gurus to the wall, because they've already provided me with the tools to answer the question myself. You should detail your SUV as often as it needs it. Evaluate your paint frequently. If it looks fine to you, then it is fine. If it looks and feels a little rough, it's probably time to wash and it may be time to clean and wax. Use your eyes and your sense of touch, and evaluate your SUV, and you'll have your answer.

Expectations

One thing that we haven't discussed yet is expectations. There are no miracle products, contrary to what the television and car show hucksters would have us believe. Clearcoat can get to the point of no return, where the only remedy is a respray. Moose's hood is to that point, unfortunately. His previous owners, though very nice people, didn't take very good care of Moose; he's a rescue. The paint on his hood and roof is damaged beyond repair. I didn't expect the Meguiar's gurus to be able to recommend a treatment, and they didn't even try. One look, and anyone can see that the damage is done. That said, a good session of washing, cleaning and waxing renewed the luster on Moose's undamaged surfaces, and he looks a million times better than he did when I drove down to Irvine. I'm thrilled with the results.

Don't expect to reverse years of neglect with an afternoon's detailing. Stay on top of your detailing, and it will be quick, easy and effective.

Other Products

There are a few other products that you'll encounter at the auto parts store that you might want to use to maintain your SUV. These include Quick Detailers and Cleaning Waxes.

Quick detailers are just what they sound like -- they're shortcut products for small jobs, and for in-between major detail work. Often, quick detailers double as the lubricant for clay bar systems, too. Basically, you give a spray of quick detailer on your SUV, wipe it off with a clean microfiber cloth, and you can quickly remove contaminants before they become bonded with your paint. Meguiar's version of the product is called "Quik Detailer"; Mother's is California Gold Showtime Instant Detailer; Griot's Garage makes a product called "Speed Shine." Any of these will do the trick -- just use them frequently, and you'll be able to extend the interval between waxing.

You'll also notice a class of products labeled "cleaning wax." These products are formulated to combine a few steps in the detailing process, clean and protect, into one step. There's nothing wrong with cleaning waxes if you're in a big rush. They won't hurt your paint, and if used according to the directions, they can perform as advertised. But adjust your expectations -- a cleaning wax will be pretty good at cleaning, and pretty good at waxing, but it won't be outstanding at either job. For the best possible results, I suggest that you keep the steps separate, and use a dedicated cleaning or preparation product, and a dedicated wax. Then, you also have the opportunity to do some polishing in between the two steps, if your SUV needs it.

From start to finish, I learned a lot by taking Moose to Irvine for a clinic with the Meguiar's detailing team. I have to thank Mike Pennington, RJ de Vera and Joseph Thomas for all of the time and energy that they expended while teaching me about detailing. Moose hasn't looked better in years, and I intend to keep him looking great using the tips and tricks that I learned.

Happy detailing! And remember, "Frequent care is easy care."