The Auto Detailing Teacher gives a detailing workshop for the Porsche Club of America at Porsche of Santa Barbara, CA.
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From the classroom, we bring you facts and information about car care. Feel free to email us any questions that you might have or comments about the best way to care for your investment. Like any good teacher, The Auto Detailing Teacher is here to help.
Read my articles published in Professional Carwashing & Detailing Magazine.
Care Care Tips and Facts
Wash your wax towels and window towels separately. Wax can contaminate the fibers in your window towels causing streaking on glass and a lack of cleaning power. If already done, put a cup of distilled vinegar in your wash. This will break the wax away from the fibers.
Never use fabric softener with microfiber towels. Wash your towels with warm water and set your dryer to a low setting. If you notice your wax towels not performing well, put a cup of distilled vinegar in the washing cycle. This will help break lose any wax in the towels.
(Polishing) If polishing via a polisher, make sure the surface temperature on OEM clear coats does not exceed 115 degrees. Going too high can introduce swirls and cause too much of the clear coat to be removed causing early paint deterioration.
(Polishing) The MAXIMUM RPM’s should be 1750 on today’s paint systems. For flex agents (plastic bumpers or panels you should not exceed 1200 RPM). Many detailers tend to “grip and rip” and you find swirls all over your paint. This is due to too much speed, or the incorrect pad and polish combination. Also, the pad should be flat at all times, not tilted.
NEVER use Hydroflouric Acid to clean wheels! It’s extremely dangerous if not used correctly. Even car wash employees have needed fingers amputated!
Xylene is a cancer causing solvent. Our products to NOT contain any solvents that are known to cause health issues. We are happy to show you our MSDS sheets!
The total average paint film on a factory clear coat is 6.8 mils. Each mil is about as thick as a finger nail. Repainted auto parts tend to be thicker. This is how you may check if a used car has been repainted.
Removing more than .3 (3/10) of a mil can jeopardize the EV blockers in your vehicle’s paint.
If you notice a white powder on your seat after a detail, this is a result of too much moisture, or the use of a caustic cleaner. The boron has lifted from the seat foam. This is the fire retardant in your seat foam. Damaging this voids any warranty and is a safety hazard. Make sure the person taking care of your car is not using the ol’ bucket and brush method. This puts too much moisture into your fabric. Besides the Boron, you may get mildew or mold problems if left too wet.
When treating tires/exterior rubber, use a water based dressing. Some solvent dressings contain Petroleum Distillates or Demethal Silicone. Both will damage your tires.
The majority of the UV blockers in an OEM clear coat are in the first .5 mil of your paint. This is why the correct use of a buffing pad and product is so important. Not knowing, or measuring the before and after depth of paint, may result in removing too much EV protection.
Waxes vs. Polymers
Wax Melting Points
- Paraffin based wax 130 degrees.
- Carnauba (4 grades) 165 degrees - By the way, there is NO such thing as 100% carnauba wax unless your wax has the consistency of a rock!
- Polymer Paint Sealants 392 degrees - Sealants bond differently and can withstand much more heat. We use this product in our Masters service. Many detailers will charge an additional $45 or more per service to use a paint sealant.
Last thoughts....
Never assume what an auto parts store employee or car salesperson tells you is correct. Many just do not have the education in paint systems and science behind correct care. They mean well, but give out incorrect information.
Hard water, bird droppings, and many other environmental contaminants only need heat and moisture to cause permanent problems. Like regular oil changes and tire rotations, your paint needs care as well. All of these things help keep your investment in like-new condition. When leasing or reselling down the road, this is critical.
The Auto Detailing Teacher gives you written documentation of each service. Keep these with your other receipts. Use them when selling or trading in your car. It gives you more credit when asking for the “best” rating from the Kelly Blue Book.
Why is it important to utilize Water $mart technologies? Read here.
All the best,
Robert Regan
owner