Automotive Interior Detailing Process

Cleaning and detailing the interior of a vehicle is something that is often neglected by most people. Most of the time people only clean out the garbage, vacuum it quickly and go. The odd time they will shake out the floor mats, but that is the extent of most people’s idea of cleaning the interior of a car. Interior Detailing is a lot more involved and specific.

The interior of your car is a confined space that gets just as much traffic as your entire house might, but accumulates more dirt usually. You are in and out of your car all the time, tracking in dirt, dust, animal hair, odors, etc. You might even have kids who track in 10 times more dirt it seems at times. Eating in your car usually always results in crumbs or spilled drinks and fries. Lets look at the detailing process to fully detail the interior of your car.

First Steps to Interior Detailing

The first task will be to remove all the garbage, papers, etc in the car. Removing all personal items such as shoes, purses, glove box contents, stuff in the trunk, everything. By removing all loose items, from all compartments, floors and seats, you give yourself the room you need to get to all the surfaces to clean and treat them. In some cases, you might also want to remove the front seats, or back seats too. If you have liquid spills that got into the floor, or under the seats, then removing them will make it easier to get to the stains and clean them up. The next step in your preparation is a thorough vacuuming. Make sure to get all loose dirt and particles with the vacuum as you can. The more you can suck up with the vacuum, the less you have to wipe up with a cloth.

Carpet, Fabric and Upholstery Detailing

Detailing your carpet and fabric can be done both by hand or with a machine. Most Detailers use an “extractor” , which is just a fancy word for steam cleaner. The difference in this case is that an extractor is usually smaller, has smaller attachments and is designed specifically for automotive purposes. What this machine does is super heat water and a cleaning solution, then with high or medium pressure is sprayed from a nozzle into the carpet and fabric. Similar to a home steam cleaner, the unit also sucks the solution out of the carpet, along with the dirt and grim. These extractors also have a higher sucker power then a traditional steam cleaner and can remove nearly 100% of the cleaning solution from the fabrics. The machines make fabric cleaning fast, easy and very efficient. The other alternative is to use a carpet cleaner, a cloth and do it all by hand, but you can expect less impressive results. Deep cleaning the fabric by hand is quite a bit harder, but still effective.

Leather, Vinyl and Plastic Detailing

The other surfaces in your car are usually one of the 3, or a combination of each. Cleaning and detailing these surfaces can be done at the same time or individually, depending on the product you choose. Several all-in-one cleaning products on the market today are safe for all interior surfaces. A professional detailer will usually choose a product like this so that they can save time and still effectively clean and detail all interior surfaces at the same time. Some special care might be needed for stains, leather and clear plastic surfaces, but generally, an all purpose detailing cleaner does very well. I will cover how to care for leather in a more detailed post later. Once these surfaces are clean from dirt and stains, you will want to treat them with a protectant and detailing spray. Most detailers refer to this final step of the interior as the detailing stage, where you will use a product that brings out the finish in the surfaces. Usually most people look for the shine or gloss from these products, but most of the time you can dilute the product with water and apply it different ways to attain the shine that you want.

Glass Surface Detailing

One of the last steps in detailing the interior of your vehicle is to clean the glass. I would recommend you leave this step for last, most of the other products you use on the interior might leave a residue or overspray on the glass. Use a good glass cleaner formulated for automotive care. Do not use ammonia based cleaners, like windex, these usually leave a film behind that you cannot see and eventually makes the glass look hazy. Clean both the interior and exterior surfaces of the glass, use a micro fiber towel and you should be left with a crystal clear window. I would also use the same product on the dash gauges and any clear or polished plastic in the interior, it should remove all residue and finger prints left behind.

