Detail Workshop

Pictures and story by Dennis Harrold

Hold it right there! Put the Dish Soap down and back away slowly - keep your hands where we can see ‘em! Yes, we know it has Mandarin Orange Essential Oils, but it’ll strip the wax off your finish along with the dirt.

Justin Archer of West Coast Detailing hosted a very informative session for our local members on March 20. Fifteen of our local members plus a few friends were in attendance, including first timers Gregg Stratton and Paul DiMauro, founder of the annual Pacific Sharkfest for E12 and E24 coupes.

Justin talked us through his procedure when detailing a customer car, covering lots of material and product information. Our focus will be on tips and procedures not mentioned in previous articles. We’ll skip the product info since much of what West Coast uses is only available commercially.

Our discussion began with cleaning the interior, where West Coast starts a complete detail on a customer’s car. Some of the dirt and dust usually ends up on the exterior, not good if it’s already been washed. Justin is an advocate of using compressed air to get in those hard to reach places. The Twilight Zone between the seats and center tunnel comes to mind, with magnetic properties where small objects are concerned.

Carpet stains are handled by scrubbing with a wet rag using Tuff Stuff or a similar cleaner and a light touch. The idea is to clean the dirt near the top as it works it’s way up. “Deep Cleaning” is a neat marketing slogan, but attempts at this usually result in bringing more of the dirt to surface. We’ve found the same to be true with carpets in the house.

Often neglected are the door jambs and the perimeter of the doors. If not attended to regularly, water can eventually etch the paint to a degree that may not be restorable. This is especially true in areas with hard water, as is the case with much of California.

For the exterior wash Justin uses 3 different mitts, or sponges - one for the top surface, another for the sides and the third for the tires and wheels. A mitt that is dropped is “retired” for the day so there’s no chance of any grit scratching the finish. Compressed air is useful here, too, getting the water out of spots like the mirrors and grills. He uses a chamois for final drying, and if cared for they will last until they literally fall apart.

Next is a clay bar treatment before any polish is applied. This is a must - if not done, any micro specs of dust or dirt will be rubbed deeper into the finish. A silicone lubricant is used, and the clay bar reformed as necessary to have a clean surface to work with.

Scratches are then attended to before a applying a one-step cleaner/wax or paste wax. Minor ones may respond to a little extra effort with a cleaner/wax. More serious ones require polishing or rubbing compound, done with care since we are working with a mild abrasive. The last resort is color sanding which may be best left to professionals.

When it's time to apply polish or wax, Justin prefers a more absorbent cloth than microfiber pads. They are such a tight weave that they will sometimes smear, so it comes down to personal preference and what products are being used. There will be some “cob-webbing,” or polish marks when wax is applied, either a paste or in a one step cleaner/wax. Generally the higher the wax content, the more visible the marks.

A few other tips were shared by Justin and several of our members who are concours and show veterans. If your windows have been etched by hard water, 0000" steel wool used with window cleaning fluid will usually restore them - used gently, of course.

Bugs can be just as toxic to the finish as bird droppings and should be removed as soon as possible. Ammonia in water will do the trick in absence of commercial products. If you’re traveling through the Valley of Locusts and don’t have Griot’s Bug Off at your disposal, you can apply PAM baking spray to the front around the grill and headlights. We had a testamonial that it does work, and is not difficult to wash off.

It was a 90 minute session packed with information, ending with a round of applause for Justin. This was his first event of this type, but we assured him that he has another career path available since he made a terrific presentation. West Coast Detailing is located near downtown San Luis Obispo and offers services from a basic wash to full detailing. They offer mobile service in addition to their shop at 4090 Broad Street.