Here are some very obvious, but sometimes overlooked for the sake of time, procedures of detailing. I’m sure we all have some to add to help those starting out or trying to improve their business in 2008. – I have not much going on at work until January 08…..
Always store / transport finishing materials separately from rubber and plastic dressing materials. Meaning: Wax, Wax pads, Wax removal microfiber towels should not be stored with your tire/rubber shine and sponges. This eliminates the risk of cross contamination of two chemicals that don’t favor each other.
If possible, store polishing pads and wax / sealant application pads in labeled, individual, zip-lock bags when not in use. This reduces the risk of contamination and reduced pad/applicator waste.
Personal preference is to complete the interior first. This reduces the risk of scuffing a freshly polished surface with a vacuum, vapor cleaner, or extractor or making fingerprints while opening and closing the doors.
Clean inside and outside of windows in different directions. I use east to west for interiors and north to south for exteriors. This assists in identifying where the streaks, if any, exist.
Frequently lube, clean, and examine clay. Major damage can be induced by clay picking up a single grain of sand.
A pre-dry rinse of reverse osmosis water reduces drying time and possibility of water drying and leaving behind sediment on the paint. Also reduces the risk of inducing marring via reduced towel drying requirements. –a process I currently do not use, but will implement in 2008. I have an old R.O. filter from my fish tank.
When wet sanding by hand, look to create a completely uniform white appearance in your damaged area. This insures polishing results will be uniform as will the orange peel, reducing the chance of drawing the eye to the repaired location. Soak the paper for at least 30 minutes in soapy water pre sanding and use a squeegee to check your work.
Polish from top down. This reduces the risk of picking up dried polish between the paint surface and pad potentially causing marring. This also reduces the risk of leaning on the freshly polished finish, inducing marring.
Frequently clean the surface you are polishing or waxing with a blast of air from a compressor, if available. This will remove any potential swirl inducing contaminants from the surface you are working. Always be sure the floors are damp when doing this or debris from the floor will blow up all over the finish. By having zero contact with another piece of equipment this eliminates the risk of contaminating the polishing pad.
Frequently clean polishing pads. Clean pads will assist in insuring you are not applying too much material to the surface or spreading contaminants. Personal preference is: lay the polisher on the floor, turn it on, and blast it with compressed air directed under the car on to the damp floor. This reduces the risk of shooting dried polish into the air and on the finish.
Dress trim post polishing. Re apply if necessary, but get the bulk, or at least the surfaces that mount directly against paint, done between the polishing and the waxing/sealing stage. This reduces the risk of contaminating a finished surface with dressing overspray or smearing.
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