Car Care recommended products:
Meguiar's Complete Car Care Kit
Zwipes 6-Piece Microfiber Dusting Kit
ToplessAddict Protect and Clean Convertible Tops, Interior Fabrics and Carpet Ultimate Car Cleaner
Zwipes Microfiber

Detailing Tips & Tricks from the John Bull Garage

The proper appearance care of your vehicle is not rocket science. It is the practical
application of the right tools with the knowledge of doing the job right. At the John Bull
Garage we hope to share with you these Tips and Tricks that will make your car Concours
ready and greatly reduce the effort it takes to keep it looking that way. Distinction is in the
details and it’s the little details that set your car apart from the rest.
The Proper Order of things…
Mothers Polishes is the leader in the detailing industry and advocates a simple seven step
process to care for your car.
1. Brush, vacuum and clean the interior
2. Clean wheels and tires with chemicals
3. Wash exterior of car
4. Apply tire dressing
5. Polish the wheels
6. Clean and treat exterior trim
7. Polish and wax paint finish
At the John Bull garage, we add an eighth and final step we simply call Details.
Let’s take each of these in order.
STEP 1: BRUSH, VACUUM AND CLEAN THE INTERIOR
We assume you know how to vacuum but here are some great Tips & Tricks for
keeping the interior of your vehicle clean.
Carpet Care and Interior Odors
Woolite Heavy Traffic is one of the best household carpet cleaners I’ve found. It is
especially helpful with the ground in dirt in the heel area of car mats.
Arm and Hammer Baking Soda will refresh your carpets and remove smells that
eventually overpower that sweet smell of Connolly leather! Sprinkle liberally in the
nap and let sit over night. I keep a small open-topped Tupperware container of Arm
and Hammer in the garage near the car.
HINT: When I come home with that smelly bag of Chinese take-out, I place the
Tupperware in the car so the next day the odor is 100% gone and my new-car smell
is back…and will remain so!
Baking soda is also a natural acid neutralizer and will stop battery acid spills from
damaging your car. Wash the battery tray out yearly as a preventative.

for the complete tips download here

Auto detailing vs salon mobil

Auto Detailing: Perawatan kendaraan dengan sangat detail dan lebih bersifat me-rekondisi mobil secara permanent sehingga menghasilkan kualitas keindahan kendaraan mendekati atau lebih baik dari pada kondisi baru.
Salon Mobil: hasil pekerjaannya cenderung bersifat kosmetik atau hanya mempercantik serta menutupi kondisi mobil yg sebenarnya secara sementara.
MAD: Meguiar's Auto Detailing yang seluruh prosesnya menggunakan produk meguiars professional dan standar operation prosedur meguiars yang sangat diakui diseluruh amerika dan eropa bahkan penjuru dunia selama lebih dari 108 tahun (sejak 1901). Sangat aman bagi kendaraan dan lingkungan.

Benarkah ketahanan paint protection dapat di “garansi” 5 tahun lebih?
Integritas yang tidak baik di dalam menjanjikan “Garansi” atas kualitas proteksi cat kendaran dari setiap produk perawatan cat kendaraan merk apapun dalam suatu kurun waktu tertentu karena adanya perbedaan cara perawatan kendaraan dari masing masing pemilik kendaraan dan letak geografis tempat tinggal yang berbeda pula.

Paint Protection VS Wax VW “Poles”
Paint Protection: Lapisan pelindung cat yang biasanya dikerjakan pada permukaan cat (clear coat) dengan alat bantu polisher (alat poles) agar dapat mencapai pematangan pelapisan obat pada tekanan dan temperature kerja tertentu:
Ketentuan:
a. Paint protectionhanya boleh dikerjakan setelah kondisi permukaan cat bebas oksidasi dan swirl marks atau mendekati sempurna.
b. Paint protection tidak mungkin dikerjakan secara manual atau tanpa alat polisher.
Wax: merupakan moisturizer / pelembab pelindung cat yg terletak pada step terakhir dari rangkaian pengerjaan paint protection. Wax dapat dilakukan secara manual tanpa alat.
“Poles” : istilah ini biasanya digunakan didalam salon mobil konvensional, dimana proses ini adalah proses pembersihan permukaan cat yang cenderung menggunakan bahan abrasive/ mengikis lapisan cat paling atas atau clear coat.

