From Start to Finish: Please Share Your Order of Operations

[Belphegor]

The title states the general idea, please be as detailed and through as possible, I would really appreciate it.

As a "New to professional detailing guy," I've been almost literally fighting with myself over, first of all, what my very first step should be, and secondly what I'll do after that.

I'm currently sitting fairly comfortably with this process:

1. First should come a good rinse, wash, rinse on the exterior, followed by a hand or forced air drying. This would include jambs/ hinges. I also think that the last part of the exterior to be cleaned should be the wheels, tires and wells, as I would prefer to leave the dirtiest areas for last when using the 2BM.

2. Then roll the windows down about 3 inches and hit them with my favorite polish via DA, wipe clean and roll them back up.

3.Next, attack the interior with forced air and/ or a brushing of fabric upholstery followed by a vacuum session.

4.Then, interior windshield and glass, followed by the dash and plastic cleaning and dressing. Interior should be complete by now.

5. Polish exterior glass.

6. AIO roof, hood, trunk lid/ hatch/ tailgate, front fenders, front doors, rear doors if applicable, rear fenders, rear bumper, front bumper, then rockers, in that order.

6. Final wipe down/ forced air dusting of exterior.

7. Dress trim, tires then wells.

As it's late, I'm sure I've missed a few details, feel free to point out what I've missed. I'm really just looking for input from YOUR process, though. Again, I would really appreciate it!

 

[EVOlved]

I actually do the interior first, then use a 3BM and always do wheels, tires and any super dirty areas before the wash. Save that your process seems fine other then missing on decon after the wash..

 

[Belphegor]

Save that your process seems fine other then missing on decon after the wash..

!! I was just thinking that's what I was missing and came back to save face, Lols.

Do you use the same 3 buckets for the tires, wheels, and wells as you do for the rest of the car? Thanks

 

[thebeastofrock]

Do you use the same 3 buckets for the tires, wheels, and wells as you do for the rest of the car? Thanks

The way I do the 3 bucket method is start with one bucket full of car wash solution, brushes, and a dedicated wheel wash mitt and clean the wheels and wheel wells first. Then move on to the rest of the car with a traditional 2 bucket method. No rinse bucket for the wheels is needed and no contamination of the wash solution that will be touching your paint.

 

[EVOlved]

The way I do the 3 bucket method is start with one bucket full of car wash solution, brushes, and a dedicated wheel wash mitt and clean the wheels and wheel wells first. Then move on to the rest of the car with a traditional 2 bucket method. No rinse bucket for the wheels is needed and no contamination of the wash solution that will be touching your paint.

:iagree:

Personally I do that but I take my boars hair brush to jambs or gas caps first but depending on how dirty you may want to do the reverse completely up to you. I put a grit guard in that bucket as well, no grit guard=no bucket for me unless using the GD method.

 

[Garyhw48]

The order that you use is a personal preference thing. It's what you are comfortable with, as long as you're happy and the customer is happy, that's all that counts.

I have always finished the interior first then wash the car. From day one, about 8 years old, my father showed me how to put the garden hose over my shoulder, hold the end of the hose with my hand, let the water flow in a flooding motion while gently washing with the other hand. The water is a lubricant and floods the dirt off without damaging the paint. I have never used a nozzle to spray water spots all over the paint. The quicker you get a sheeting action the better and drying is easier also.

I'm probably in the minority here but I just like to do the wheels, tires and inner finder wells last. Since I never use a nozzle it's easy to rinse the wheels without getting water back on the body of the car and if I do it's easily wiped off.

I have always polished and waxed last. Never had much of a problem with dust but like you it's easily blown or dusted off.

One more thing. I noticed you mentioned rolling down the windows. I have seen detailers not clean the top of the roll down windows. That's a no no. When the customer rolls down a window and sees a half inch of dirty window all of your hard work is useless. It's amazing to me how many times I have seen this.

I like to share what I do and really enjoy you sharing what you do. We all learn new methods that way. That's what makes this forum so interesting.

