Time Saving Tips

F

FryeBaby

New member
I am starting to detail for profit (or at least to pay for all the detailing stuff I buy) on my days off. I have my first two jobs this Friday I was wondering if I could get some advice on speeding up my details and time saving tips for the inside and outside details.

I've learned so much from reading everybody's posts and I think I can make cars look better them most of the detailers in my area, but I need to save time so I can easily return the cars before my clients get off work. Thanks for the help, Wes



P.S. when I do a full detail this is the process I use:

wash with P21S

clay with blackfire

polish with IP and FP or DACP and #80

seal with AIO

SG if client wants extra protection

top with P21S or Pinnacle depending on color



I have a PC that I will be using.
 
I can detail a car in about 3.5 hours. Here's my procedure:



Apply Stoners Tarminator to all bug splatter, tar spots, and any other areas that washing will not remove. Let soak.



Open front door and spray degreaser in door jamb if needed and powerwash. Next do backdoor followed by trunk, moving around vehicle to other side following same procedure .



Spray wheels and tires with tire and wheel cleaner. Clean wheels then do tires. Rinse. This includes powerwashing the wheel wells.



Powerwash vehicle to remove loose soil, etc.



Wash vehicle with long handled brush. All stubborn spots will be removed from the Tarminator and carwash soap. Rinse. Quickly wipe down.



Remove floor mats and spray carpet cleaner and spot remover if needed, followed by powerwashing. Using either extractor or wet/dry vac, remove excess water and put aside to dry.



Roll down all windows and open all doors including trunk. Wipe all door jambs and trunk jamb with either a terry towel or cheaper microfiber cloth.



Remove all items in car (glove box, center console, etc,) and place in small plastic bags.



Using a air compressor, blow all vents, radio controls, side pockets, rubber seals around doors, etc.



Vacuum interior.



Apply dressing to front door panel and using compressor, blow into all crevices. Wipe up all wet dressing which will remove 95% of all dirt and will leave the surface looking new. Continue this on every door working your way around vehicle. Don't forget trunk.



Remove any stains that could not be removed with the dressing and re-apply dressing to these areas.



Move front seats forward as far as possible and repeat these steps to all applicable areas in back of vehicle. This includes seat supports mounted to floor, front seat backs if applicable, etc.



If back seats are leather or vinyl, do same procedure.



Move front seats back as far as possible.



Do entire dashboard as you did in the back. This includes pedals, vents, glovebox, etc. Every square inch.



Apply carpet cleaner to all carpeting. Apply spot remover at the same time.

Hand brush all areas or use an orbital polisher with the brush attachment. Lightly spray hot water from extractor to all carpet and vacuum. Repeat if stains are still present.



Repeat same procedure to all cloth seats if applicable.



Close all windows.



Spray door jamb boots and all exterior vinyl trim with dressing. This includes winsheild cowling, tires, wheel wells, door handles, etc. Wipe all areas sprayed including overspray on wheels.



Buff exterior with favorite product. Apply sealant, wax, etc.



Clean windows inside and out.



Apply dressing to all rubber seals around doors, trunk, etc.



Final wipe down of door jambs.



Quick vacuuming if needed.



Replace all floor mats.



Put all bags in trunk.



Your done!! I did not include claying or engine cleaning. This is something I rarely have to do. If needed, I would do both of these things at the begining of the list.
 
Nice write up. Lots of good advice especially doing everything on one side of the car then moving to the other. Don't keep hopping from side to side. Also I'd avoid using a brush to wash, but that's just a personal preference.:)
 
I would look for a SMR with protection. Skip the FP or #80 and AIO. Hi temp makes one that is based on their light cut. Then throw a coat of wax on top.
 
I agree with USING the long handled brush. I use a very nice boar's hair handled brush. Cuts washing time down to minutes, saves the back and knees, and is one of the most valuable tools in my detailing arsenal. Why not use a brush? You're gonna polish anyway. I would cut out the clay, cuz you don't need to if you are going to polish. I would definitely seal after AIO, but I would either use a good wax or a paint sealant, but not both, unless they want to pay extra. I would also cut out one of the polishes unless you need both.
 