Setelah paint protection, perawatan berkala pada permukaan cat tidak diperlukan lagi?
Kenyataannya, proteksi jangka panjang yang terbaik bagi permukaan cat kendaraan adalah dengan merawat secara berkala dan membersihkan kontaminasi oksidasi dengan pembersih ringan sejenis spray detailer sebelum kontaminasi tersebut menyatu di permukaan cat kendaraan.

Jika cat kendaraan masih kelihatan “mengkilap”, proses pembersihan dapat ditunda?
Tentu saja tidak tepat. Sebelum keputusan ini diambil, kita harus melaukan evaluasi fisik dan visual terhadap permukaan cat tersebut. Caranya dengan melihat pantulan cahaya lampu pada permukaan cat sambil merabanya setelah kendaraan selesai dicuci dan dikeringkan.

Wax dapat menghilangkan swirld marks / spider web (Sarang laba2) pada permukaan cat?
Tidak tepat bila kita menuntut swirl marks / guratan halus seperti sarang laba2 hilang dari permukaan cat hanya dengan menggunakan wax. Wax hanya bersifat melindungi bukan memperbaiki. Untuk swirl marks dapt dilakukan lulus / scrub daulou, setelah itu kita gunakan meguiar’s swiril remover yang khusus disiapkan untuk mengatasi masalah ini. Berbeda dengan merk lain apaladi dengan salon mobil yg mengaku dirinya auto detailer pasti tetap menggunakan step singkat dalam engerjaannya. Meguiar’s Auto Detailing memiliki lebih dari 7 step yang tidk dapat diabaikan untuk menjadikan cat kendaraan memiliki hasil sempurna yang permanent.

Kendaraan yang sudah mendapatkan paint protection dari pabrik tidak perlu di paint protection lagi?
Sangat tidak tepat. Karena paint protection dapat diperbaharui secara berkala sebelum oksidasi dan polusi merusak lapisan clear coat asli dari cat kendaraan. Apabila kondisi clear coat sudah rusak maka harus dilakukan pengecatan ulang.

Lap microfiber selalu direkomendasi untuk cat kendaraan?
Ya, karena inti dari pemakaian lap yang benar bukanlah pada penekanan tangan. Tapi lebih kepada kualitas daya serap kotoran yang tinggi yang dimiliki oleh jenis lap tersebut.
Microfiber cendreung menarik kotoran sebelum lap bersebntuhan dengan permukaan cat, sehingga dengan tanpa penekanan, kotoran dapat bersih sempurna. Cata lap tanpa penekanan dapat menghindarkan kemungkinan terjadi nya swirl marks / guratan halus sperti sarang laba2 pada permukaan cat, walaupun lambat laun pasti terjadi.
Disarankan untuk memiliki lap microfiber lebih banyak dari pada jenis obat perawatan cat yang dimiliki, kebalikan dari pikiran kita pada umumnya yang lebih memiliki 1 (satu) buat lap untuk digunakan bersama banyak macam obat perawatan cat.
Perawatan kendaraan yang paling mudah adalah perawatan secara rutin.

Frequent car care is easy car care!

car detailing picture

we're the expert!

What is Detailing?

While there are no specific guidelines for what actually makes up a 'detail,' it is always more extensive than washing and drying a car, and will often involve many steps. Main goals are typically beautification and protection, but can also touch other areas such as minor paint repair and surface restoration, as well as thoroughly cleaning areas which are normally ignored such as the engine and underchassis, wheels, tires, and trim.

The steps of a basic exterior detail of the paint surface generally consist of, in this order, wash, dry, clay bar, wash again, polish, glaze, sealant, wax. Application of a glaze is optional, as is application of both a sealant and wax.

A variety of shampoos, cleaners, degreasers, protectants, lubricants, polishes, clay bars, and waxes have developed over time to suit various demands of consumers and professionals.

