Exterior Work * First remove all trash and debris from inside
the vehicle
Degrease
Wet the entire body area around the engine, including glass and body
moldings with cool water. This step with prevent alkaline cleaners
from spotting the paint. Carefully wet the engine as over-wetting will
reduce the effectiveness of the degreasing product when it is applied.
Spray the engine compartment with a cleaner/degreaser, working from the
rear to the front. Follow a consistent pattern to ensure full
coverage. Then spray the inside area of the hood (avoiding the
hoodliner), and wheel wells, backs of mirrors door and trunk jambs and
rocker panels.
Scrub any bug residue with a presoaked bug sponge or Doo-all pad.
Pressure rinse in reverse order from your application. This allow
the product to dwell longest on the engine before being rinsed. Be
sure to rinse the cleaner/degreaser off thoroughly, taking care not to
saturate interior or trunk compartments
Pressure rinse the engine last. Establish a rinsing pattern so
that all engines are cleaned in a consistent manner. Also, stand at
various angles to ensure thorough rinsing in hard to reach areas.
Examine what you have done. If grease or dirt remains in any area,
a second application will be necessary.
Wheels & Tires
Spray the wheel cleaner directly onto the wheel and allow it to dwell
for no more than one minute. (If working with unfamiliar wheels, test
a small section of one wheel first.) Rinse the wheel thoroughly,
standing at different angles to ensure that all the cleaner is rinsed off.
Spray both the wheel and tire with a general purpose cleaner and allow
the product to dwell for about one minute. Brush the tire with a stiff
bristled brush, and rinse both the tire and wheel thoroughly with cold
water. (Note: by applying the tire cleaner to the wheel you
have helped to neutralize any acid which was left by the wheel cleaner.)
Remove Tar,
Wax, and Grease
**If the surfaces are extremely dirty, rinse them with a pressure washer
prior to performing this operation.
Moving from the front to the rear of the vehicle, apply a tar, wax, and
grease remover to a pre-softened Doo-all pad or rag and scrub the lower half
of the vehicle's side panels, leading edge of hood, fenders, doors, rocker
panels, mirrors, and lower front of car.
When finished, immediately rinse the surface thoroughly with cold water.
Wash
Using a car wash soap, start from the top of the vehicle and work down.
Agitate with a wash mitt, including the wheel wells.
Then rinse from the top down with a low pressure hose.
To prevent spotting, remove excess water from the vehicle with a chamois
or drying blade.
Dress Engine
Use an air hose to blow away excess water.
Spray the entire engine with a water based dressing, using a consistent
pattern to ensure thorough coverage.
Wipe the engine with a soft cloth to give a natural finish as opposed to
a high gloss.
The Painted Surface
Paint Type **First remove scuffs from bumper corners and body side moldings by
hands, using a compound.
Due to the various painting methods used, it is always best to determine
the paint type (basecoat/clearcoat vs. conventional) prior to buffing.
Use a small amount of rubbing compound on a clean rag and apply it to
several inconspicuous areas of the vehicle's painted surface. If the
color of the vehicle comes off on the rag, it is a conventional paint
scheme. If not, you can assume it is a basecoat/clearcoat system.
Clay Bar is used to remove bonded surface contaminants, such as
overspray, fall out, tree sap, rail dust. Use on glass, metal, and
plastic. Form a putty with the clay. Spray surface with Robo's
Magic Mist. Gently rub surface until smooth using Magic Mist.
Keep clay and surface wet. Wipe surfaces dry with a soft microfiber
towel.
Paint
Condition and Depth
It is important to determine the paint condition before selecting
products or buffing the surface. Examine the horizontal surfaces for
oxidation, scratches, or swirl marks. Use the chart below to determine
the paint condition and type of products to use.
Stage
Condition
Process
Product Type
1
No oxidation
No scratches
Orbital buffer, hand or D/A machine with
finish pad
Clay Bar
Wax or sealant
2
Mild oxidation
Light Scratches
High speed buffer or D/A machine with light
cut or polish pad
Cleaner/polish
3
Heavy oxidation
Deep scratches
High speed buffer with a cutting pad, then
stage two and stage one process
Compound
4
Primer oxidation
Primer scratches
Clearcoat penetrated
Repaint car
N/A
Once the paint condition is determined, but before beginning the painted
surface operation, it is also good to know how much paint there is on the
vehicle. This can be determined by using a paint depth gauge, which
measures the total paint depth in thousandths of an inch (mils).
Knowing paint depth is most important if you will be compounding, since that
process can remove a large amount of paint in a short period of time.
Take an initial reading on several places, then check yourself periodically.
Never remove more than .5 of a mil of paint in total.
Compound ** Mask off the wiper blades, molding, and all exterior trim
Using the compound, buff the vehicle surfaces using a high speed buffer
and cutting wool or foam pad. Apply the compound to an area no larger
than 2' x 2' at a time and buff in a slow side to side motion, keeping the
pad flat on the surface and applying light pressure. Working too
quickly will not allow the compound to effectively remove the paint defects.
Also, buffing with the pad at an angle actually increases the amount of
compound swirl marks.
A clean pad is vital to achieving the best quality. Spur the pad
regularly during use, and set a schedule for pad changes.
When finished, remove the compound residue with a clean polishing cloth.
This step will eliminate any excess abrasive that could affect the quality
of the cleaner/glaze step.
Cleaner/Glaze ** Mask off the wiper blades and windshield before starting this
process
Use a high speed buffer with a foam polish or wool polish pad.
