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The Five Basic Rules of Detailing
The Five Basic Rules of Detailing
by: Bob Bosse of theZ Club of Texas
According to top detailer Brad Herman, five basic principles lie at the core of a successful detailing job. These are, he emphasizes, what can separate a top-notch detailer from a merely average one.
1. Detail the interior first:
This is especially important if you're shampooing or using water on upholstery, carpets or
absorbent materials. By initially completing the interior, you can leave the windows open
during much of your exterior work, giving the interior time to dry. Another seldom-considered
concern is that washing the outside first leaves a lot of water on the ground. Don't use a vacuum
cleaner or other electrical device while standing in water, as there's an increased chance of
electrocution.
2. Less is more:
A common mistake is to use too much or too strong a product while dressing up a vehicle. It's
easy to overuse vinyl protector, leather conditioner, and upholstery shampoo in the interior.
"Leather and vinyl should have a nice patina," says Herman. "It should look satiny, not wet and
greasy. In addition, too much water and shampoo can leave upholstery and carpet wet for hours
or even days, leading to mildew and a lingering, musty odor. On the exterior, a polish with too
strong an abrasive can create more problems than it solves. It's better to start light. You can
always go back over something, or move to a stronger cleaner, but you don't want to have to spend
time and possibly extra money correcting a mistake."
3. Don't cross contaminate:
Use a separate cloth for each different type product or area of the vehicle: paint, chrome,
wheels, tires, leather and vinyl upholstery, and windows. Using the same towels for different
products can contaminate them. If the oils of a polish, Herman notes, get into a towel you use
for window, it'll be very difficult to ever get nice, streak-free glass. In addition, these
towels should even be washed separately. Herman recommends a hot/hot cycle with bleach and
detergent.
4. Never work on a hot surface:
The surface you're working on whether it's outside or inside should be cool before you begin.
This keeps products from drying too quickly, makes it easier to work with them, and provides
better final results. Even if you're working in shade, the hood of a recently run vehicle could
still be hot, so give it time to cool while you work on another area. Conversely, while most
detailers warn against working in direct sunlight, it's okay if it's a cool winter day, as long
as the sheet metal is not warm.
5. Wash from the top down:
Since dirt flows down the vehicle along with the water, cleaning from the top will prevent dirt
from above running across already cleaned areas below. Aside from the hassle of having to repeat
steps, unnoticed dirt could dry on the paint and cause scratches when you come back over the area
for polishing or waxing. Since most of the road dirt thrown up onto a vehicle is along the lower
areas, another tip is to work with two different wash mitts: one is used from the roof down to
the door molding and the other from the moldings downward. This prevents heavy dirt along the bottom
from being swept upward onto higher surfaces, possibly causing scratching as can happen when using big
sweeping motions to wash the entire side at once.
© 2007 Triad Z Club
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