Clay bar

Clay is a mixture of clay base and various mild abrasives that is used to remove paint contamination. Spray wax, window cleaner or water can work as a clay lubricant. Road grime, tar, bugs, rust, tree sap and even paint overspray can be removed with a clay bar. Claying does not remove the clear coat of the paint but can cause marring or dullness if used incorrectly. It takes a few passes of clay to feel the difference on the surface of the paint. Claying does not replace polishing. It is simply a process that should be used before polishing compound is used. Claying should be used once or twice a year depending on the condition of the paint.

Purpose of Polishing

The purpose of polishing is to remove oxidation, swirls, scratches, water deposits, and other imperfections from the paint. In contrast to a clay bar, which removes contamination, polishes remove surface imperfections. Polishing generally is the single most time consuming step in an exterior detail.

Polishes typically are classified in two categories, a chemical polish or abrasive polish. A chemical polish, sometimes called a prewax cleaner, cleans the surface and removes oxidation. An abrasive polish removes a small portion of the clearcoat or the base paint itself on single stage paint. Abrasive polishes are typically called compounds, and are classified based on how abrasive they are. The polish with the most abrasion typically is called a Rubbing Compound. A Rubbing Compound will remove heavier scratches and swirls as well as oxidation. It can be compared to a very fine sandpaper. The polish with the least abrasion typically is called a finishing polish. A finishing polish is used to remove light oxidation and fine scratches and swirls. It is also used to remove the haze resulting from application of a more abrasive polish. Abrasive polishes work best when applied with a machine rotary buffer or machine random orbital buffer. Different pads are used on the buffer depending on the abrasion level of the polish.

An "All in One" product typically combines a chemical polish and sealant to be applied in one step. A "buff and wax" contains a high level of cleaner and U.V. protectant or carnauba wax, producing a polish and providing a protective film. Unlike a chemical polish or abrasive polish, a glaze does not clean or abrade the paint. A glaze typically contains oils and kaolin to fill and mask minor imperfections remaining after polishing, and to enhance the brilliance of the finish. If a glaze is applied, it is used after use of a chemical polish or abrasive polish or All in One product, but before application of a sealant or wax.

Purpose of Sealants and Waxing

Synthetic sealants are polymer based and provide much more durability than even the best carnauba wax. They are liquid in form and apply very much like a liquid wax. It is usually suggested that most sealants cure for 12 to 24 hours before layering additional coats on the paint or applying wax over the sealant. Curing involves the cross-linking of polymer strands. When cross-linking is completed, the product has "cured." Some sealants contain an accelerator, or are sold with a separate accelerator that is mixed with the sealant before use, which speeds up the cross-linking (curing) process. For best results, the surface of the vehicle should be properly prepared for a sealant, which involves cleaning and polishing the paint prior to application. Applying a sealant over a wax or surface contamination may inhibit the bonding of the product to the paint. Once you top a sealant with a wax you will not be able to apply additional layers of the sealant without first cleaning the paint and removing all the wax.

Waxing further enhances the gloss and depth of the paint, and provides even more (but shorter lasting) protection. Wax comes in many forms including cream, paste, and liquid. Most waxes contain carnauba which contains a high amount of fatty acids. This fatty acid creates a solid layer between the paint and the outside world which protects it, and gives it a glossy finish. Synthetic waxes commonly mix low amounts of cleaners with high amounts of U.V. inhibitors to create the same protective layer that carnauba does. Synthetic wax creates a high gloss while carnauba waxes give a warm and wet looking finish.

The difference between a Wax and a Polish

Wax is a protective coating that is applied to the exterior surface of an automobile to improve shine and prevent oxidation.

Polish is a cleaning compound that removes impurities from the paint which prepares it for waxing, sealing, or protecting.

Wax and polish are very different and should not be confused, although the retail industry has mixed them together in advertising, such as promoting a wax that polishes, too. This is not generally possible because the substances perform separate functions.

Experience is required when working with polishes. Polishing agents remove oxidation, surface contaminants and also some of the clearcoat surface. An inexperienced polisher can create swirl marks on the painted or clearcoat surface. Swirl marks can be hidden or masked when applied with wax but will return once the wax wears off.

Price List for Auto Detailing