Best start to finish detailing procedures?

[Beach15]

Okay, I need a little help. I`ve been doing some detailing over the past couple of weeks and have had good results but need to cut down in time. Ususally, I start anywhere from 7:45 to 8:30 in the morning and finish at about 4:30 in the afternoon. Now, of course, this is quite a long time, but was for cars that were not too expertly kept, with me doing a full detail inside and out.



Right now, here`s my procedures:

1) Thoroughly clean the wheels and tires seperately

2) Wash car with Dawn to strip off excess old wax, dirt, etc. and then dry

3) Add a coat of Klasse AIO & then Platinum

4) Clean the door jambs

5) Treat the tires and wax the wheels

6) Vaccum and wipe down interior

7) Work on stains or other spots on the carpet, seats

8) Clean the windows



Then any other little detail work that needs to be done. I go like a nut but it still seems to take me a little too long and could be more orderly.



Even more important, is the fact that I have another car to do tomorrow which is expected to be the hottest day of the year by far, with a lot of sun, humidity, and temps in the high 90`s. I do most of my work in the shade of my neighbor`s tree-lined driveway (he only comes to the house on weekends). So, any idea on what order things should be done to go faster and easier?



Thanks a lot!!

[JasonC8301]

1) Thoroughly clean the wheels and tires seperately

2) Wash car with Dawn to strip off excess old wax, dirt, etc. and then dry

3) Add a coat of Klasse AIO & then Platinum

4) Clean the door jambs

5) Treat the tires and wax the wheels

6) Vaccum and wipe down interior

7) Work on stains or other spots on the carpet, seats

8) Clean the windows



(I wash the engine 1st before anything else, just gotta do my first engine detail this/next week, hope I do well.)



1. I wash the wheels and tire two at a time. Allows me to work on one wheel while the other wheel`s product has time to dwell, scrub both wheels and tires, then come back and rinse off. The wheel cleaner is fairly weak, 50/50 Ef Hi/water for tires and 25/75 Ef Hi/water for wheels.



2. Wash with dawn and clean the door jambs too. I open everything anyway, so why not get the door jambs too while drying



3. Add coat of AIO and platinum, while Platinum is drying do the tires and wheels.



4. Done in step 2



5. Done in step 3



6. Work on stains (pre-treat) and then vacuum and wipe down interior with protectant.



7. Done in step 6.



(I would polish metal, do the trim and the other little details, then go to step 8)



8. Clean windows



Theres how I go about things. It just takes practice. The more you do it, the faster things get done. Like 1st day washed 45-55 vans in 8 hours. Now we get done in about 6 hours (for 55 vans.)



Happy Detailing,

Jason

[the shine shop]

:) i usually take the same amount of time to do full details, this is as close to exact as i can come to my way

empty personal items and bag

vacum including trunk,and seat tracks,as well as headliner

shampoo,and clean interior fabrics and vinyl including all vents and nooks and crannys with q tips.

dress interior with appropriate dressing

clean windows

buff down dressing

re vacum to pick up any lint or loosened debris

replace items

wash down engine

dry engine

spray engine dressing and let cook

clean wheelwels and wheels and tires using correct cleaners

wash car

blow off loose water towell dry

wipe out jambs

dress tires and wells

tar removal if needed

polish

wax

windows including edge

q tip exterior

q tip lug nuts

wipe down tires

pull outside in sun to double check

deliver car back to customer



note,this part comes after minivans

drive directly to liquor store for 6 silver bullets!!!



i hope this helps

mike

[DaGonz]

Beach...you can`t rush quality!



You have to begin each detail with a game plan...and that starts when you first see the car. If it has been well maintained and just needs "tuning and tweaking " to get it looking perfectly detailed, it`s fairly simple. if the car needs a lot of TLC, you have to adjust accordingly.



Are you using any polishers or cleaning ansd polishing paintwork, pressure washers to clean unsdercarriages and tire wheel assemblies and extraction machines for carpet and upholstery? These are big factors in the time management department.



I got a pressure washer this year, and now I don`t know how I got along with out one in the past. I`ve had orbital and rotary polishers for years, along with a small extraction machine.



The quality of the materials you are using is also a factor.



Another note for all Autopians: when working in hot weather, you need to keep yourself properly hydrated by drinking lots of water. Ifdyou aren`t drinking enough, you will feel the effects of dehydration...you will get a headache and you will will feel hotter, because you can`t sweat as much. If you begin feeling dizzy, like you are going to pass out ands you have stopped stop sweating and it`s still hotter than blazes...stop and call 911 (or the emergency number for your community) immediately! You may have gone through heat cramps to heat exhaustion into heat stroke. In heat, stroke your body cannot cool itself and your brain literally "cooks"... it is a life threatening emergency!



