Mobile detailing and out-gasing chemicals

[ca.detailchick]

The other day I went to get my van aligned and the guys there told me I the chemicals smells in my van were over whelming . I couldnt smell a thing and I thought I had a really sensitive nose!

I looked around and didnt see anything spilled.

Im much more concious now of ventilated my van when I drive. Breathing those fumes can not be a good thing .

Wonder if anyone else mobile has noticed this?

[BobbyG]

I could see how open containers or especially a bucket full of cloths saturated with cleaners, sealants, or waxes could do this but through unopened containers?

My chemicals are in an enclosed shed and unless the doors are open there`s not a lot of ventilation so I would expect to see the same thing, and I don`t...

I`m not saying that ventilation is a bad thing because breathing vapors can`t be all that good for you....

Or......Maybe he`s just a sensitive guy?

[ca.detailchick]

I could see how open containers or especially a bucket full of cloths saturated with cleaners, sealants, or waxes could do this but through unopened containers?

My chemicals are in an enclosed shed and unless the doors are open there`s not a lot of ventilation so I would expect to see the same thing, and I don`t...

I`m not saying that ventilation is a bad thing because breathing vapors can`t be all that good for you....

Or......Maybe he`s just a sensitive guy?

I thought about that too but asked my other friend and he said the same thing.

Chemicals do breathe through plastic bottles though and I do carry a few solvents and they definetely breath thorough.

The reason I know this will hardly use the solvents but they disappear on their own ,even through cans!And they are not getting spilled ,at least to my knowledge.

Im going to start asking other people if they think my van reeks of chemicals.

[opie_7afe]

i would tell them, just align my van and dont worry about MY PRODUCT. i dont come into your shop and tell you the smell of grease and oil is overwhelming do i? i highly doubt it reeks that bad, if you stay inside say all night then go out in the morning and you dont smell anything they were just being morons or something. sometimes your nose will get desensitized to chemical smells just like someone living in a house with 20 cats and say their house dont smell like cats, same thing going on. however its probably from your towels. i would not let it bother you too much. most of the chemicals we use are not strong enough to leech through plastics, if its a pure solvent then most likely that is the culprit, and its not the can itself, it would be the lid`s gasket as they are usually paper and denigrate so if anything try stretching a ziplock over the lid and with the plastic tight over the opening screw the cap on and that might help with loosing your product into thin air.(thats how i ship product i trade) also try to look at every bottle of product to make sure none of the bottles cracked or something.

[Old Pirate]

Once you been doing this for awhile, you can`t even tell if there`s any smell coming from your detailing mobile. Myself at the paint store in the warehouse mixing different coolants it doesn`t smell to me, but to other`s they will notice it and if it`s for bridges they are running out of the warehouse. Every field that some of us work in the products we get use to and doesn`t even phase us.

[ca.detailchick]

i would tell them, just align my van and dont worry about MY PRODUCT. i dont come into your shop and tell you the smell of grease and oil is overwhelming do i? i highly doubt it reeks that bad, if you stay inside say all night then go out in the morning and you dont smell anything they were just being morons or something. sometimes your nose will get desensitized to chemical smells just like someone living in a house with 20 cats and say their house dont smell like cats, same thing going on. however its probably from your towels. i would not let it bother you too much. most of the chemicals we use are not strong enough to leech through plastics, if its a pure solvent then most likely that is the culprit, and its not the can itself, it would be the lid`s gasket as they are usually paper and denigrate so if anything try stretching a ziplock over the lid and with the plastic tight over the opening screw the cap on and that might help with loosing your product into thin air.(thats how i ship product i trade) also try to look at every bottle of product to make sure none of the bottles cracked or something.

Thanks Opie but I didnt take offense.These guys are my friends and have known them for years.The reason why they told me was because they were concerned for my health.

Thanks for the ziplock idea!

In another thread on Poli-seal Dr G talked about solvents evaporating out of Poli-seal so I wonder how many products do this?

I hadnt driven at all for a week so maybe the fumes were really built up when I was at the shop too.

[ca.detailchick]

Once you been doing this for awhile, you can`t even tell if there`s any smell coming from your detailing mobile. Myself at the paint store in the warehouse mixing different coolants it doesn`t smell to me, but to other`s they will notice it and if it`s for bridges they are running out of the warehouse. Every field that some of us work in the products we get use to and doesn`t even phase us.

Yup so true Angelo. Scary though!

[tropicsteve]

maybe you should start wearing a hazmat suit when you`re driving around

[Concours.John]

Maybe tell them it`s ok as long as they are never opened after midnight and NEVER get them wet.

[ca.detailchick]

Well solved the mystery of the strong chemical smell!

A couple of my solvent bottle platic caps had
disintegrated and I didnt know it just by looking at them.

I gave my friend a ride the other day and he said it smelled much better .

Think the damage has been done though and hope its not permanent!At least I have an excuse now!!