I've been wanting to post this thread for a long time... i know everyone has little tricks and things that they use when they are detailing... tricks that seem obvious, but might not be to everyone. for instance...

recently on my black car it's been hard to keep water spots off when...

When I'm washing the car with a wash mitt, I'll submerge the mitt in the wash bucket, open the cuff of the mitt, then raise it up out of the water. The water will flow from the inside of the mitt out and backflush any grit that's in the fibers out. I do this about three or four times while washing the car.

When I'm done washing the car, I'll stick the hose in the wash mitt and allow the water to run out to clean it.

It works for me and gives me more peace of mind about dragging grit across the surface of my car.

Another tip for you carnuba users...

After you're done waxing the car, get a spray bottle with some clear water in it. Spritz the paint very lightly with the water and then buff with some soft, all cotton flannel. (My wife got me some white baby diaper flannel at the yardage store that's 100% Made in USA cotton... you can also use a piece of an old flannel bedsheet.) The water will add some extra gloss to your finish... like when you have a pair of shoes spit shined!

Smak your Cali duster into your opposite hand about
every panels use.

A lot of stuff flies out - especially during pollen season.

let's see......

• When you are going to use your orbital, and the pad you're about to use is dry, mist on a little detail spray - regardless of what compound you're going to apply. This will reduce friction, scratching and pad wear before the material distributes itself around the pad.
  
• When you use leather creme, apply it with your bare hands. You can better work it into the seams and crevices, and your hands will feel great afterwards!
  
• When you clean your glass, use horizontal strokes on the outside, and vertical ones on the inside. Later, when you 're suddenly in the right light and notice any streaks, you'll know which side they're on. (Can't take credit for this - learned it from a fellow autopian.)
  
• When you use swirl mark removers or FI-II, or for that matter any product that is likely to include diminishing abrasives, work it and work it and work it! In my experience, it takes the PC on 6, plus pressure (reduce over time) plus time - more than you think. The difference is very noticeable - especially on black.
  
• Keep a cheap 2" paint brush in your car - does a great job of getting dust out of hard-to-reach corners.
  
• Keep a MF towel and a little bottle of detail spray in the car too. If you ever come back to find bird poop on the car, get it off immediately.
  
• Before you use ANY new product, ask about it HERE!
  
• Towels, Water Blades, Dusters do not scratch paint. Dirt you move with them does.! Your goal should always be "maximum benefit with minimal wiping", whether it is washing, drying or buffing. However you must know that the "boundary layer" phenomenon means you can not get all the dirt off in the first place without rubbing with something. A pressure wash only leaves a thinner layer of dirt - it doesn't remove it completely.
  

One of the best things I have learned is............


Not to tell everyone my little tricks..............


Bwahahahhahahaa

A good boom box in the grage will seem to reduce detailing time by hours.

A small stool on wheels prevents backache.

I put a red "*" on the cuff of the wash mit used for top panels.

I use B lue MF for B uffing
G reen MF for G lass
W hite MF for drying after W ash.

depending on how dirty the engine bay is, you may not get it clean the first time without scrubbing. by doing this over the course of a week, you can get the same results, but not have to put in as much labor into it.

after the first pass on my engine that wasn't cleaned for several college years, it was about 75% cleaner. over the course of the week is was about 90-95% clean. as I sprayed with water, clumps of the grease and drit that were on the engine just washed off. It was pretty nasty to see but satisfying.

my tip is not what to do on a car, but prep for the car.
Be sure you have all your supplies ready, spray bottels filled up and ready to go. Stay organized and know where everything is. Know the car you are doing and products that will be needed.
dont rush the job or your work will reflect it. Take your time and inspect every panel once you complete it. Keep the radio on for background music, this will keep you moving, I know jason dances to "it's raining men" every time he details.
be sure to take a break, dont kill your self, take your time on the car and you will see results that will amaze you & the customer.
that is my tip that i think will help everyone

I've learned a lot from this thread!

-- here are my additions --

~ Cut Swiffers into 2 or 4 pieces & keep in glove box for quick dash touch-ups

~ When doing a complete interior/exterior detail - do the interior first as you are usually too tired/hot/sweaty/dirty when you are finished with the exterior

~V4M~

To see how much product that has been used for each application I measure the overall hgt. of the bottle and divide it up by the number of ounces shown. A pencile mark at those increments will allow you to visualize usage.

Q-TIPS and TOOTH PICKS IN THE BACK POCKET for those hard to reach areas that wax gets stuck in. AFTER waxing go over the car with a very damp MF towel,gives you a better SHINE

When you are buffing your car, protect tyour clean wheel assemblies from any spatter by covering them with plastic trash bags..I take 4 large trash bags (the 33 gallon size) and put a slit up the middle on one side..I find this covers the wheels beautifully and keeps them clean and easier to do the final details on later!

I also mask off any trim with a good quality masking tape...5 to 10 minutes of taping saves hours of getting wax off of mouldings!

Got any large boxes? Cut them into panels..they are great for keeping clean if you have to get under the car for any reason.

I have four sections of flat cardboard that I drive onto when applying protectants to tires...it keeps the driveway clean (now if only my son would remember to use them )

You can also make wheel masks...cut out a circle of the diameter of your wheels, and put two holes in the center of the disc to get a handhold. Cover both sides with duct tape to protect the cardboard. I use them when I apply protectants...it ensures that you don't get any product on the wheels. I have them made up in 14, 15 and 16 inch sizes.

When vacuuming carpets, play the "bongos" on them...beating on the carpets with your hands will bring up dirt and sand imbedded in the fibers...you would be amazed at what you can get out of a "freshly vaccumed carpet!"

I just got a new pressure washer, and the garden hose connection is underneath the unit. I took a short section (6 to 8 inches of garden hose with the proper adapters for each end) and attached it to the double female connection on the washer..it makes hooking up a lot easier!.