One good indicator of proper hydration is by the color of your urine. If you are "peeing" a lot (for want of a better term!) and it`s clear to light yellow, you are hydrated. If it`s orange, you are not drinking enough. You also want to keep hydrated

whenever you are working either in a garage or outside in the shade.



Stay cool...you can`t enjoy a clean car from a hospital room!

[imported_Intel486]

I always do interior first. Interiors are hot and crampt and after working on the outside of the car you really don`t feel like crawling around inside.



Get yourself a basket or bucket to put all your interior stuff in. Carpet cleaner, Dressings, window cleaners, a few towels, brushes, etc. Will save you time from having to walk back and forth between your rig.



Open all the doors and pull out the matts. Shake well. I then grab a brush and brush stuff out of the seams in the seats. Then I dust the dash off. Now I vaccum the inside and the floor mats. I also use the floor mats to kneel on... :D



If I have to clean the leather or treat it, then I do it now.



If I`m going to clean the dash with soap and water then I do it now. Some people use buckets but I have my system setup in bottles. I have a bottle of Interior Cleaner and an bottle of clean water. I spray the cleaner on and scrub the vinyl down, wipe it off, then spray water, and wipe it off to remove the last of the soap.



Do stains on carpet and seats now.



Now dress the dash and vinyl.



Now vaccum any lint up from your towels.



Clean the windows last. Make sure you roll them down and get that top edge of the window. Inteior is done. Put the mats back in and close the car up. If it is wet don`t worry you will have time to open it back up to let it dry out after you wash.



If I`ll be cleaning the engine then I spray degreaser in the engine before dressing the interior vinyl.



Cool down all the wheels and tires with water. Then clean all the tires and wheels with your favorite cleaner.



Now pop the hood and spray out the engine compartment. Don`t worry about drying it no you`ll get it in a minute.



Now get your soapy water and wash the car.



Now dry the car and then dry the engine. I like to do the final rinse on the car and then pop the hood and dry whatever water I can see in there. I`ll then start the car running and proceed to dry the rest of the car. The vibrations from the engine will also help some of the water fall out of placed.



No if you did any carpet cleaning in the interior you can open doors etc.



Tape the trim, etc up. Cover windshield and wipers with towels or paper.



Now do all your paint work. Compound, polish, wax, etc.



Engine should be dry by now so dress it. Dress trim and tires.



Close up car and do final inspection.



I might have forgotten some stuff but you should be able to tell where it should go.

[Detailing NY]

Interiors should be done first, do everything inside from stain removal to dusting.

then degrease the engine, do this second so no grease gets on the vehicle.

the clean the outside, start with the wheels and work your way up.

hope this helps

NYD

[samiam513]

Originally posted by Gonzo0903





In heat, stroke your body







aww man.. I knew that was why I was always getting tired in the sun! How could I forget that step :p



Note to detailers, most engine bays are NOT clearcoated. The paint isn`t that good either. It will rub off witha soft tire brush.

[Beach15]

Thanks for the help!



I just did a light beige 1997 Oldsmobile LSS today and tried the inside, then out procedure, and it worked well, but I was still a little rushed do to scorching temps. I hope to get faster with each car, but not with this heat!

[imported_Intel486]

Originally posted by Gonzo0903





[b]Another note for all Autopians: when working in hot weather, you need to keep yourself properly hydrated by drinking lots of water. Ifdyou aren`t drinking enough, you will feel the effects of dehydration...you will get a headache and you will will feel hotter, because you can`t sweat as much. If you begin feeling dizzy, like you are going to pass out ands you have stopped stop sweating and it`s still hotter than blazes...stop and call 911 (or the emergency number for your community) immediately! You may have gone through heat cramps to heat exhaustion into heat stroke. In heat, stroke your body cannot cool itself and your brain literally "cooks"... it is a life threatening emergency!



One good indicator of proper hydration is by the color of your urine. If you are "peeing" a lot (for want of a better term!) and it`s clear to light yellow, you are hydrated. If it`s orange, you are not drinking enough. You also want to keep hydrated

whenever you are working either in a garage or outside in the shade.



Stay cool...you can`t enjoy a clean car from a hospital room!



Ghaaa I hate the heat! Today I was outside on white concrete, next to a white building, in a alley with no shade and wind! It felt like I was being cooked alive! And I had to detail two black cars.

[Beach15]

Don`t mean to pry, but I`ve always been curious. How the heck do you do 2 or more cars a day??? I do everything by hand (maybe that`s why) and still have trouble finishing off by owner pick-up time. I did the 97` Olds LSS yesterday and even with it being almost immaculately clean to start with (needed just wash and would look great again), I started at 8:15 and was just barely finishing up when he came to pick the car up at about 4:40. Now, of course, it was 98 degrees and extremely humid & hazy, but even with a few 2 minute breaks, I can`t for the life of me, figure out what the heck it is that takes me so long.



