To many, detailing is an art, but that is needed is the ability to think & a process
Many detailers fashion themselves as artisans in their work and that pride should be complimented as long as it doesn't limit receptiveness to new methods, chemicals, and tools.
For the detail industry is evolving at an unbelievably fast pace and there is much new technology being introduced to allow detailers to perform detailing services on the new materials used on today's new vehicles.
Auto detailing has moved from a wholesale service done by or for the auto dealer to a full-fledged retail automotive service, and this is good news for detail business owner's who understand how to operate a retail business.
Why? Because it means they can charge a fair price for professional Detail services. For too long the dealers have controlled the prices of detail services, paying little more than a good carwash and vacuum. Now, with consumers wanting the service and willing to pay for consistent quality service, the detail business owner can make a decent living. And, if you know how to run a business you can even get the "smart" dealer to pay for service rather than price.
There is no reason a professional detail business owner cannot command at least $200 to $250 for a complete detail on a passenger car, and more for SUV's, vans, etc. But to do that means you have to operate a professional business first, then be a detailer second. The business side of detailing is far more important than the detailing side. That does not mean to minimize the need for technical expertise and the latest equipment, but you can have all that and still fail in the business.
And you must be an expert in customer service, not just providing a well detailed car, but knowing how to please each customer psychologically. Everyone has different reasons for detailing their vehicles and the smart business owner will see that and cater to that. It is not just a clean, shiny car that is the issue here.
Head drop the short-cut mentality over the year's because of the low prices paid by the auto dealer, detailers have developed an uncanny ability to find a number of ways to get a car detailed in the shortest possible time, using the least amount of product and exerting the least amount of effort. In short, becoming "masters of the short-cut" and in those days that was a positive skill.
However, today you must immediately drop this mentality. Even if you do dealer work you must be paid a fair price and do quality work, or simply do not take the work. You can have no one in your shop who has a "short-cut mentality." It will kill you business.
The Professional Detailing Process
As the detail industry moves into the retail auto service business, catering to the retail customer, it must look at the work it performs as a science, requiring as much, if not more skill as required by a master auto mechanic. Think about it! You will be asked to work on vehicles costing over $200,000, with paint finishes costing more than most cars, and interiors using exotic fabrics and leathers that can be easily damaged if not treated properly.
The time for guessing and trial and error is over. You must be skilled in your work and pay the price to become a diagnostician. That is, to look at each vehicle as a doctor looks at a patient and to diagnose the problems and the solutions.
This means you must know:
- Your patient- in this case, the vehicle
- The materials that make up the vehicle - paints, wheels, leathers, carpets, vinyls, plastics, etc.
- Have available and know how to use the latest equipment technology
- Have available and completely understand the latest chemical technology available.
- Have a process in place that everyone in the business follows on each vehicle for every detail job
Once you have obtained the knowledge you need to become a vehicle appearance diagnostician and have the equipment, chemicals, supplies and a process in place you can only then call yourself a professional detailer and are ready to begin.
But before you do, it is important to be aware of this fact: to effectively detail a vehicle one must be able to "see the dirt." If anyone thing is very evident in this business, it is that many detailers can't see the dirt, don't look for it, or haven't been trained how to see it.
In any case, if you can't see the dirt and don't know how to remove it, you cannot be an effective detailer.
Breaking Down the Work to Be Done
Next, in our PROCESS approach to this business of detailing, we must break down each job to be done. In THE DETAIL PLUS training program we classify the various jobs as follows:
1. Engine Clean
2. Wheel Clean
3. Washing the Vehicle
4. Tar Removal
5. Trunk Cleaning and Shampoo
6. Interior Shampoo and Cleaning
7. Exterior BUFF, Polish and Wax (as required, not all paints need a 3-step)
8. Final Detail
9. Final Inspection
The above job classifications assume a complete detail. Of course, there are many times when you will be required to do only one of the jobs. In that case, nothing changes, you follow a process for only that job. The approach is ALWAYS the same.