 

[dcjredline]

Ill give you my basic one. The order for me usually depends on what the car needs/ customer pays for. You wont be doing every step in your process to every car.

Wheels / wells/ tires cleaned
Bug/tar/sap removal if needed
foam gun or cannon pre-soak
2bm wash
Dry
Jambs

If I am doing the interior this all comes before the wheels.
Pick up trash
Forced air blow out
Vacuum carpet and upholstery
Dust (clean if needed) plastics
Dress plastics
Windows (always last)

 

[Belphegor]

The way I do the 3 bucket method is start with one bucket full of car wash solution, brushes, and a dedicated wheel wash mitt and clean the wheels and wheel wells first. Then move on to the rest of the car with a traditional 2 bucket method. No rinse bucket for the wheels is needed and no contamination of the wash solution that will be touching your paint.

Interesting, for some reason I always considered the third bucket to be a secondary rinse bucket, but dedicating it to just wheels, tires and wells makes great sense! Thanks

Personally I do that but I take my boars hair brush to jambs or gas caps first

That also seems like a great idea for the third bucket. This was the kind of input I was looking for, thanks!

The order that you use is a personal preference thing. It's what you are comfortable with, as long as you're happy and the customer is happy, that's all that counts.

I have always finished the interior first then wash the car. From day one, about 8 years old, my father showed me how to put the garden hose over my shoulder, hold the end of the hose with my hand, let the water flow in a flooding motion while gently washing with the other hand. The water is a lubricant and floods the dirt off without damaging the paint. I have never used a nozzle to spray water spots all over the paint. The quicker you get a sheeting action the better and drying is easier also.

I'm probably in the minority here but I just like to do the wheels, tires and inner finder wells last. Since I never use a nozzle it's easy to rinse the wheels without getting water back on the body of the car and if I do it's easily wiped off.

I have always polished and waxed last. Never had much of a problem with dust but like you it's easily blown or dusted off.

One more thing. I noticed you mentioned rolling down the windows. I have seen detailers not clean the top of the roll down windows. That's a no no. When the customer rolls down a window and sees a half inch of dirty window all of your hard work is useless. It's amazing to me how many times I have seen this.

I like to share what I do and really enjoy you sharing what you do. We all learn new methods that way. That's what makes this forum so interesting.

That's an interesting method of washing. Are you saying you don't actually use any wash media besides water? Thanks for the kind words and time to input parts of your method. Thanks!

Ill give you my basic one. The order for me usually depends on what the car needs/ customer pays for. You wont be doing every step in your process to every car.

Wheels / wells/ tires cleaned
Bug/tar/sap removal if needed
foam gun or cannon pre-soak
2bm wash
Dry
Jambs

If I am doing the interior this all comes before the wheels.
Pick up trash
Forced air blow out
Vacuum carpet and upholstery
Dust (clean if needed) plastics
Dress plastics
Windows (always last)

I had in mind what a "basic" full detail would be for a first time customer or a dirty maintenance wash, and I agree that the customer will get what we agree on. Come to think of it, interior-wise, windows last makes more sense then plastic dressing last like you said. Thanks for your input!

 

[Bunky]

I'm probably in the minority here but I just like to do the wheels, tires and inner finder wells last. Since I never use a nozzle it's easy to rinse the wheels without getting water back on the body of the car and if I do it's easily wiped off.

Do you dry between washing the paint and then doing the tires? I know some would get more water spots if this order was followed. If I do wheel area last, I usually dry the paint in between since I do not want water sitting on the paint to minimize spotting. I do not really have an issue with water over spray so touch up is minimal.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I've taught this class at Mobile Tech for a couple of years, that is the order of steps to detail a car faster...

Kind of depends on what all you're going to do and the weather has a huge influence too....

but assuming it's not freezing out, or raining out here's my usually routine....


First I do all the things that can get the car dirty or messy again say if I had already washed it.

Glass
Engine
Headlights

Then, move to washing and do wheels and tires first then start at the top and work my way down. When doing the body, Iron X, Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Nanoskin, Rinse again and dry. Blow out cracks and crevices with Sidekick.

