MOBILE GUYS - deailing with the sun

98LowRanger

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So I have started to detail as a side business and I am on week number 3. I'd prefer to work out of the garage at my house, but I realize as competitive as this business is I will probably have to do some mobile work. My house is not in a very convenient location either. So far I have done one wash job at a customers house. It was around 9 AM (they chose the time) so I tried to find a shady spot, but it ended up not being as shady as I would have liked. I tried to work as fast as I could, but still ended up with a few water spots on the glass. I want to avoid this in the future so was wondering what you experienced mobile detailers do. Bring an ez-up tent to work under? Just work as fast as possible? Keep the car wet at all times until ready to dry? I would love to hear some tips/tricks to avoiding water spots when no shade is available.
 
There are several ways you can beat this
1) Rinseless wash... Wash a panel, dry directly afterwards
2) Waterless wash.. take a gallon diluted accordingly to manufacture specs and about 7-15 microfiber (depending on the size/condition)
3) Buy a water tank, water filter, water pump, pressure washer, generator

A wash is only 5% of detailing. So don't over think it. You dont need to foam, rinse, foam, wash with 2 mitts, etc... Work fast and efficiently

Where are you locate?
Do you have a mobile rig?

To be mobile you seriously don't need a huge van or anything like that
 
The sun can be your friend for washing - you just have to learn how to use it. What you need is some DI water set-up. The way I do it is, clean wheels/wells first with regular water. Then, foam/ pressure rinse the car with regular water and immediately rinse it WELL with DI water. Then do a rinseless or waterless wash (depending on how dirty the car still is) with my solution made with DI water.

I'm generally using Pinnacle waterless and or rinseless wash for this and they work pretty well in the sun. If it's very hot, cool the panel down by spraying it with waterless right before you wash it with rinseless. Dry each panel as you go along. The AG 44 oz pump sprayer works well for this and can throw down a lot of fluid.

This may increase your costs quite a bit though.
 
I buy filtered water. It's the best way to work outside in a hot day. After washing the car you can work on the inside while the outside dries on its own.

Sent from my HTC One using AG Online
 
I buy filtered water. It's the best way to work outside in a hot day. After washing the car you can work on the inside while the outside dries on its own.

Sent from my HTC One using AG Online

And it quenches thirst
 
Rinseless washes are your friend. There are tons of sun friendly products out there if you seearch.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using AG Online
 
I have the same problem of water spots! I am not a big fan of rinseless
 
Thanks for the replies guys! I have only done 1 mobile job so far, but I have a few people interested in me detailing their car at their office. So I'm really looking into rinseless/waterless washes.
 
Thanks for the replies guys! I have only done 1 mobile job so far, but I have a few people interested in me detailing their car at their office. So I'm really looking into rinseless/waterless washes.

I got a whole gallon of waterless
 
Washing in the sun with well or very hard water is a "beach". The water will evaporate before you can apply soap or a drying towel leaving nasty water spots. I experienced this one time washing a Ford F-150 in the summer sun using the client's well water. I spent a lot of extra time cleaning the water spots. The next time I washed the F-150, I used ONR with distilled water with results that were far more acceptable.
 
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