Oops, I made a mistake How you can learn from me

**JWilliams.RadiantDetail** · 12-12-2014, 02:35 AM

I didn't take pictures, but I was detailing a co-workers BMW, and there was lots of grime in the vinyl strip right below the window. I hit it with my CG All Clean+, I didn't think I was wiping that hard but when I pulled the MF applicator up I noticed the grime was gone. I then noticed I had completely rubbed off the texture. It was an older car so he wasn't mad, but I know a lot of people would get really upset here lol. It was a piece about half the size of my thumb, and every time I'm in his car I can't not see it.

I guess the "test on an inconspicuous area first" warnings on a label are actually there for a reason lol.

**HeffJamm** · 12-13-2014, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by allenk4

I have a Mytee Firebird

Love it

I use it on anything...anywhere. Carpet, Headliner, Upholstry, Dash, Vents...

On just about everything, the steamer gets it 20% cleaner than a MF and APC. On most cars, I still use APC and a MF or scrub brush 1st, but then I hit it with steam and additional dirt always comes off

The wetness of the steam is adjustable, without decreasing the pressure that it comes out at. That feature is a bonus when cleaning delicate electronics

But, my favorite tool for interiors is still the Cyclo Brush on a DA

I cleaned this with Leather Cleaner and the Cyclo Blue Brush followed by steam and a MF

Nice. I'm using a Mcculloch canister steamer, but I think I could use a little more power. DA upholstery brush is on the list, too. Thanks for the feedback.

**blown03** · 12-13-2014, 08:41 AM

Wow , that steering wheel looks like you replaced it not cleaned it. Amazing job there . On the burnt edge , what's the chances of this happening with a Finish polish? Is this something that typically is only for aggressive stages ? I haven't had this happen ...yet.. , probably cause you do more cars in a week then I do in a year . But , looks like an easy mistake to make . Awesome thread too , thanks for sharing Allenk4

Daren

**beenen** · 12-13-2014, 10:36 AM

Originally Posted by allenk4

I have a Mytee Firebird

Love it

I use it on anything...anywhere. Carpet, Headliner, Upholstry, Dash, Vents...

On just about everything, the steamer gets it 20% cleaner than a MF and APC. On most cars, I still use APC and a MF or scrub brush 1st, but then I hit it with steam and additional dirt always comes off

The wetness of the steam is adjustable, without decreasing the pressure that it comes out at. That feature is a bonus when cleaning delicate electronics

But, my favorite tool for interiors is still the Cyclo Brush on a DA

I cleaned this with Leather Cleaner and the Cyclo Blue Brush followed by steam and a MF

nice! are these the brushes you are talking about?

2 Pack Cyclo Polisher Aqua Soft Carpet Brush

are the just 3/8" threaded and will attached to my 7424?

**hilld** · 12-13-2014, 11:12 AM

Originally Posted by beenen

nice! are these the brushes you are talking about?

2 Pack Cyclo Polisher Aqua Soft Carpet Brush

are the just 3/8" threaded and will attached to my 7424?

No, no, no, don't use the carpet brushes on leather, way to hard.

For leather, you want to used the much softer upholstery brushes.

2 Pack Cyclo Polisher Grey Ultra Soft Upholstery Brush

And yes they are threaded. I use them on my GG 3", don't have a PC, but I think they are the same thread size.

**SATracker** · 12-13-2014, 12:32 PM

Mine was a BMW, can't remember year or model, it's been a few years back. I saw a scratch on the hood and tried some light wet sanding...disaster. The paint was not original and was a poor respray. I examined the rest of the car very carefully, I saw where other detailers burned the paint. I took it down to a quality paint shop who resprayed the entire hood the way it should have been done.
The owner knew I was starting out and that I was looking for some cars to "learn on". He asked me what I learned from doing his car and I told him I learned his paint was not original and that the respray probably wasn't done at a BMW approved facility. Then I showed him where other detailers left their "mark". He was a real decent guy about the whole thing, he sold the car within 6 months.

**allenk4** · 12-23-2014, 12:15 AM

"The Line"

After I had removed all of the Orange Peel from my Yukon with the CarPro Denim Pads and wet sanding in some areas, there was still a little remaining OP adjacent to the pin stripe

The CarPro Denim Pads are affected by tape, much more than a foam or DAMF pad used for compounding and therefore there is always a little bit of OP near anything that is taped off

So I did the logical thing, at least in the mind of an AGO...I removes the pin stripe. Steam and a plastic razor blade took it off pretty quick with minor marring

After removing the pin stripe, I could see that the area where the stripe had been was actually lower compared.to the adjacent paint. I have not been able to locate any information on the phenomenon and it runs counter to logic as the area under the pin stripe has never been polished and should be higher than the adjacent paint

I wanted to document the removal of the OP as well as the depression in the paint where the PS had been; so, I laid down a nice vertical tape line and polished right over it, as I had done many times with 50/50's when polishing

Here is the result:

You can only see it from a very obtuse angle that no one but me would ever look....but, I know it's there

Don't attempt a "hard" tape line 50/50 she sanding or using OP removal pads

I wish I had read and taken this to heart:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...void-line.html

**allenk4** · 12-23-2014, 12:42 AM

Originally Posted by blown03

Wow , that steering wheel looks like you replaced it not cleaned it. Amazing job there . On the burnt edge , what's the chances of this happening with a Finish polish? Is this something that typically is only for aggressive stages ? I haven't had this happen ...yet.. , probably cause you do more cars in a week then I do in a year . But , looks like an easy mistake to make . Awesome thread too , thanks for sharing Allenk4

Daren

The thing to remember is that it is all cumulative

Each step removes CC. The Denim/OP Removal step probably got it most of the way there, but the compounding step is what actually broke thru

There was normal CC on this area, but the BC appears to have been very thin

Live and learn

Glad it was my own car

If you are just polishing a new car with a DA, soft polishing pad and a fine polish....it would take some effort to burn a body line like the one pictured

**allenk4** · 12-23-2014, 12:45 AM

Originally Posted by hilld

No, no, no, don't use the carpet brushes on leather, way to hard.

For leather, you want to used the much softer upholstery brushes.

2 Pack Cyclo Polisher Grey Ultra Soft Upholstery Brush

And yes they are threaded. I use them on my GG 3", don't have a PC, but I think they are the same thread size.

I have both the Blue and the Grey

In my experience, the blue brush was not too stiff for coated leather. I do not put much if any downward pressure on the machine when using these brushes

**allenk4** · 12-23-2014, 12:47 AM

Originally Posted by SATracker

Mine was a BMW, can't remember year or model, it's been a few years back. I saw a scratch on the hood and tried some light wet sanding...disaster. The paint was not original and was a poor respray. I examined the rest of the car very carefully, I saw where other detailers burned the paint. I took it down to a quality paint shop who resprayed the entire hood the way it should have been done.
The owner knew I was starting out and that I was looking for some cars to "learn on". He asked me what I learned from doing his car and I told him I learned his paint was not original and that the respray probably wasn't done at a BMW approved facility. Then I showed him where other detailers left their "mark". He was a real decent guy about the whole thing, he sold the car within 6 months.

Nice One!

Thanks for sharing