If I'm doing the interior, especially if I'm getting anything wet for example using an extractor, then do the interior first.


Next

Test Spot
Tape-off
Compound
Polish
Seal
Final wipe of paint

Coat tires
Coat glass

Final inspection

 

[chet31]

^ If you do the glass first, doesn't it get wet when you wash the top?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

^ If you do the glass first, doesn't it get wet when you wash the top?

Huh? Of course the glass gets wet when you wash the car and by getting wet I mean it gets wet and then it gets soapy and I wash off any polishing spatter from after polishing the glass. That's the entire idea.... wash the car after making a mess.


The idea is to do ANYTHING that will get the car "messy" BEFORE washing it. This way you don't spend your time washing and drying the car... now it's clean right? And then machine polish the glass, this will get polish splatter all around the window frames and likely on the paint. Now you have to repeat steps, that is clean the mess up.

I lived in Oregon most of my life and it rains a lot in Oregon. When I detailed cars full time I could not take in a customer car and buff out the paint, (remove water spots, remember it's OREGON), and leave water spots on the glass.

So my normal procedure was to work smarter, not harder and I would start by doing all the messy steps first and then wash the car.

The order you do the steps in your detail work is totally up to you... I just share what works for me and what I teach in my classes.

 

[Belphegor]

I've taught this class at Mobile Tech for a couple of years, that is the order of steps to detail a car faster...

Kind of depends on what all you're going to do and the weather has a huge influence too....

but assuming it's not freezing out, or raining out here's my usually routine....


First I do all the things that can get the car dirty or messy again say if I had already washed it.

Glass
Engine
Headlights

Then, move to washing and do wheels and tires first then start at the top and work my way down. When doing the body, Iron X, Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Nanoskin, Rinse again and dry. Blow out cracks and crevices with Sidekick.

If I'm doing the interior, especially if I'm getting anything wet for example using an extractor, then do the interior first.


Next

Test Spot
Tape-off
Compound
Polish
Seal
Final wipe of paint

Coat tires
Coat glass

Final inspection

Huh? Of course the glass gets wet when you wash the car and by getting wet I mean it gets wet and then it gets soapy and I wash off any polishing spatter from after polishing the glass. That's the entire idea.... wash the car after making a mess.


The idea is to do ANYTHING that will get the car "messy" BEFORE washing it. This way you don't spend your time washing and drying the car... now it's clean right? And then machine polish the glass, this will get polish splatter all around the window frames and likely on the paint. Now you have to repeat steps, that is clean the mess up.

I lived in Oregon most of my life and it rains a lot in Oregon. When I detailed cars full time I could not take in a customer car and buff out the paint, (remove water spots, remember it's OREGON), and leave water spots on the glass.

So my normal procedure was to work smarter, not harder and I would start by doing all the messy steps first and then wash the car.

The order you do the steps in your detail work is totally up to you... I just share what works for me and what I teach in my classes.

Thanks for your input Mike, both of these comments make sense practically and in your wording. I have, in the past, left glass polishing for last, and as is apparent now, I ended up making a mess on what was already clean! The same happened with the headlights and tail lights :doh:

Lesson learned, thanks again for your time.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Thanks for your input Mike, both of these comments make sense practically and in your wording. I have, in the past, left glass polishing for last, and as is apparent now, I ended up making a mess on what was already clean! The same happened with the headlights and tail lights :doh:

Lesson learned, thanks again for your time.

No problemo....


Perpetually paying it forward....

 

[hernandez.art13]

I've taught this class at Mobile Tech for a couple of years, that is the order of steps to detail a car faster...

Kind of depends on what all you're going to do and the weather has a huge influence too....

but assuming it's not freezing out, or raining out here's my usually routine....


First I do all the things that can get the car dirty or messy again say if I had already washed it.

Glass
Engine
Headlights

Then, move to washing and do wheels and tires first then start at the top and work my way down. When doing the body, Iron X, Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Nanoskin, Rinse again and dry. Blow out cracks and crevices with Sidekick.

