How do you guys work smarter in your detailing process?

[BobbyG]

Efficiency is one of the keys to detailing. What I mean by that is plan your work so you're not redoing anything that you've already completed.

We all have our own ideas that make sense to each of us and work, otherwise why do them. I approach most details in the following order. Without going into a lot of detail, this is sort of a high level but I think you can see my thought process.


Interior - I like to clean the interior first. Everything is cleaned and treated including the door jambs.

Engine Compartment - A thorough cleaning, rinse, dry, then I apply a dressing to everything to give it that new look.

Trunk - Vacuum and organize.

Tires & Wheels - I'll clean each wheel, barrel, tire and wheel well. These are done before the body so that harsh chemicals and water do not come in contact with a freshly waxed finish.

Exterior Wash - Thoroughly wash the exterior paying particular attention to those smaller areas. Wash & rinse from the top down. Use small brushes to clean and decontaminate trim, emblems etc.

Clay - Clay each panel thoroughly before moving on to the next.

Compound & Polish - I'm not going to go int this step by step but this is where this belongs in my process. If I'm not correcting the paint I'll at a minimum use a paint cleaner or 1-step product like Meguiar's D151.

• Open hood, trunk, and doors to wipe any water that might have accumulated.

Wash & Dry - I rewash and dry to remove any splatter that may have resulted from the compound & polish phase. This gets rid of these tiny spots while they're still soft.

Sealant & Wax - What ever protective coat you choose to use belongs here.

Glass - Clean all glass surfaces and ensure they're streak free

Trim - Use a quality trim treatment that give plastics and rubber components that new rich look.

Tires & Wheels - Apply a treatment to these and the wheels wells.

Inspect everything to ensure that you haven't missed anything... that's all folks...

[JRIGGS2]

Bobby,
Do you dry the vehicle before you clay? Also... Do you guys tape every tiny piece of trim or just the areas that could be trouble if wax or sealant got in there? The reason I ask is I am new to detailing. I just bought a new black Toyota Tacoma and I really want to take care of the paint. I've watched all of Mikes videos and bought plenty of good tools and products including a pcxp and the gg 3". I figured I could hand apply in those tight areas that I don't want to tape. Just trying to see what you pro's do to save time.
Thanks guys!
Johnny

[statusdetailing]

I usually tape. Taping is easier than removing residue from trim. It's never a good idea to use a rotary without taping.


I like to apply trim and tiring dressing right after applying the wax. I then remove the wax, which removes any dressing that may have got on the paint. Also, I like to do door jams right before washing the car. I spray them down with super degreaser and then power wash them out one at a time.

Once you get the hang of it, it's super fast and with proper technique it will only get minimum water overspray onto adjascent panels.

My order is:

engine
wheels/wells
door jams
tar removal
wash/clay
towel dry and air blast door jams
etc

[statusdetailing]

Originally Posted by BobbyG

Efficiency is one of the keys to detailing. What I mean by that is plan your work so you're not redoing anything that you've already completed.

We all have our own ideas that make sense to each of us and work, otherwise why do them. I approach most details in the following order. Without going into a lot of detail, this is sort of a high level but I think you can see my thought process.


Interior - I like to clean the interior first. Everything is cleaned and treated including the door jambs.

Engine Compartment - A thorough cleaning, rinse, dry, then I apply a dressing to everything to give it that new look.

Trunk - Vacuum and organize.

Tires & Wheels - I'll clean each wheel, barrel, tire and wheel well. These are done before the body so that harsh chemicals and water do not come in contact with a freshly waxed finish.

Exterior Wash - Thoroughly wash the exterior paying particular attention to those smaller areas. Wash & rinse from the top down. Use small brushes to clean and decontaminate trim, emblems etc.

Clay - Clay each panel thoroughly before moving on to the next.

Compound & Polish - I'm not going to go int this step by step but this is where this belongs in my process. If I'm not correcting the paint I'll at a minimum use a paint cleaner or 1-step product like Meguiar's D151.

• Open hood, trunk, and doors to wipe any water that might have accumulated.

Wash & Dry - I rewash and dry to remove any splatter that may have resulted from the compound & polish phase. This gets rid of these tiny spots while they're still soft.

Sealant & Wax - What ever protective coat you choose to use belongs here.

Glass - Clean all glass surfaces and ensure they're streak free

Trim - Use a quality trim treatment that give plastics and rubber components that new rich look.

Tires & Wheels - Apply a treatment to these and the wheels wells.

Inspect everything to ensure that you haven't missed anything... that's all folks...

