The purpose of this thread is to inform those of you beginning and novice detailers of common mistakes and guffaws made while detailing vehicles. My intentis to avoid "the school of hard knocks" and learn from my and others misfortunes in detailng. This is not a complete list by any means, but as the title states, these are some of the most common miscues made by newbies. These tips and suggestions also separate the "hacks" from those who truly care and know how to properly detail a vehicle.
1) Cleaning plastic lens (Lexan) dash panel gauge covers and navigation or touch screens with Windex Glass Cleaner and cheap paper toweling.
There are many scratched and hazed plastic lens covers in vehicles because of this. There are specialty plastic cleaners out on the market for plastics as well asmicrofiber towels. My favorite is Plexus Plastic Spray cleaner with a suede-type microfiber.
2) Forgetting to roll the vehicle forward to do the bottom of the tires after applying tire gel to them.
Not easy to remember if you are in a rush, but the effort speaks for itself.
3) Forgetting to roll down ALL the windows to clean the tops of them next to the seals.
Nothing looks worse or is as embarrassing than having dirty windows at the top when a customer or yourself rolls down the window sometime later after detailing a vehicle.
AND, while you have the window down, clean and apply protectant to the inside of that seal/weather stripping next to the window.
4) Forgetting to clean out all the excess wax around vehicle emblems, decals, panel seams, and vinyl trim or cladding.
I think this is the most grievous of all detailing errors made today and is a tell-tale sign of a true novice. I use a soft old tooth brush and cotton swabs (Q-tips®) and round toothpicks to clean out these visible and not-so-visible areas. Yes, it is very tedious and time-consuming, but it truly sets off a properly detailed vehicle.
5) If you are using a buffing machine of ANY kind, forgetting to tape off soft vinyl trim or brushed or polished aluminum and stainless steel trim before buffing.
You can tell when this has not been done and replacing such scuffed trim is not cheap. Many experienced detailers using a buffer may forgo this, saying they can control their machine during the buffing process. Just play it safe and tape it off and do not worry about how the tape job looks. You`ll remove the tape anyway. Just remember to use painter`s tape (3M Blue) and not cheap masking tape, or God forbid, duct tape.
6) Using acid wheel cleaner on machined aluminum aftermarket rims.
More custom rims have been ruined and etched by doing this. If you do not know what they are, ask the owner. If they do not know, play it safe and use a non-acid wheelcleaner, like Eagle One`s A-to-Z All-Wheel Cleaner.
7) Polishing a clear-coated rim with a chrome cleaner.
Let`s be clear; almost ALL original equipment of manufacturer (OEM) wheels on vehicles today are clear-coated, even those that look like chrome or polished aluminum. You`ll scratch the clear-coat if you use a chrome metal cleaner of them. Play it safe and use a clear-coat safe one-step wax or sealant on these rims, or you can polish and wax/seal/coat them just like you would a paint.
8) Using over-the-counter (OTC) SimpleGreen® to degrease and clean the engine and/or aluminum wheels.
This one has been debated ad nausem about the harmful effects on aluminum parts so prevalent these days on modern vehicles. It will, indeed, etch and cause that white bloom to cast and machined aluminum if it is not rinsed completely. The best way to avoid this is simple do not use OTC Simple Green. In all fairness, Simple Green does make an aluminum-safe degreaser, but it is about 2-1/2 times the cost of OTC Simple Green. I use Optimum Polymer Technology`s Power Clean for degreasing engines and the outside of vehicles. Not cheap, but very effective.
9) Making the wrong investment initially in detailing equipment and care-car chemicals.
This statement is for week-end warriors and hobbyist who have limited financial means or a budget to getting started in detail. My suggestion is to buy good vehicle wash equipment and car-care chemicals with the first $300 or so. Sounds like a lot of money, but washing is the most common and frequent vehicle detailing process and many detailing "problems" happen in the washing process. There are car-washing kits available from the Autopia Store and don`t forget about the wheels and rims, along with the window-cleaning. Once you`ve assembled that collection, you can budget accordingly for the next phase of your detailing hobby.
10) Not adhering to personal safety practices while detailing.
This one is a separate topic in itself and will be the subject matter for a future thread.But as a teaser, here are some items I think are worth considering:
a) Trip and falls from electrical cords and water hoses, cold weather ice and snow, or platform ladders.
b) Mixing chemicals together or pouring amounts from bulk chemical containers without measuring.
c) Not reading the chemical labels for proper use or required protective gear.
d) Improper attire for hot or cold weather detailing. (Like washing a car without plastic gloves in 38°F weather is impossible, unless you like frozen hypothermic hands)
d) Not realizing how physically-demanding detailing can be or being "self-medicated", legal or illegal.
e) Not paying attention to weather forecasts or current conditions. (Like wiping off a car outside quickly to get it into the garage with a thunderstorm approaching)
1) Cleaning plastic lens (Lexan) dash panel gauge covers and navigation or touch screens with Windex Glass Cleaner and cheap paper toweling.
