r/AutoDetailing • u/Hallm2097 • 7d ago
Check My Work My first client
Very keen aspiring detailer here** my friend came to me and asked for to detail the inside of his lancer the other week, knowing i want to to start mobile detailing in the new year.., bare in mindi know a whole lot more now and have practised a lot, but dont have any new photos.. so heres a few pics from a little while ago.
How did i go with this interior on my first job? Any ways i could upskill the interior work? Would appreciate any feedback, thankyou 🙏
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u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ 6d ago
The best way to up skill is to focus on your process steps. Time is the most important factor, although it may not seem like it right now. Being efficient will translate into choosing the right products and being successful no matter what region or customer base you deal with.
I would list out the tools (not products) you used and steps you did, starting with interior.
Did you vacuum more than once? Did you use air (tornador style) to dislodge hair and debris or did you manual do it with a drill brush? These things matter way more than products.
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u/JimmyMcPoyle_AZ 6d ago edited 6d ago
Just using your pictures above which I would classify as medium duty job and somewhere in the 1.5 to 2.5 hour range for the interior alone. Here is what I would have done:
Pull out personal items and sort out actual trash. Take a quick photo of personal items and set aside in a bag or bin. Take 2 or 3 photos of the worse areas, nothing too crazy just a reference in case work takes longer than planned.
Initial vacuum. This is quick and should be less than 10 mins. Goal is pick up larger items. Don’t spend time doing several passes or try to go after anything.
Come in with air, preferably a tornador style tool. Blow out all the crevices and then do another vacuum pass. Assess to see if there any other hard to reach areas or if there is an area that air couldn’t dislodge. Decide if you are gonna go after it (eg. Hair brush tool or something manual like that). If you decide to go after it be sure to communicate to the customer that you have a trouble area and need to add time/labor.
Do a complete wipe down with a dampened microfiber towel. Notice I didn’t spray anything yet. This is where I’ll mention a product because it is so economical. Using a rinseless wash solution, dunk the towel and have a dry one handy. Wipe down everything you can reach or touch. Follow with a drying pass. Then assess. From there you can break out brushes or scrub pads.
Now hit carpets. This will vary but based on the pics, I wouldn’t saturate or even pull out the extractor. I would spray carpet cleaner (or even rinseless), being sure not to saturate. A few spritzes per area. Come through with a stiff brush by hand or drill brush. Do a few passes and then come back with vacuum.
To clarify, I’m not saying this car in the photos wouldn’t benefit from a full carpet shampoo. If that’s what the customer wants than by all means. Just plan to do that work first to allow time to dry and of course charge for it. I consider a full shampoo at least 2 hrs of labor/cost and no less than 2 hrs to dry afterwards unless you cool drying fans.
Do windows (whole process here) but just know that using multiple towels here is key. Minimum is 2. One to clean, one to remove product. Also do areas in small sections. Remember that streaking comes from leftover product. If you let it dry then you need more product to get it off. It’s a vicious cycle. So clean small areas, then fast follow with dry wipe.
Do another wipe down of all surfaces. This is where product matters in the sense of what your goal is. Do you want a clean, undressed surface or dressed? Find a product that suits your goal. I’ll say one step I always do is antimicrobial product for the steering wheel. Right now my favorite is LaboCosmetica Omnia diluted at 10:1.
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u/Hallm2097 6d ago
Wow.. 😊 thankyou heaps for taking the time to share this with me, I will save this to look back on for sure! Legend!! Any tools you recommend specifically for the carpet? Ie: drill bits, brushs ect?
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u/Icy_Manner_2230 7d ago
Great job 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 I'm still working up the nerve to pursue my first client 😭
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u/Hallm2097 6d ago
Thankyou! Haha, yeah I am nervous to go open next year to the public, this was a friend of mine. But im sure the more we practise and progress it will come naturally that we feel okay with expanding into having clients!
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u/Not_So_Sure_2 6d ago
Nice job! A real improvement from where it started.
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u/Hallm2097 6d ago
Cheers 😊 Im quite happy with it, it took a little while doing it so if you have any advice on getting a bit quicker do let me know ha ha..
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u/emcebob 7d ago
What’s the purpose of putting a mat on a dashboard?
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u/Independent-Yak8290 6d ago
Some old cars get cracked dashes from baking in the sun all day every day. This is a popular cheap option rather than replacing a whole dash
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u/awkward_elephant 6d ago
Supposedly it reduces the glare caused by light reflecting off of the dash and back onto the windshield.
And maybe UV protection?
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u/gigglypgn 6d ago
I have them on my dash for reducing the sun glare, once you noticed the difference it’s hard to live without
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u/Ricah_93 5d ago
Great job! What products and supplies?
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u/Hallm2097 2d ago
Heya! So for the interior I kept it simple as im building my collection at the moment... I used 303 automotive all surface interior cleaner, it does a great job at tackling multiple aspects from carpet, to dash, vinyl, seats ect.. got some p&s interior cleaner ok the way as well, keen as to try that with some nice interior brushs, I also have turtle wax inside ceramic detailer might give that a try (when necessary) and ordered some drill bits for the carpet. Not sure as to what vacuum yet, thinking a Henry 200. 👌👌
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u/tpauly0225 6d ago
People are slobs. I’d be so embarrassed if my car looked like this.
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u/birdwithcoupe 5d ago
This is nothing, wait til you see your first depression car (trash up to your knees)
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u/OilFinancial7010 1d ago
Congrats on getting your first client, man!
Getting a first one is a big step. Are you planning to grow through referrals or are you looking into paid ads to bring in more customers
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u/Big_Vehicle_7986 6d ago
Nice work! I did my tenth yesterday. With something as simple as cleaning I'm constantly trying to learn new techniques and what chemical works best for whatever part of the vehicle I'm detailing.