Small detailing thread

[quamen]

Hello to all you s10 owners out there. My name is Rich, and im opening my detailing business in about 2 weeks. I have been detailing for over 5 years now, and I enjoy it very much. I finally decided it is time for me to go full time, and expand this year into next. Anyways, I find alot of you are asking some great questions, and want some basic knowledge on how to keep your ride clean. I wil try to help, and any questions I can answer for you. Im a mobile detailer, and operate through North Jersey, and just over the border of Pa. So if any of you dont have time, or just not into cleaning your ride, you can always have it done by myself. Throughout the article, you will notice me telling you guys how to detail, and what your doing wrong. In no way am i trying to put you guys down ,or tell you what to do or how to do it. This is your choice by all means, and im just trying to help out and give my experience in detailing, to some of you.

I will give some basic info on the exterior portion of the vehicle in this topic.
Spring is almost here, the days are getting longer, and your car is salty from the winter. YOu run to the corner market, or Walmart or whever, and pick up some wax and some towels and run home. Your vehicle has been through alot with all the winter abuse, so lets deep clean the vehicle.


Your paints surface. Clearcoat, all newer cars come with this, and is a law in the United States to have vehicles painted this way. IT does not protect your paint, but actually shows swirls more, and is a water based, softer paint.

A few easy steps to make your paint shine like no other, and make it like a mirror.

1. Wash your vehicle. This is a very basic step, but almost all of you do not follow the proper procedure on washing your vehicle. The Xtreme model, is even worse with washing , because of the ground effect kit. Spray your rims down with some rim cleaner, the best rim cleaner is called Sonus and is safe for all wheels. DO NOT SPRAY WHEELS IF THEY ARE HOT!!

2. You can spray the front section with some bug and tar remover to loosen up things a little bit.

3. High pressure wash from top to bottom, of the entire vehicle.

4. I usually try to use 2 buckets, but since having a white vehicle swirls and defects are much harder to be seen. Im to busy into getting things done for detailing, I cannot always keep my vehicle as perfect as a customers. I would use 2 buckets, one for the top portion and one for the bottom portion of the vehicle.

5. Use a wash mit and was from top to middle of vehicle, and the other bucket from middle down.

6.After vehicle is all sudded up, it is time to rinse. This time on your rinse, if you dont rinse as hard once you get off most of the soap, drying will be alot easier.

7. Use a synthetic chamios, and try the vehicle. Drag the chamois across the surface rather then scrubbing the surface. Wring dry , and move onto the next area.

8. Your vehicle is now all dry, and you stand back and notice swirl marks, and then vehicle is not as shiny, and rough.

9. you grab your wax, and start waxing. Stop, your wasting time and not putting wax on the paint, but rather on the particles that you cant see, so you are not doing much.

10. Take a cigarette cellephane wrapping, and put your fingers in it. Run it over the surface, notice how you can feel those particles better ,and it is rough?

11. Take a product called a clay bar, and a solution to make the clay bar glide. you can use Meguiars quick detailer, or a mixture of soap and water.

12. Clay bar a small area, by spraying the solution down, and rubbing the clay bar over the surface. Make sure the clay bar is in a patty shape form, and if dropped throw it out. once a clay bar is dropped it is no longer good, just get rid of it right away.

13. Feel paint after you wipe off the solution with a microfiber towel. Wow smooth huh!!

14. YOu see swirls, and think the wax will get them out. Wrong. The polish will. Wrong! Buy some Meguiars DACP, Dual Action Cleaner Polih, this when worked till try with a terry cloth towel, will remove the swirls. A buffer can be used, but if it is a orbital it i will do nothing your hand can do. A orbital is one that moves in a hand motion, and is found at all stores such as walmart, kmart, etc. A rotary, one that spins quickly if used by a inexperienced person will take the paint off in front of your eyes before you can blind. While a DA Dual action buffer, will save time, restore paints gloass, and achieve untouchable results, completely safe for anyone to use. this buffer costs about 160 dollars or so.

15. Work DACP until dry, with your terry cloth towel. this terry cloth towel provides some cutting action, so the swirls can be removed. If swirls are still very heavy, try something stronger. Always work from least aggressive to most.


14. It is smooth, but no glossy, but swirl free. This is where a polish comes in. A polish is not a wax, or a protectant, but rather a product that will restore the oil back into the paint, and color. Many detail shops, if your going to get your car detailed, use a glaze. this is a filler with oils, and is for hiding defects. This speeds up there process, but cheats you becuase it will only last a few washes. once it rains, the swirls will come back and you wasted 150 bucks or so.