Procedures
These procedures are intended to provide a general idea of what to do, what to use, and the steps to follow. To learn how to do a job requires hands-on-training and experience. But this breakdown makes the "hands-on" more analytical, or scientific.
Engine Cleaning
Purpose: To remove all grease and dirt accumulation on the engine, firewall, sidewalls, radiator area, jambs, and underside of the hood.
Tools: Pressure washer, wash mitt, brush, steel wool.
Chemicals: Engine degreaser, all purpose cleaner, and/or solvent.
Procedure:
1. Look at engine to determine areas of greatest dirt and grease concentration.
2. Pressure wash.
3. Apply degreaser to all grease concentrations.
4. Apply all purpose cleaner to all dirt concentrations.
5. Let dwell until chemical emulsifies the grease
6. Scrub as necessary and pressure wash.
Prepping
Purpose: This procedure is intended to remove the body dirt we know a hand or automatic wash will not remove. It also includes cleaning of the wheel wells, wheels, and door jambs.
Tools: Pressure washer, wash mitt, body brush, wheel brush, spoke brush, steel wool, and bug scrubber.
Chemicals: Car wash shampoo, wheel cleaner, all purpose cleaner.
A. Procedure (with an automatic car wash):
1. Take the vehicle through the car wash.
2. Pressure wash wheel-wells and wheels.
3. Pressure wash and hand wash door and truck jambs, if needed.
4. Apply wheel cleaner to all wheels.
5. Clean with appropriate brushes and rinse.
6. Clean dirt from areas not removed by car wash: grills, recessed head and tail lights, around bumper guards, spoilers, around license plates, inside gas cap lid, around moldings and side mirrors, tail pipe end, fender well edges.
7. Scrub bug residue from front end and license plate of vehicle using bug scrubber sponge with Teflon netting.
8. Rinse with pressure washer.
9. Dry with hand towels.
B. Procedure (without an automatic car wash, to be done before a hand wash):
1. Pressure wash wheel wells and wheels.
2. Pressure wash door and trunk jambs if needed.
3. Apply wheel cleaner to all wheels and all purpose cleaner to all tires.
4. Clean with appropriate brushes and rinse.
5. Rinse the entire vehicle with the pressure washer.
6. Clean as per No.6 above.
7. Scrub bug residue from front and license plates.
8. Rinse with pressure washer.
Hand Wash
Purpose: To remove all body dirt.
Tools: Car wash mitt, chemicals, car wash shampoo
Procedure:
1. Starting at front end of vehicle, wash the bumper, grill and spoiler areas.
2. Next, front fenders and hood.
3. Windshield and top.
4. Side windows and doors.
5. Rear panels.
6. Rear deck and rear end.
6. Rinsing - On a hot day, areas worked should be rinsed as you go. On a cooler day, you can wash at least half the vehicle before rinsing and moving to the other side.
7. Towel dry.
Tar Removal
Purpose: To remove all tar that normally accumulates on the lower rocker panel areas of vehicle, especially the area under the doors, fender edges, and wheels.
Tools: Chemical towel, steel wool, scraper.
Procedure:
1. Start at front of vehicle spraying tar remover on concentrations of tar on front end.
2. Move to driver side and apply chemical to lower rocker panel area, wheels and fender edges, front to back.
3. Return to front passenger side and work front to back.
4. Return to front end and wipe off all tar, following the same procedures for application.
5. For stubborn tar use scraper or steel wool.
6. Wipe clean.
Trunk Cleaning and Shampoo
Purpose: To completely clean entire trunk area including carpet/mats, underside of lid, jambs, and also including spare tire and jack.
Tools: Rotary shampooer, nylon scrub brush, steel wool, chemical towels, dressing applicator pads.
Chemicals: Carpet and upholstery shampoo, solvent, dressing, fragrance.
