Kicking off another installment in the ongoing series on “The 100 Questions You Must Answer” when adding detailing to a car wash. The first installment appeared in May 2024. The original 100 questions appeared in February 2023 and will be considered in depth in the coming months, one category at a time. The goal of the series is to help reduce the common mistakes that are made when adding detailing and to help those already offering the service evaluate their operational efficiency and effectiveness.
In the September 2024 column, we discussed some of the issues involved with providing space for employees. Recommendations included providing an employee-only bathroom, a break area, and, if necessary, lockers and a changing area. In larger operations in which a manager is necessary, the manager’s workspace could range from simple counter space to a dedicated desk behind the counter, all the way up to a separate office. Likewise, sales and reception staff need counter space or the like to engage with customers.
We also discussed customer space considerations. A dedicated customer-only bathroom was recommended. The amount of lobby space or waiting area depends on how many customers are expected to wait for service completion. Regardless of the size, a welcoming, comfortable, and clean area is mandatory for incoming customers.
In this month’s article, we are going to move back into the operational aspects of detailing to examine the management of detailing chemicals. Since chemicals are the major consumable used within detailing, how they are managed can either save or waste money. Additionally, there is the issue of determining the appropriate chemicals that should be included in the type of detailing operation that you are planning.
What Chemicals Do I Need?
The answer to this question, as I have indicated many times in this series, depends on what types of services will be provided. Typically, an express detailing operation requires a much smaller set of chemicals than a full-service operation. The most important advice to be heeded with detailing chemicals is summed up by my decades-old mantra: “Use the correct chemical for the vehicle surface being treated.”
The recommendations that follow may be overly simplified, but they will get you on the right track when considering the chemicals that will likely be needed. One consideration with chemical choice is the climate in which the detail operation exists, as well as the typical condition of the vehicles coming in for service.
Express Detailing Chemicals
Usually, an express detailing operation relies on the actual automatic car wash to wash the car, so, specialty exterior washing chemicals are typically not needed. However, it might be good to have a bottle of the following available for special situations: bug remover, sap remover, and tar remover, as well as some paint polishing chemicals.
Otherwise, the chemicals typically needed for exterior express detailing include, tire dressing, rubber and plastic dressing, some kind of paint protection that goes on and off quickly, and glass cleaner.
The chemicals typically needed for interior express detailing include: enzymic spot remover, carpet and fabric cleaner, interior surface cleaner (for plastic, vinyl, and leather), leather and vinyl dressing, and glass cleaner. Alternatively, the plastic, vinyl, and leather treatment can be handled by an all-in-one chemical that both cleans and protects.
Full-Service Detailing Chemicals
Prep Wash Chemicals. The full-service detail starts with a prep wash that is performed in addition to or separately from the automatic car wash, which simply cannot properly prepare a vehicle for full-service detailing. The list of chemicals for the prep wash includes several specialty cleaning products to handle each of the cleaning potentialities. Here’s a starter list:
• Car wash shampoo
• Degreaser for the engine bay
• Bug remover
• Heavy-duty wheel and tire cleaner
• Iron remover
• Tar remover
• General-purpose cleaner-degreaser
• Water spot remover (acid based)
• Convertible top and tonneau cover cleaner
• Lubricant for clay media
• Isopropyl alcohol to remove paint transfer
Interior Detailing Chemicals. The inside of a car is composed of many types of surfaces. It is best practice to have cleaners and conditioners that are specifically designed for each of those surfaces. Using general-purpose cleaners or degreasers to clean all interior surfaces risks damage, even if the chemical is heavily diluted. Here’s a starter list:
• Plastic and vinyl panel cleaner
• Leather cleaner
• Enzyme stain remover for carpets and fabric seats
• Carpet and fabric cleaner (for dirt)
• Leather conditioner
• Plastic and vinyl dressing
• Fabric protectant/liquid repellent
• Ceramic coating products
• Glass cleaner
• Deodorizing agent
Exterior Detailing Chemicals. There are some basic chemicals that are needed to finish up the outside of the vehicle. Specifically, with regard to painted panels, the choices are almost limitless. Here’s a starter list:
• Clay media lubricant
• Buffing compound
• Polish
• One-step polish and protect product
• Wax and sealant
• Ceramic coating products
• Chrome polish
• Aluminum polish
• Glass polish
• Convertible top and tonneau cover protectants
• Tire dressing
• Rubber, vinyl, and plastic dressing
• Dressing safe for the engine compartment
• Mist and wipe detail spray
The chemicals needed for professional full-service detailing are extensive. One should not venture out alone to purchase detailing chemicals without first consulting a detail industry professional, which will avoid many mistakes, incorrect purchasing, and lost time.
Handling Concentrated Chemicals
Fortunately, many of the cleaning chemicals involved in full-service detailing are available in concentrated form. