An automobile detail takes a lot of hard work and perserverence. When I detail a vehicle, I make sure that every character flaw is addressed and is brought up to a perfectionist's standards, within reason. So how do I know what's within reason? A car's paint is extremely thin and its only protection is the thin layer of clearcoat that lies above it; when a car is polished to remove swirls, there is a small amount of clearcoat/paint that is removed from the car to return the paint to it's radiant shine. If a scratch is polished too much, all the paint would be removed and you'll see nothing but the metal frame.

When I detail a car...

  1. I hand wash the car with a swirl-free method, using a real lambswool washmitt
  2. I move the car into the garage and clay the paint, windows and wheels
  3. I tape off all the plastic trim and rough edges
  4. I set up a test spot and polish the paint with a random orbital polisher
  5. I apply a wax to the paint and remove the tape
  6. I apply a dressing to the plastic trim and tires and wax the wheels
  7. The car sits over night for the wax to cure.
  8. I clean and protect all the interior vinyls
  9. Any leather is cleaned and conditioned
  10. Glass is cleaned inside and out
  11. Floorboards and mats are vacuumed thoroughly
  12. I finally remove the wax residue and back the car into the driveway for pictures

 

Carpets also require a lot of attention and the process can be tedious depending on the severity of the damage. Many stains can simply be removed with 1 round of the extractor, but others require much more time and effort. 

  1. The carpet is vacuumed and a high-grade stain remover is sprayed onto the stains.
  2. 10-15 minutes later the stain is agitated with a brush
  3. The carpet is watered down and shampoo is applied
  4. The shampoo is scrubbed into the carpet fibers
  5. I extract the carpets with over 200 degree water
  6. Repeat steps if necessary
  7. Allow the carpets to dry