Apply the cleaner/glaze to an area 2' x 2', working from the top down, then
the hood, trunk, and sides. Work at a moderate pace, keeping the pad
flat on the surface.
Do not apply excessive pressure, place the pad on an angle, or allow the
cleaner/glaze to dry out on the surface.
Spur or clean the pad throughout the process and set up a schedule for
regular pad changes.
When finished, remove any excess residue with a clean soft cloth.
Final Finish
Using a clean, damp applicator sponge, apply a final finish product by
hand to small sections of the vehicle at a time. Work from the top
down, then the hood, trunk, and sides. Avoid rubber and vinyl trim
during the application.
Allow the product to dry to a haze, and remove with an orbital buffer or
a DA polisher and clean bonnet or pad.
Remove Residue
Use a clean microfiber cloth and a detailing brush to remove any wax or
sealant residue from exterior cracks and crevices.
Beginning with the trunk and hood, remove residue from jambs and
gutters. Next, open doors, and clean door jambs and openings.
Finally, clean exterior rubber and vinyl trim with a clean cloth and a small
amount of general purpose cleaner.
Dress Exterior Vinyl and Rubber
Spray a solvent based dressing in the wheel wells.
Next, apply the dressing to the tires by spraying the product on an
applicator sponge, and wiping onto the tire. Wipe on in smooth
circular strokes (be sure to roll the car forward to you can dress the whole
tire).
Then spray the dressing on the applicator sponge and apply to body side
moldings, composite bumpers, fairing and front spoiler.
Interior Work
General Cleaning **First, use an air hose to blow dust and dirt from vents, cup
holders, etc.
Remove the ashtrays; empty and place them to soak in a solution of mild
all purpose cleaner. A few minutes of soaking will allow any stubborn
dirt to be removed easily. Wipe clean and place back in vehicle.
Vacuum seat backs, seats, and carpets, being sure to get in all cracks.
Clean hard vinyl and rubber surfaces, including the dash, vinyl seats,
seat backs, steering column and door panels. Perform this step with an
all purpose cleaner. Spray the cleaner onto a clean microfiber and
wipe over the surfaces. Do not spray cleaner directly onto surfaces
because it is difficult to control the runoff, and streaking may occur.
Use a detail brush for hard to reach areas.
For stubborn stains, spray the cleaner on a clean rag and apply it to
the stain. Allow product to dwell for 30 seconds, then scrub and wipe
dry.
Next, clean the visors using the all purpose cleaner and a clean sponge.
Do not soak the headliner as excessive moisture can cause the
adhesive to release, making it fall. A good rule of thumb is to only
spot treat the headliner with cleaner and wipe dry with a clean
towel.
Clean Glass
Clean interior and exterior glass with glass cleaner and microfiber
cloth designed for window cleaning. Be sure to clean interior mirrors
- rearview and vanity mirrors on visors - and the rubber strips around the
doors.
Wipe consistently in the same direction...side to side on interiors and
up and down on exteriors. Using this pattern will make it easier to
identify any missed spots.
The importance of a clean, residue free cloth is vital to maximum
quality in this step. If reusable towels are used for window cleaning,
designate some of them "window only" and keep them separate from the others.
Microfiber or lint free wipers are recommended.
Clean Carpets
and Seats
Remove the floor and trunk mats and clean them using one of the methods
discussed below.
Do a walk around visual, looking for areas of the carpet or upholstery
that have excess stains, etc. Pre-spot any of those areas by spraying
a small amount of spot remover directly onto the affected area.
Deep clean the carpets and seats using an extractor filled
with a cleaning solution designed
for those machines. To achieve maximum quality using this method, be
sure extractor lines are not clogged, the cleaning solution is hot, and the
vacuum is working properly. Follow the manufacturers instructions for
proper product dilution, plus use of the machine.
Clean the carpets and seats using the all purpose cleaner
and an upholstery brush. Dispense the cleaner into a bucket and
agitate to obtain foam. Using the upholstery brush, dip into the
bucket and remove onlyfoam. Place the foam onto the
carpets and seats, and scrub with the upholstery brush (some people like to
wrap the brush in a clean towel because the towel picks up dirt and moisture
as it agitates). Pay special attention to the areas you pre-spotted in
step 2. They may need to be brushed more vigorously, or agitated with
a clean towel. A second application of spot remover solvent may be
done if necesssary.
Using an aerosol velour and fabric cleaner, spray directly
onto carpets and seats. Let dwell for 1 minute. Scrub with a
towel or brush. Wipe or vacuum.
Next, re-vacuum the entire vehicle to remove any excess moisture from
carpets and upholstery. Place a temporary floor mat in the drivers
side of the vehicle and proceed to the next step.
Place all mats in the trunk compartment.
The Final Inspection
Use this checklist to ensure that all areas have been completed and meet
the quality standards.
Exterior
Paintwork free of light scratches and swirls
Hood
Roof
Doors
Wheels, tires and wheel wells
Wheel wells cleaned and dress
Wheels free of brake dust
Tires/Whitewalls cleaned and
dressed
Engine Bay cleaned and dressed
Engine area free of grease and dirt
Latch and corners
Windows
Interior windows clean and
streak-free
Exterior windows clean and
streak-free
Interior
Carpet and upholstery interior (surfaces should be clean, damp but not wet)
Carpets
Seat
Visors
Headliner
Rear window deck
Seat belts
Floormats
Interior surfaces
Door panels
Door jams
Dash
Glass
Console
Instrument panel
Ashtrays, glove box, storage areas
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