There are many scratched and hazed plastic lens covers in vehicles because of this. There are specialty plastic cleaners out on the market for plastics as well asmicrofiber towels. My favorite is Plexus Plastic Spray cleaner with a suede-type microfiber.
2) Forgetting to roll the vehicle forward to do the bottom of the tires after applying tire gel to them.
Not easy to remember if you are in a rush, but the effort speaks for itself.
3) Forgetting to roll down ALL the windows to clean the tops of them next to the seals.
Nothing looks worse or is as embarrassing than having dirty windows at the top when a customer or yourself rolls down the window sometime later after detailing a vehicle.
AND, while you have the window down, clean and apply protectant to the inside of that seal/weather stripping next to the window.
4) Forgetting to clean out all the excess wax around vehicle emblems, decals, panel seams, and vinyl trim or cladding.
I think this is the most grievous of all detailing errors made today and is a tell-tale sign of a true novice. I use a soft old tooth brush and cotton swabs (Q-tips®) and round toothpicks to clean out these visible and not-so-visible areas. Yes, it is very tedious and time-consuming, but it truly sets off a properly detailed vehicle.
5) If you are using a buffing machine of ANY kind, forgetting to tape off soft vinyl trim or brushed or polished aluminum and stainless steel trim before buffing.
You can tell when this has not been done and replacing such scuffed trim is not cheap. Many experienced detailers using a buffer may forgo this, saying they can control their machine during the buffing process. Just play it safe and tape it off and do not worry about how the tape job looks. You`ll remove the tape anyway. Just remember to use painter`s tape (3M Blue) and not cheap masking tape, or God forbid, duct tape.
6) Using acid wheel cleaner on machined aluminum aftermarket rims.
More custom rims have been ruined and etched by doing this. If you do not know what they are, ask the owner. If they do not know, play it safe and use a non-acid wheelcleaner, like Eagle One`s A-to-Z All-Wheel Cleaner.
7) Polishing a clear-coated rim with a chrome cleaner.
Let`s be clear; almost ALL original equipment of manufacturer (OEM) wheels on vehicles today are clear-coated, even those that look like chrome or polished aluminum. You`ll scratch the clear-coat if you use a chrome metal cleaner of them. Play it safe and use a clear-coat safe one-step wax or sealant on these rims, or you can polish and wax/seal/coat them just like you would a paint.
8) Using over-the-counter (OTC) SimpleGreen® to degrease and clean the engine and/or aluminum wheels.
This one has been debated ad nausem about the harmful effects on aluminum parts so prevalent these days on modern vehicles. It will, indeed, etch and cause that white bloom to cast and machined aluminum if it is not rinsed completely. The best way to avoid this is simple do not use OTC Simple Green. In all fairness, Simple Green does make an aluminum-safe degreaser, but it is about 2-1/2 times the cost of OTC Simple Green. I use Optimum Polymer Technology`s Power Clean for degreasing engines and the outside of vehicles. Not cheap, but very effective.
9) Making the wrong investment initially in detailing equipment and care-car chemicals.
This statement is for week-end warriors and hobbyist who have limited financial means or a budget to getting started in detail. My suggestion is to buy good vehicle wash equipment and car-care chemicals with the first $300 or so. Sounds like a lot of money, but washing is the most common and frequent vehicle detailing process and many detailing "problems" happen in the washing process. There are car-washing kits available from the Autopia Store and don`t forget about the wheels and rims, along with the window-cleaning. Once you`ve assembled that collection, you can budget accordingly for the next phase of your detailing hobby.
10) Not adhering to personal safety practices while detailing.
This one is a separate topic in itself and will be the subject matter for a future thread.But as a teaser, here are some items I think are worth considering:
a) Trip and falls from electrical cords and water hoses, cold weather ice and snow, or platform ladders.
b) Mixing chemicals together or pouring amounts from bulk chemical containers without measuring.
c) Not reading the chemical labels for proper use or required protective gear.
d) Improper attire for hot or cold weather detailing. (Like washing a car without plastic gloves in 38°F weather is impossible, unless you like frozen hypothermic hands)
d) Not realizing how physically-demanding detailing can be or being "self-medicated", legal or illegal.
e) Not paying attention to weather forecasts or current conditions. (Like wiping off a car outside quickly to get it into the garage with a thunderstorm approaching)