If I'm doing the interior, especially if I'm getting anything wet for example using an extractor, then do the interior first.


Next

Test Spot
Tape-off
Compound
Polish
Seal
Final wipe of paint

Coat tires
Coat glass

Final inspection

This one is very important to do, especially when handing the car back to the customer.

the whole car can look beautiful and your work can look great, but if the customer finds a spot you missed. It can turn everything upside down pretty fast.

I think you say Mike somewhere to have a friend give the car a second look before handing over the car to a customer?

I've found this to be a very good strategy.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

This one is very important to do, especially when handing the car back to the customer.

the whole car can look beautiful and your work can look great, but if the customer finds a spot you missed. It can turn everything upside down pretty fast.

I think you say Mike somewhere to have a friend give the car a second look before handing over the car to a customer?

I've found this to be a very good strategy.

The recommendation is two fold,

1. Move the car into a different light setting.
Different light will expose areas you may have missed with polish or wax residue. This could be moving the car out of your garage or shop to the outside where you can use natural sun light or it could be just moving the car around in the shop itself.


2. Get a fresh set of eyes to inspect the finished work.
After you've been working on the same car for hours the car can look like one big blur. Time to get a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor etc to take a look as they will be seeing the car and your work with fresh eyes.


I'm pretty sure this is covered in my how-to book also...

 

[10secdream]

I've taught this class at Mobile Tech for a couple of years, that is the order of steps to detail a car faster...

Kind of depends on what all you're going to do and the weather has a huge influence too....

but assuming it's not freezing out, or raining out here's my usually routine....


First I do all the things that can get the car dirty or messy again say if I had already washed it.

Glass
Engine
Headlights

Then, move to washing and do wheels and tires first then start at the top and work my way down. When doing the body, Iron X, Rinse, Wash, Rinse, Nanoskin, Rinse again and dry. Blow out cracks and crevices with Sidekick.

If I'm doing the interior, especially if I'm getting anything wet for example using an extractor, then do the interior first.


Next

Test Spot
Tape-off
Compound
Polish
Seal
Final wipe of paint

Coat tires
Coat glass

Final inspection

Mike,

I noticed that you approach the paint with Iron X first before you wash the vehicle. I can understand that this is acceptable if the car is moderately clean but do you still use this approach if the vehicle is caked in road grime, dust, dirt ect.?

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike,

I noticed that you approach the paint with Iron X first before you wash the vehicle. I can understand that this is acceptable if the car is moderately clean but do you still use this approach if the vehicle is caked in road grime, dust, dirt ect.?

I do this not because I think it's the best approach as it relates to the paint but to get the most poweful paint bleeding pictures as that's what people want to see.

Kind of like water beeding pictures....


Good question...



:dblthumb2:

 

[10secdream]

On my next detail I am going to try the IronX first approach purely for the fact that I hate drying the vehicle twice and for the fact you get some awesome bleeding pictures.

Thanks Mike.

 

[Garyhw48]

To Belphegor and Bunky,

If the car has wax on it I don't use any soap, just a flood of water. If it is really neglected then I use a standard auto soap. Put your finger over the hose and flush off the wash mitt a lot to keep grit out of the mitt or mop that might scratch the paint.

I do dry the vehicle immediately after washing, before any water remaining, dries on the paint. I used chamois for many years but now use the largest guzzler towels from autogeek. They are amazing.

I left out claying, which I do on every car that is getting polished and waxed or just waxed. When I used to use a rotary buffer to polish out imperfections, with a wool polishing pad, then there was no need to clay. Clay hasn't been available for that many years but now I really like using it. Mile Phillips videos have gotten me away from using wool rotary pads that much anymore.

I clean the windows last if I'm not polishing them. Just in case some water or polish gets on them. Some cars leak.

Never use that over the counter slime on the interior, under the hood, or on the trim or tires. That dirt magnet slime should be banned. I am now using Wolfgang Vinyl and Rubber Protectant and Cockpit Trim Sealant. They look great and aren't slimy.

Thanks for the questions. If you want to ask anything else I would be glad to answer.