If you have not had your car detailed before, you may be wondering what is included in the service and what results you should expect. Below I am addressing common questions when it comes to having the interior/exterior detailed. I always try to be as realistic as possible when looking at a vehicle and discussing potential results. I never promise "brand new", but very often customers are surprised at how much of a positive change detailing can do to a vehicle's appearance. Most of this content applies to cars only, but I also offer services to boats, motorcycles, trailers, small planes, etc.
Please visit below links for pricing on cars:
alloymobiledetail.com/interior
alloymobiledetail.com/exterior
Where can my car be detailed, and when?
This is a completely mobile service, which can be done at your house, work, etc. I do require access to power (but can bring a generator if needed), water, and a work space that will not be in the way of anyone or in an illegal parking zone (if in a public space). Appointments are available seven days a week, and start times are between 7am-3pm in summer, and 8am-12pm in winter.
How long does it take, and do I need to be home?
It varies but full interiors usually take 3-4 hours, basic exterior (wash, wax, and/or clay bar) typically adds another 1-2.5 hrs. You do not need to be home at any point during the service, but I do appreciate if you are home to look the car over before I leave.
Interior
Do I need to be worried about harsh chemicals?
The majority of the cleaning I do (except for cases of severe stain removal) for the interior is with a very diluted unscented cleaner and a steamer. The only scent or "chemical smell" present will be in the leather conditioner and air freshener. I understand many people are sensitive to this or just don't like a scent in their car, I am happy to accommodate that if you let me know beforehand.
What is included in a full interior detail?
Every detailer is different, but included in my full interior service is a vacuum, shampoo/steam clean of carpet and cloth seats, leather seat clean and condition, windows, console, door jambs, spot treatment for headliner, trunk, and more. Minor dog hair removal is included. When you look the interior over, all crevices such as cup holders, underneath and between seats, and control knobs, will be free of dust or dirt.
Can gum, candy, and other sticky substances be removed from cup holders or carpet?
Yes, the steamer works magic on these!
Can you remove these stains?
Stain removal depends on type of stain, location, and duration of time it has been there. Each case is different, but is addressed by spraying a cleaner or degreaser, shampooing/extraction, and sometimes steam cleaning as well.
-Spills such as coffee stains, food stains, or grease stains usually can be removed.
-Kool-Aid or Crayon staining in carpet usually is permanent.
-As far as old and severely stained floor mats, I typically just recommend replacement.
-Spills that have soaked into cloth seats often need more shampoo time or multiple treatments, due to the fabric wicking the spill from the foam to the surface.
I have a terrible smell in my car, can you help?
That depends on the smell, usually yes to a degree. Smells from food/drink smells, throw up, dogs, smoking etc usually are addressed by deep cleaning the entire car, shampooing affected areas, and running an ozone machine inside to kill smells. Once all this has been done, the best thing you can do is air out your car as much as possible, when weather allows. Changing your cabin air filter may help as well. If the smell continues, repeated shampooing and/or ozone treatments can help. Sometimes it may take a long time for smells to go away if they are clinging to areas I cannot reach such as underneath the carpet or in the foam of seats.
Dog Hair?
Dog hair can always be removed, but cost can vary based on two factors:
1. Type of carpet- cheaper quality of carpet is much harder to clean than carpet of higher quality, due to the fibers "grabbing" onto hair much easier. This can be hard for the untrained eye to identify but cheaper cars, such as Mazdas, Toyotas, etc often have this type of carpet. Higher end vehicles such as Lexus or Porsche sometimes have this carpet in the trunk area but not in the main cabin.
2. Length of dog hair. Long hair is usually quicker to remove than short hair
Significant amounts of dog hair can add 1-3 hours of detail time to the interior. If this applies to your vehicle, expect to pay an additional $30-100 (extreme cases can be more, but this is not often).
Can mold be removed?
Yes, light mold/mildew has the best chance of removal. Once it has progressed to dark colored mold, that can be hard to remove if it is in sensitive areas like the headliner. Course of action is a full interior detail followed up with the ozone machine to help kill bacteria. Following your detail, please check for leaks and remove any sources of moisture. Allowing the car to air out with a fan in a covered area or garage will help keep it from coming back, as well as using a moisture absorber such as damp-rid.
Exterior
What is included in a basic wash?
This is a gentle hand wash with a mild soap and includes removal of bugs and algae from crevices. Wheels, tires, and wheel wells are scrubbed with a gentle brush, often I will get behind the face of the wheels as well. Once the vehicle is clean, windows are squeegeed and paint is dried with a towel or left to air dry. Finishing touches are application of gel to trim and tires.
What is the difference between polishing and waxing?
Understandably, many people get this confused! Polishing removes a small layer of scratched clear coat to reveal the less scratched clear coat underneath. Polishing does not offer any level of protection but makes your paint look much better. Wax on the other hand, functions as a protective barrier between the elements and your paint. Some waxes do reduce the appearance of swirl marks, but actual scratch removal is very minimal.
What scratches can be removed?
Typical guidelines are if the scratch can be felt with your fingernail, or is white in appearance, it cannot be polished out and requires other methods. Light circular swirls from washing/towel drying can be removed through polishing. Sometimes they are so bad from years of automatic or hand washing that the vehicle will require wet sanding before polishing. While I do offer wet sanding to small areas under a foot in diameter, at this time I do not wet sand entire vehicles. Paint transfers from other surfaces can almost always be removed, as shown in picture in the left.
Do you do paint touch up?
Yes, I can touch up small areas, but you must request this before the time of detail and have the paint ordered beforehand. Paint codes are specific to your vehicle, so I am happy to help with this process.
Can you fix my hazy/cloudy headlights?
Yes! This is addressed by wet sanding the headlight and then polishing on low speed to prevent the plastic from melting. Not all headlights can be saved, but many can be improved significantly in appearance.
What is clay barring and why should I do it?
As a vehicle ages and is exposed to the elements, contaminants such as environmental pollution, brake dust, and over spray build up on the paint and cannot be removed through washing. This causes your paint to feel like sandpaper and dulls the finish, as well as making it harder to polish the paint. I highly recommend this at least every year or two as a part of maintenance (although every vehicle is different)
What types of wax do you offer and how long do they last?
I offer traditional carnauba wax, "polishing" wax, and sealants. I usually recommend the polishing wax for most vehicles, it has minor polishing properties and does a great job of filling minor scratches until it wears off (usually 2-3 months depending on weather). Sealants do not offer as much of a visual change but last about double the time and offer better protection as a result.
Before and after application of polishing wax
I cannot get my wheels clean, what can you do?
Wheels can become pitted with brake dust over time from lack of regular cleaning. Most cases can be significantly improved, but some are too far gone. I avoid harsh wheel cleaners for risk of damaging finishes on certain wheels. I test my method of choice on a small area before continuing to the rest of the wheel to eliminate risk of damage.
