Interior detail info

[turbomangt]

Interior detail

When you think about it, we spend a great deal of time inside our car, so it makes sense to ensure it is properly cleaned. Here is a list of some basic things you should have on hand before doing an interior detail:
Shop vacuum, air compressor, (a small one will do fine) all purpose cleaner, carpet brush, horse hair brush, small detail brush, leather cleaner, leather conditioner, water based dressing, foam applicator pads, Q-tips, Terri towels, flannel towels, micro fiber towel, quick detail spray.
First task is to remove all personal belongings from the car, and remove floor mats. Lay mats out on a tarp, do you don’t dirty the back of them. Proceed to vacuum as you normally would, don’t forget to vacuum the air vents as best you can, console, door pockets and dash. Now take your compressor and blow forced air under the back of the front seat, pointing toward the front. You will find all the candy wrappers, paper, pens, and other items that were buried under your seats. Now blow air in the console, door panels, dash and other small nooks and areas that the vac did not clean. Now take your leather cleaner, and Terri towels, and clean the dash, console, and door side panels.
Take the Q-tips and spray some all purpose cleaner on it, and clean the vents, along with other tight areas. Using the horse hair brush, and leather cleaner, spray the cleaner into the seats and work cleaner in a circular motion with the brush. Remove product with a Terri towel. Proceed to do all the seats. Using an applicator pad, apply a small amount of leather conditioner to the pad; work it into the seats doing a small section at a time. When you have completed doing all the seats, buff with a flannel towel. Using a different applicator pad, spray some water based dressing on the pad, and dress the dash, door side panels that are vinyl, console and any other plastic and vinyl trim. After a few minutes, buff with a flannel towel. Mist a micro fiber towel with water, and clean the plastic instrument panel. If you have any laminated wood, mist some quick detail spray on a micro fiber towel and clean the wood. You can seal it as an option with any wax/sealant you use on your exterior. Now using your shop vac, clean the carpeting again.
For carpet deep cleaning, the extraction method is best; however most people don’t have access to an extraction machine. You must be careful NOT to apply a heavy amount of chemicals using this method I will describe, so make note. Doing a section at a time, mist the carpet with all purpose cleaner, the key word here is MIST. Agitate the carpet with the carpet brush, then vacuum as best you can, follow up by rubbing the carpet with a terri towel creating friction, this promotes the drying process. Put in an air freshener and your car and you have done the job.

[Farns514]

Hi, i love washing my cars and keeping them insanely clean and nice looking. I currently drive my moms 2004 Explorer XLT(Silver). I am primarily the one driving it the most when i am home when i am not at college and i wash and detail it. I will be purchasing a pre-owned vehicle sometime around july or august. I am looking at getting a Lincoln LS 2000^. When i purchase the vehicle i am going to give it a top to bottom cleaning along with claying it. My question is since i know your an expert is how do i go about claying the car? Is there some specific way of doing it? When i get the car who knows maybe i will take a ride down by you near roselle and go to one of your classes or seminars.

Thanks for your time,
Dan

[hemiwagn]

Thanks for the tips.
Do you do the interior glass (something I NEVER get right, btw) before, after or during the interior detail?

[mrbudd]

Gary
As always this was a great post. I find it humorous that you would need an air compressor to blow the candy wrappers and debris out of the car. Perhaps you are detailing a School Bus, or I keep my car to clean.

[turbomangt]

Originally Posted by mrbudd

Gary
As always this was a great post. I find it humorous that you would need an air compressor to blow the candy wrappers and debris out of the car. Perhaps you are detailing a School Bus, or I keep my car to clean.

Not everyone keeps their car in that condition, in fact, even those that are maticulous, air borne contaminants still float around in your car and settle in every corner. forced air free's these contaminants up so you can suck the them with a shop vac.
Farns514, I have done numerous posts on claying, do a search or go to my web site to find them. since you live in Chi Town, you should definately attend one of my clinincs. Gary

[turbomangt]

Hemiwagon, forgot about you, sorry. First you should be using my glass cleaning solution. in a 32oz spray bottle, put in 4oz of DeNatured Alcohol, fill with distilled water. For inside windows try this. Since most people spray whatever glass cleaning solution they have on their glass, it is difficult (impossible) to cover the glass uniformly with a cloth. this results in streeks. So what I do is take a damp sponge and clean the inside glass first, this gets iniform coverage on the glass, while it is still damp, I spray a little of my formula on it and clean with a micro fiber towel, problem solved. Gary

[chasb]

Originally Posted by turbomangt

Hemiwagon, forgot about you, sorry. First you should be using my glass cleaning solution. in a 32oz spray bottle, put in 4oz of DeNatured Alcohol, fill with distilled water. For inside windows try this. Since most people spray whatever glass cleaning solution they have on their glass, it is difficult (impossible) to cover the glass uniformly with a cloth. this results in streeks. So what I do is take a damp sponge and clean the inside glass first, this gets iniform coverage on the glass, while it is still damp, I spray a little of my formula on it and clean with a micro fiber towel, problem solved. Gary

Have been using for almost 8 months. Especially the paint cleaner and sealer.

I have what appears to be a smudge line about 8 inches long running vertically down the windshield. I can't get it off, no matter what. It may be silicone from the wiper blades?? Or it may be (ughh) an imperfection in the glass?

Any suggestions?

Chas

[Model 57]

You know, it sounds like the end of the wipers sweep. They will make a sort of perceptable line where they end their sweep. A thourogh cleaning of the glass should minimize this.

[chasb]

Originally Posted by Model 57

You know, it sounds like the end of the wipers sweep. They will make a sort of perceptable line where they end their sweep. A thourogh cleaning of the glass should minimize this.

Will give it one more try.

Hioping it's not the glass

[big_squirtle]

Nice tips turbo, I'm not sure about your Window cleaning solution though. Using the alcohol may weaken or tear the tint some people have. Do you use your solution on titnted windows as well?
Me personally I use a wet sponge with glass cleaner for my windows (that dont have tint). While the windows are still damp/wet, I then wipe them down with a piece of folded newspaper. Windows come out perfectly and without streaks. For my windows with tint, I uses a damp cloth and then follow up with another piece of news paper (without sharp corners).