Hey Bobby, I noticed that you clean door jams while doing the interior. As mentioned in my above post, I use a power washer to clean the jams, but what have you found the best method to be? Thanks

[swanicyouth]

Originally Posted by UltimateDetail

That's it! Thanks! I had forgotten what the name was. Yeah, that brush does wonders though!

Raceglaze sells similar brushes for less money for a set. I've been using them a while and the quality is pretty good



Auto Geek also sells a brush like that for a great price

[Nicholas@Autowerx]

Originally Posted by UltimateDetail

I thought about lining up all my stuff in sections, with certain things for each step of detailing. Like one section of the table would have all the tire wand wheels products, tools and towels, then another with the carpets stuff, etc... I like your idea of having totes! That might make it easier and save space! I never thought about how I would go about picking up everything either, but the totes would also solve that problem! Thanks man! That was a huge problem, because at the end of detailing I am always trying to do a million things and run out of time trying to pick up too.. Got any recommendations for what totes I could buy?

I think the totes I have are from Sterelite. I got a bunch of them at Target when I built my garage shelving. I got the cheapest ones avail at about $5 a pop. I have one for all my MFs and towels, one for vacuum hoses & nozzles, one with several smaller bins with clay, brushes, backing plates, wax applicators, misc, and one for small power tools (polisher, steamer, drill) and then some milk crates with chemicals.

Sent from my LG-VM701 using AG Online

[statusdetailing]

Originally Posted by swanicyouth

Raceglaze sells similar brushes for less money for a set. I've been using them a while and the quality is pretty good



Auto Geek also sells a brush like that for a great price

I actually prefer the regular straight, paint brush style brushes. I buy cheap chip brushes for 50 cents or less and wrap black tape around the metal band. I use the same brushes and cut the hairs in half to stiffen them up and use them to remove wax or residue out of crevices. I know it sounds weird, but I've found that the cheaper brushes work better in most cases, than the thicker, more plush and more expensive brushes. Too much hair or too plush of a brush makes it more difficult to work the hairs into small crevices and vents. I mark my brushes "dressing" or "apc"

[BobbyG]

Originally Posted by statusdetailing

Hey Bobby, I noticed that you clean door jams while doing the interior. As mentioned in my above post, I use a power washer to clean the jams, but what have you found the best method to be? Thanks

The door jambs are the last to be cleaned before I shut the doors and move on to the next step. I clean door jambs using a light dilution of an all purpose cleaner and a terrycloth towel.

Unless they're particularity filthy this works out well...

[BobbyG]

Originally Posted by JRIGGS2

Bobby,
Do you dry the vehicle before you clay?

Hey Johnny,

Welcome To Autogeek Online!!

Generally, no. I use a mixture of 1 ounce of liquid car wash and 32 ounces of water. What I'm looking for is a lubricant that allows the clay to glide across the finish removed any embedded without marring.

Originally Posted by JRIGGS2

Also... Do you guys tape every tiny piece of trim or just the areas that could be trouble if wax or sealant got in there? The reason I ask is I am new to detailing.

I tape as much as I can but not every letter or number. If there's a block of letters like the Dakota SLE I'll tape over them with 1 piece of tape. I do this more with compounds, polishes, and 1-step products.


Sealants and waxes are generally clear and don't present a problem but it's more of a situational decision.

Originally Posted by JRIGGS2

I just bought a new black Toyota Tacoma and I really want to take care of the paint. I've watched all of Mikes videos and bought plenty of good tools and products including a pcxp and the gg 3". I figured I could hand apply in those tight areas that I don't want to tape. Just trying to see what you pro's do to save time.
Thanks guys!
Johnny

Congratulations and good luck with your new truck!

If you can get into those areas without compromising or damaging anything then absolutely go for it. Detailing is as much of an art as it is a science and there are few rules that are hard and fast....Do what ever works well for you and do it often!

[Bunky]

For jambs that are fairly clean, I do them after the paint is washed with a wipedown with a detailer or waterless wash.

If dirty, I will pre-clean them before doing the paint. In either any case you will need to wipe them down after washing the paint.

As said efficiency is the key and also having everything out so you are no constantly interrupting the routine.

For example:
1. mix up soap for the paint and separate bucket for wheels in advance.

2. Use 2 buckets for wheels where one buckets keeps all your brushes and cleaners

3. Work clean. It usually means less fixing later (dressing on paint, etc)

4. If you work in the garage, get a good inspection light to check work as you buff off the product, etc. You fill find fewer missed spots later.