How to Mobile Detail a Car

You can work or relax while a mobile detailer cleans your car at your location.

In today's busy world many people do not have time to wash their own car. Factor in that some neighborhoods have water restrictions, and it makes it nearly impossible to clean your vehicles. Taking your car to a car wash means sitting around waiting for it to finish. A time-saving alternative is calling a mobile detailer to come to you and detail your car at your home or office. Professional mobile detail operators bring their own water, supply their own power and should have commercial grade equipment and car cleaning chemicals.

Things You'll Need

• Van or trailer for equipment
• 3 buckets
• Long-handled car wash brush
• Stepladder
• Sponges
• Pressure washer
• 50-foot high-pressure washer hose
• Pressure washer gun with various tips
• Generator
• 50-foot extension cord
• Water storage tank filled with water
• Orbital buffer
• Car wash detergent
• Degreaser
• Wax
• Glass cleaner
• Microfiber cloths
• Chamois
• Tire dressing
• Paintbrush, rag or spray bottle
• Vacuum
• Trash bags
• Sandwich bags
• Toothbrush or small utility brush
• Auto upholstery shampoo

Instructions

Exterior

1. Stage your washing area. Park the trailer or van close to the vehicle you will be washing, then unpack the buckets, long-handled brush, sponges, chamois and car wash soap. Unreel enough pressure washer hose to reach easily around the entire length of the car.

2. Add soap to one bucket and start your pressure washer, which is connected to the water storage tank. Fill all three buckets with water. The first bucket with the soap is your wash bucket. The second bucket is where you will rinse your brush and sponges. Put your chamois in the third bucket of clean water.

3. Spray degreaser on the wheels, then pressure wash them. Use a sponge to thoroughly wash the wheels and then spray them down with the pressure washer again. If you need to, use the toothbrush or small utility to clean the crevices and hard-to-reach spots on the wheels and spray them down again.

4. Spray down the whole vehicle starting at the top. Use the stepladder if needed.

5. Scrub the roof, back and front windshield and the hood of the car using the long-handled scrub brush. Spray off the soap. Continue washing the car, working from the top down and spraying the soap off the vehicle before the soap dries, which can cause spotting and streaking.

6. Dry the vehicle using a chamois or microfiber towel. Drying helps keep spots off the car.

7. Wax the car using the orbital buffer. Put wax on the buffer pad, then completely go over the entire car's painted surfaces. As the wax dries it will put a dull finish on the paint. Change the buffer pad and go over the car again to remove the haze. Waxing is an important part of keeping the paint in good condition.

8. Dress the tires. Using a paintbrush, rag or spray bottle, apply tire shine to the tires only, avoiding the rims. Wipe off any excess.

Interior

1. Clean out the car of all trash. Remove all nontrash items and store them in a safe place. For little items, use resealable sandwich bags. For bigger items, use trash bags or set them aside in a safe spot that is out of the way.

2. Remove mats. Vacuum mats and floorboards. You may need several different sized vacuum tool heads to reach small crevices or vacuum larger areas.

3. Wipe down door jambs. Clean the entire jamb, all the way around the door. Use a mild shampoo or window cleaner.

4. Shampoo carpets and seats using car shampoo. Use a stiff brush to work the shampoo into the carpets. Use a scrubbing pad on the seats. Be careful of the material, especially leather as you don't want to scrub too hard. Also, spray protector on all vinyl and leather surfaces, such as seats, console, door panels and dashboard.

5. Clean all glass. Spray glass cleaner on the windows, then use a microfiber towel to wipe them down. Do both the interior and exterior of all windows.

Tips & Warnings

• Some professional mobile detailers have commercial grade steamers and extractors. These tools provide a thorough cleaning that help eliminate germs, stains and odors more effectively than doing it by hand.

• As a professional mobile detailer, you will need to get a license and insurance to protect yourself and your client's vehicles.

References

• Autogeek: Proper Washing & Drying Technique

Resources

• Mobile Detailing Trailers