Hey, I'm going to be doing some of this myself for extra $$$ when the weather gets warmer where I am. Can you guys tell me what your pricing is like and what kinds of cars you are dealing w/? :confused:



Thanx in advance!



Good luck fryebaby!!! Be sure to let us know how it goes and include pictures if you can! :up
 
fryebaby, Marks post is a good guide to the process you could follow, but I would like to mention a couple of things. First I would never use a power washer on a vehicle as this can embed some of the objects you wish to get out back into your paint. Claying the paint is a must unless it has recently beem done. Probably the most important part of the process is the polishing.

If you don't spend some time on this the rest of your work is for nothing. Depending how marred the surface is will depend on the polish used. then you can go on to your LSP. You my also have to tape off some of the car as well if you have to polish near any moldings. As you improve with your PC you will become faster with your details.
 
Thanks everybody, I appreciate the time your taking to give me some guidance. I was wondering what ya'll do for a simple wash and vac. I am charging 30 dollars and I'm washing, drying and vac the interior. I am going to pay special attention to the tires and wheels. I plan to put a coat of AIO on the wheels and a good dressing on the tires. I want to do a little extra to make my details stand out from the other detailers locally. I also plan to wipe the interior with a MF. Is this what ya'll do for a wash/vac? Do you charge about the same? I'm doing 25 for a car and 30 for a SUV. I plan on charging about 15 more to clean and dress the interior. Of course this would be included for a full detail.

Thanks, Wes
 
First of all, I use a telescoping brush I buy at Wal-Mart that can be used for autos, RV's, boats, etc. I am very anal about keeping the brush clean before and after I wash something. I also own, and sometimes use, mf mitts and natural sea sponges depending on the vehicle I'm detailing. Most of my vehicles are daily driven, not show cars, and using the brush saves me time and my back.(I'm 6'3)

As far as claying is concerned, I live in a rural area that doesn't get the industrial fallout and acid rain that urban areas get. When I'm done with a vehicle, the finish is smooth as a babys butt.

I used to use a hose before I began using the powerwasher and I can honestly tell you , I save ALOT of time and elbow grease using the powerwasher. It also saves me money because more chemicals would need to be applied to remove some of the crap. I use a 2500psi pw and have done hundreds of cars and NEVER had a problem. Common sense goes a long way on this one!

Finally, I basically charge $40 an hour to do a full detail. Most cars start at $150 and go up from there.

I hope I answered most of your questions. Thanks Guys!
 
Mark, thanks for your detailed write-up. I think it's very illuminating, that the polishing and sealing/waxing is only one step out of a whole long list. Is that step 5% or 75% of the total 3.5 hours? Also I noticed claying and engine compartment are only listed as optionals. How much extra time do the claying and engine steps add, when you do them?



I notice you have invested in a pressure washer and a carpet extractor. Sounds like you wouldn't have to do too many jobs before you'd make back your investment on those. Are you mobile? Do you bring your own water to the site?



I have always thought that swirls from washing come from the crud that gets embedded in the sponge or mitt, rather than from the implement itself. And a brush should be easier to keep grit-free than most wool or chenille mitts. I personally use a sea sponge, it seems to come out absolutely clean after I agitate it under the soapy water. But if I were doing a lot of cars, a boar's-hair brush on a long handle would be a worthwhile investment, I think.
 
My comment on the pressure washer is a personal one. It's just like I would never use a brush when washing. Both of these I have found to mar the surface. If you have dirt on your paint and use a strong stream of water to wash it off most times it will mar the surface(from my experience) not to mention the posibility of taking off peices of paint around chips. As far as claying goes, there is alway debris being kicked up from other vehicles that will lodge in paint, such as metalic from brake pads, glass from accidents etc. I guess it all depends on how meticulous you are. I detail a lot of black cars and you have to be very meticulous if you want very good results.
 
As for Mark's method, it's necessarily a bad approach (brush included). It's depends on what your customer is looking for. If the client comes to you with a heavily swirled vehicle and simple wants a wash and interior clean, what's the harm in using a brush?



If the client is coming to you to get a full detail concours level, then it's definitely worth shying away from a brush. Even DavidB's e-book talks about using a brush.