15. Anyways, a great polish is Meguiars #7 show car glaze, or Clearkotes Vaniall Moose Hand Glaze. Take a foam applicator, and apply the polish in sections and remove with a microfiber towel.

16. You can apply a sealant, but I would just go to a wax at this time. Most of you must do this by hand I bet, so you are pretty tired maybe. A great wax is Meguiars NTX or the best is the s100 wax, bought at a Harely Davidson Dealership, yes the motorcycle place. About 18 bucks, but well worth it.

17. Wax with foam applicator and remove with microfiber towel.

18. Take a detail brush, get any little crack etc you need to get. You can dress everything etc as well.

This is just a basic outline of a few process step on detailing. I will provide pictures of the details I will do in a few weeks once my business opens. ALso i will post a list of products I use and where to get them. None of them really can be found in a local store, most just online.

Rich's Mobile Auto Detailing
(570)807-2019
"We come to you"
Serving Norther Jersey, and Pa.

[Jess]

well, i must say. that seems like some pretty damn good info.
but i have used some of those methodes, and i know they work.

thanx for the info. and good luck to you

[scott750]

Lots of great info here :thumbup:

[quamen]

Thanks alot guys for your comments and support. If no one has a problem with it, I would actually like to start posting alot more in depth professional tricks, product discussion, before and afters etc once the business starts to get going.

[scott750]

I'd be interested in hearing more tips from you. My brother had a buddy that owned his own mobile detailing business. Most of my knowledge came from him and I've been using it ever since. But that was way back in the day, like early 90s info. Detailing products and styles probably have changed a lot since them. But they seem to work nicely for me.

[Platinum_Blazer]

I smell sticky material...........

[Jess]

Rich

the forum is in the(slow) process of making a FAQ about detailing. i would like to add any and all info you(or anyone else) want to offer up. i don't know yet how that FAQ is going to be formated, but if possible credit will be given.

so you can post as much as you want ! have at it bro , thanx

[quamen]

Okay cool. I like to share any knowledge I have or gain through each detail.. Im opening up in about 2 weeks or so, so ill have alot of stuff coming in.l Ill be very wel organized as well in the posting and proff reading etc. That would be great if we could get more of a detailing forum. I have alot of exciting products to talk about, that more than likely most of you have never heard of. Cant really find these things in stores, only special online sites, and they perform better than anything out there. Also detailing tools etc.

Im not good at website stuff, but it would be cool to have like a click and brag, (show off your detailed xtremes or s10's), detailing product discussion, detailing discussion, detailing equipment etc. I know this isnt a detailing board, but some people really have some nice s dimes out there, and they want to make them look good. Just some suggestions, let me know how it goes.

[Lowsonoma03]

Good Luck with the business! My dad owns a detailing/mechanics business. For right now i'm his detailer and i've learned a lot from him in the past 8 years! Everything you have explained sounds legit! Take care man, keep doing what you do best!

[quamen]

Thanks alot bro, i will be getting pics sent of my detail setup hopefully by this weekend.

[sprtslvr785]

Just one question about the detailing thing...You said when you remove the polish you should use a terry cloth. Why wouldnt you use a microfiber towel when you do that like the wax?

[blksdime03]

this just got added to my favorites list!! lol i thought i knew alot about detailing..but i dont konw jack!! thanks alot that really helps!!

[jsin]

i was actually the head detailer at the dealership before i went into the parts department. i'm going to be doing detailing on the side as soon as the weather breaks here with my friend that i work with. he actually is a full-time detailer at the dealership. i think you covered alot of good tips and i've used alot of them myself. good luck with everything.

[quamen]

Oh sorry my bad, yes all removing should be done by a microfiber towel. IF you start with a swirl removal process, such as the DACP you should apply it with a TERRY CLOTH towel then remove with microfiber. Im saying this becuase many of you do this process by hand. To remove swirls, heat helps, and you need some bite to remove them. If you tried to remove the swirls by hand when applying the DACP or another swirl remover it wouldnt work well. The terry cloth towel gives you a little bite and makes the products diminishing abrasives found in meguairs product break down faster and easier, where a micro towel wouldnt do the job. I wrote that post at like 12 or so at night, so i guess i had some mistakes. Sorry again
Rich

[quamen]

Thanks alot guys for all your support and questions you have. I like helping anyone out when I actually know I am knowledgable and good at this, it makes me feel good. Anways within a week or so, I should have everything setup and can take some pics of my work truck, and some details.
Rich