Do I Have The Necessary Equipment To Start Detailing As A Side Gig?

[PandaSauce]

Feed back please

I've recently started buying larger quantities of detailing supplies. I've enjoyed detailing my personal cars for 13 years now and figured it's time to start buying better stuff for myself, and I think I'd like to start doing some detailing for some extra cash.

So, are there any essentials you can think of that I am missing for doing work on other people's cars? What should I complete ditch when I run out of it? What should I replace it with when it runs out? What should I keep using?

This is a list of things I have recently ordered and things I had from buying products at Pep Boys :nomore: :


2x 5G buckets with grit guards, microfiber wash sponge, microfiber wash mitt
Bon-Aire hose nozzle

Bucket Head (Home Depot) vacuum (Are any 12V vacuums good for detailing?)
Handheld steam cleaner

Meguiars Gold Class Car Wash (Probably gonna go with something more professional once this is done)

Porter Cable Z7424XP (My first machine! :buffing: Can't wait for it to show up!)
Griots Garage Micro Fiber Fast Finishing Pad
Chemical Guys (CG) HexLogic Buffing Pad Kit (Yellow, orange, green, white, blue, black, red and Pad Cleaner)
CG backing plate

Lots of foam and microfiber applicators
Lots of microfiber and terry towels
A few tire dressing applicators
Upholstery brush
Wheel brush
Interior brush
Various other toothbrush type brushes of different materials

CG All Clean+
CG Fabric Clean
303 Aerospace Protectant
CG New Car Shine Premium Dressing
HD Protect Interior Dressing
Meguiars Ultimate Interior Detailer
Meguiars Natural Shine Interior Spray
Griots Garage Interior Cleaner

Back to Black
Back to Black Heavy Duty

CG P40 Quick Detailer
HD Poxy
Meguiars No 7 Glaze
Meguiars Rubbing Compound
Meguiars Polishing Compound
Meguiars Ultimate Compound
Meguiars No 40 Polymer Sealant
Mothers Pure Carnuba Paste Wax
Mothers Reflections Spray Wax

Meguiars Pefect Clarity Glass CLeaner
RainX Glass Cleaner


Spray and Squeeze bottles for my bulk supplies

[dcjredline]

Yep, Id get some more yellow, orange and white pads though.

ONR would be a good addition for you IMO

You could really start with some soap, APC, and dressing. Those are the very basics.

[PandaSauce]

ONR?

Are pad colors pretty universal as far as cutting?

[Goin Rogue]

For your next soap try Hyperwash, very budget friendly.

[bill110]

May just be personal preference but when you get low on Rainx try Stoner Invisible Glass (http://www.autogeek.net/glass-cleaner.html)

[Paul A.]

ONR = Optimum No Rinse.

[Muddyoldgoat]

:iagree:
More pads! At least 6 of each pad you plan to use.

Stoners Invisible Glass tops anything else I've used.

Clay with lube or clay mitt.

Poor Boys Bug Squash and Tarminator

ONR for quick washes

When you finish with the All Clean try DP APC or Optimum Power Clean.

Back to Black has never done well for me. One wash and it's gone. Solution Finish is great and a little goes a long way so it's fairly economical.

I'm a fan of wheel well dressing for big trucks. CG Bare Bones works well. My customers love it.

Right now my bucket heater is the best product I own.

More buckets. I use 2 for wash, 1 for wheels, 1 as a trash can for interior work, 1 to drain my extractor, 1 to soak used pads before cleaning and a trash can for used microfibers.

You asked if colors are fairly universal. All my foam pads are from LC, different pad lines tend to follow the same cut for the same color. I can't comment on if a Orange LC is the same as a orange Buff and Shine.

Hope this helps you out. Good luck with getting it going.

[PandaSauce]

Amazon cart is getting full!

I forgot to add clay to my list of things I have.

I'll get more pads and other items as I have the funds. This isn't cheap!

My consumer grade polish and rubbing compound suck so I picked up some CG cutting and polishing compounds (V36, V38) Also picked up a 12x12 ez up tent.

Barebones, ONR, and Solution Finish will be picked up after I pick up a few jobs.

I like Stoners for glass, ive been trying some other things but will go back to it.

Thanks for the input, you guys are great.

[Ebg18t]

Amazon cart is getting full!

I forgot to add clay to my list of things I have.

I'll get more pads and other items as I have the funds. This isn't cheap!

My consumer grade polish and rubbing compound suck so I picked up some CG cutting and polishing compounds (V36, V38) Also picked up a 12x12 ez up tent.

Barebones, ONR, and Solution Finish will be picked up after I pick up a few jobs.

I like Stoners for glass, ive been trying some other things but will go back to it.

Thanks for the input, you guys are great.

Why are you shopping on Amazon when you can wait for the next sale and buy the stuff from our forum sponsor.

[Joe@NextLevelDetail]

Amazon cart is getting full!

I forgot to add clay to my list of things I have.

I'll get more pads and other items as I have the funds. This isn't cheap!

My consumer grade polish and rubbing compound suck so I picked up some CG cutting and polishing compounds (V36, V38) Also picked up a 12x12 ez up tent.

Barebones, ONR, and Solution Finish will be picked up after I pick up a few jobs.

I like Stoners for glass, ive been trying some other things but will go back to it.

Thanks for the input, you guys are great.


Don't over think glass cleaner, ONR will do just fine, your goal is to make money not spend. Or even I PA mixture

I actually prefer cleaning windows with ONR at quick detail dilution ratio (8 Oz per gallon)

I can really scrub and clean the windows and buff off 100% of the streaks to show a streak free shine.

Glass cleaner especially invisible glass is kind of grabby and dries with streaks.

With ONR I can put pressure and really clean the window.

[PandaSauce]

Why are you shopping on Amazon when you can wait for the next sale and buy the stuff from our forum sponsor.

I'll check out the sponsor sales too.

I usually shop through Amazon for everything because of same day - two day shipping and I shop through a link that donates a portion of the sale to a charity that I like.

[PandaSauce]

Don't over think glass cleaner, ONR will do just fine, your goal is to make money not spend. Or even I PA mixture

Thanks for the ONR tip. I'm definitely trying to find products that do a few things well.

[Joe@NextLevelDetail]

Thanks for the ONR tip. I'm definitely trying to find products that do a few things well.


ONR is amazing versatile product I couldn't imagine detailing with it.

Rinseless Wash
Clay bar lubricant
Quick detail spray
Window cleaner
You can wipe off dust in the interior before the customer inspects
Clean navigation screens


I couldn't imagine paying 40 dollars for 1 gallon of quick detail spray for clay lube, seriously money down the drain.

ONR or any other rinseless concentrate can all do this

Uber Wolfgang
Meguiars D114
Blackfire makes one.

[PandaSauce]

ONR is amazing versatile product I couldn't imagine detailing with it.

Rinseless Wash
Clay bar lubricant
Quick detail spray
Window cleaner
You can wipe off dust in the interior before the customer inspects
Clean navigation screens


I couldn't imagine paying 40 dollars for 1 gallon of quick detail spray for clay lube, seriously money down the drain.

ONR or any other rinseless concentrate can all do this

Uber Wolfgang
Meguiars D114
Blackfire makes one.


Gallon of the blue stuff is what I'm looking for? And is that concentrated?

[Mantilgh]

D114 is blue too.

What are you using for a wheel cleaner?