A "GOOD" brush isn't necessarily a bad thing in capable hands. As long as you understand how to use it, it's probably fine for >90% of the cars I see around.



Same goes for a power washer. Sure if you use it up close and at a same angle to the paint, it can lead to a damage. However, if you use it from an appropriate distance to simply wash off the soap and large dirt. It should be fine.



For most customers, using a power washer is fine. Personally, I would even use it on a Lambo. Power washers are not bad, if you know how to use it.



The fact is, even using a Sheepskin or 100% cotton mitt will mar your surface if you don't continually rinse.



A sheepskin mitt is no safer to use than a brush or power washer if you don't understand the importance of maintaining a clean product to surface contact. Same goes for using a WW MFs vs. a water blade. Sure one is more prone to damage, but both a capable of causing a lot of damage if you are not careful.



Paco
 
I have mixed feelings on some of the comments.



In regards to marring with brush/mitt/pressure washer, there are obviously benefits and disadvantages to both. When I wash a medium-soiled vehicle, with a sheepskin mitt, and rinse THOROUGLY in a rinse bucket, I still find small pieces of dirt that didn't come out, requiring another thorough rinse. Still, small particles persist (I can feel them if I squeeze the mitt, then rub my fingers together.)



I don't know about brushes, but the Boar's hair (although ridiculously expensive, especially at Griot's) bristles seem to be longer and slightly farther apart, meaning a rinse in the bucket would seem to thoroughly flush the dirt, easily. A sheepskin mitt has fibers that are much more close together (it's a tight nap fur!) than the Boar's hair, the reason dirt gets trapped. Microfiber is worse. The fibers are so close (a reason they work so well for absorbing water) that dirt is next to impossible to flush throuoghly out (from my experiences with the Sonus Der Wunder Mitt).



A Boar's Hair Brush, according to Griot's Garage.



"This brush is probably the safest way to clean surface grime from your car's exterior. Boar hair is the only natural hair that can keep its shape without falling limp when soaked with water. Other "horse hair" brushes are stiffened with nylon which, like polyester, can scratch your surface. Manufacturing this brush is very time consuming. First you have to catch and shave a boar! Then each hair is hand collected, lined up with the split ends out and placed by hand into the hard plastic block. The ends are then flagged (splitting the ends again) to make them even softer. Just a quick shake in water will free the dirt, letting it drop to the bottom of your bucket."



http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?L1=L1_1000&L2=L2_1001&SKU=66073



I believe it, maybe I'm gullable. It sure sounds right, though.



I have had little experience with a power washer. The one time I used one on a car was my sister's vehicle, at a Car Wash facility as I rinsed the dirt off so I could safely QEW (but I ended up using the wash bay's soap and water, instead of QEWing. I plan on detailing it for her birthday in Spring). I'm not aware of the PSI, but it did not seem that high. I held the tip approx. 2 1/2 feet from the surface (was that too close). The dirt was ground into the paint surface and created unusual streaks of bright white (the color of the vehicle), while other areas were a duller white. The streaks were like a water drip sliding down the paint. Weird.



So I would love a Boar's Hair, but can't afford one. It'll be sheepsking until then.



Moving on....



I have some questions about "time-savers." When I detailed a Silverado single cab it took me 9 hours for the same process as Mark's. Is that a lot? Doing IP then FPII and Zaino sealant took 5 hours. So, on a vehicle similar to this, how long does it usually take you for a "coat" of polish? It took about 1:45 for me. 3.5 hours for an ENTIRE vehicle would be miraculous for me. I would love it. But working alone, it takes me the whole day.
 
Clutch Cargo,



I would say I spend about 60% of the time on interior work and 40% on the exterior. If I have to clay, I'd add an additional 15 minutes and for an engine around 20 minutes. As for being mobile, I would say no. Large boats and RV's I'll do at the clients property. Otherwise, it's done at my garage. By the way, was it just me or did Clutch Cargo freak you out with the real mouth and the animated body? LOL!





Pigeonbus,



I learned along time ago that I have to make $40 per hour. My clientele won't pay me for 8 hours to mint out their exteriors. I make sure the interiors are mint and the exteriors are what they're willing to pay for.
 
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