Procedure:
1. Open trunk and evaluate.
2. Bag all loose items and set aside.
3. Remove spare tire and jack (if needed).
4. Clean or shampoo trunk mat or carpet.
5. Wipe down entire trunk area and jambs with chemical towel and appropriate chemicals.
6. Dress tire and all rubber in trunk area.
7. Spray fragrance.
8. Replace mat, spare tire, loose items bag, and shampooed interior floor mats.
9. Close trunk lid.
Complete Interior Cleaning
Purpose: To remove all stains and dirt from carpet and upholstery including door panels, headliner, dash, all panel glass, dials and windows.
Tools: Rotary shampooer, nylon scrub brush, air chuck, vacuum, steel wool, chemical towels, window towels, dressing applicator pads, Q-tips.
Chemicals: Carpet and upholstery shampoo, solvent/spot remover, dressings, glass cleaner, fragrance, fabric protectant.
Procedure:
1. Remove floor mats, front and back. Clean/shampoo and set in trunk.
2. Push front seat all the way back.
3. Bag all loose items, front and back, including glove box and console, and set in rear.
4. Remove ashtrays, front and back. Clean, dry and replace.
5. Flip down sun visors.
6. With air chuck, blowout entire interior, front and back.
7. Vacuum entire interior: carpets, seats, panels, etc.
8. Apply spot remover to all heavy spots on carpets, upholstery and door panels, front and back.
Front:
9. Clean headliner front half.
10. Clean sun visors and visor mirrors.
11. Clean rear view mirror.
12. Clean dashboard.
13. Clean panel and steering column.
14. Hand scrub spots on front carpets and shampoo.
15. Hand scrub spots on front seats and shampoo.
16. Shampoo seat belts.
17. Push front seat forward all the way.
18. Scrub spots and shampoo front door panels and cloth window trim.
19. Wipe out and clean front door jambs and trim, as needed.
Rear:
20. Place loose items bag on front seat.
21. Clean headliner back half.
22. Hand scrub spots on back of front seats and shampoo.
23. Hand scrub spots on carpet and shampoo.
24. Scrub spots on rear seats and seat belts and shampoo.
25. Scrub spots on door panels and window trim and shampoo.
26. Wipe out and clean rear door jambs and trim (4-door car).
Dressings:
27. Front to back, dress all vinyl, leather, and rubber.
Windows:
28. Clean front to back inside only.
Final Inspection:
29. Plastic seat covers.
30. Floor mats.
31. Litter bag.
32. Window sticker.
Buffing, Polishing & Waxing
Purpose: To restore the paint to an original luster and shine by using the proper chemicals, tools, and pads. To achieve the best results it is important that the manager evaluate the paint finish when the job service order is written up and at that time note what procedure and chemicals should be used.
There are several alternatives that can be taken and it is necessary that the manager or assistant manager be familiar with all the tools, chemicals and pads, as well as paint finish problems. If you are unsure it is always recommended you initially take a less aggressive approach and if this does not work, move to a more aggressive method.
Tools: Rotary buffer, orbital waxer, air chuck, cutting pad, finishing pad, terry bonnet, buffing spur, wax towel.
Final Detailing
Purpose: In general, to remove all wax residues from the vehicle and at the same time insure that the exterior of the vehicle has been properly detailed.
Tools: Detail brush, wax towel, chemical towel, steel wool, dressings pad, window towels, Q-Tips.
Chemicals: Solvent, glass cleaner, dressings.
Procedures:
- With the detail brush and wax towel, start at driver's side front and remove all wax residue front to rear. Open hood, all doors and trunk to remove wax residue on edges.
- Move from rear to front on passenger side, repeating process.
- Chrome cleaning and polishing - same as # 1 and #2.
- Dressings - rubber and vinyl- same as # 1 and #2.
- Exterior window cleaning - same as # 1 and #2.
- Employee final inspection of entire vehicle inside and out, front to back.
There you have an analytical and systematic approach to detailing. There is no art or magic to the process, only logic. If a person knows what he is expected to do, what to use to do it, and then is taught how to do it, with experience he or she can become a qualified detailer. Certainly a person's dexterity and inclinations determine which of many detail jobs they can perform better than others.