Maybe I`m just trying to get everything too perfect, but even for me, a few things could still be a little better. I`ve only done 3 cars officially, and our Avalanche every weekend, but what gives?! Maybe if I had a nice cool garage to work in...yeah right! I`m starting to think I don`t get paid enough for this!



Oh yeah, check out my site...I updated it last night with pics of the LSS. Too bad you can`t tell much of a difference in the pics.



Take a look!:

DKAutoSpa (http://www.geocities.com/dkautospa)

[imported_dl9589]

:eek: 80-90 bucks for a full detail!!!! Can I bring my car to you for those prices;)



Pictures look good though:xyxthumbs

[Beach15]

And that`s after just raising them!! I got $70 for the Century (boy, was it nasty!), $75 for the van, and $70 for the LSS. Those prices, and I use things like Klasse and Platinum on the cars! Why? Mainly because that was what I thought people in this area would be willing to pay, which they have. That, and I`m fairly sure some of the other "local guys" don`t charge much more, even though they suck!



I`m actually in quite a bit of a bind. I`d like to be doing cars everyday of the week (save a day or two here and there), and have it all together, successful website, business cards, flyers, and great word of mouth. But, I still must have to get out there more and make people aware of what I do. The customers I`ve had were all overjoyed in the work, the first two even telling me I did more than they expected.



Any idea what some other guys might charge for the same packages and work I do?

[Brakedust]

You are simply not charging enough. If your quality is that good, pitch yourself against the competition based on that. I am in a city of hacks and although it took me a while to win people over, my work spoke for itself. I charge at least 50% more than my competition. People see two things in that : there is a percieved value - ie. if thats expensive, it must be good; then there is the actual value - I do higher quality work than anyone else.



You have to reflect that in your literature, website, flyers, wherever. It has to look elegant and professional - that will creat a first impression. After that, you use a good sales style and a run a congenial or friendly shop. People will come to you and only you.



The tips the guys gave above were pretty good. Interior First then exterior. People always say vacuuming is the very first thing to do, but I disagree. You need to dust down the dashboard, console and any vinyl around the windows, etc. Get a soft toothbrush and clean all those crevices around buttons and vents and twiddly bits first. Then completely vacuum the interior.



Do the Headlining;

Next, dress the dashboard, console and any other vinyl areas.

Clean the seats, door panels, anything with fabric on it, then the carpet.

Do the door jambs, sills & ledges. Dress the vinyl there and finish by dressing the vinyl around the doors.

Give a quick wipe over anything dressed with a MF towel or whatever. Just for the lustre.



Go for the exterior then.

If you must do the engine, do that first. I always ask customers if they want the engine done, and most don`t want it. Its a time waster so you should charge extra for it. (Though I do it for my VIP cars and any vintage cars)



Do the rest as mentioned previously.



Bring the vac back in and get rid of any lint.

I always leave glass until last and I use glass polish rather than window cleaner. It gives a better reflection.



Everyone develops their preferred style. But first comes quality. Todays quality ensures tomorrows customers. I used to spend 6 or 7 hours doing one car. Now I can do them in two to three hours on my own. Also remember that you want to be working smart, not hard.



Maybe I can give an extra tip for you to get customers. Flyers never worked for me. No matter what I put on them - special offers, information, price lists. The best thing is a double-fold card. Twice the size of a business card, but folds over to be the same. So you now have four sides to work with. Front - your Co. Name, number, address & web details. Back - a little important info (such as cars need to be waxed every X months for beauty/protection, Pollution causes aging of paint. Engine detailing gives your car a higher residual value, etc,.) You know this sort of info.... but don`t cram it all in. Just a few lines otherwise its not enticing to read. In the middle of the card put your prices and whatever extras you can provide - claying, high-speed polishing, etc. Again, not too much info - enough to portray that you know your stuff and entice them to use you rather than a local hack.



People don`t like flyers, whether under the wipers or in the letterbox. Cards are a finer touch and people will save them in their wallet or purse. I even stick them in the rubber seal over the door handle - but this can look like you are trying to open car doors so be discreet!! (Damned Security Guards!!) And choose your cars. Go for the nice ones - the ones that are upper market. These are the people with money and contacts. You only need the higher paying customers, and they will put your name into good circles. In the end, it all boils down to quality of service though. Drop me a mail if you would like more info.

[TCM]

I also take a long time to detail a car. I am like you in the fact that I do it all by hand. I personally like to wash and dry the car first, then work on the interior. This allows all the water to be out of the door jams by the time I begin working on the exterior. You will get faster with experience. Just remember that you are doing this to make money. You cannot make every car perfect for $70. Once you come to terms with this, I think you will be a lot faster in your total detailing time. If a person wants a perfect detail, they must pay you more.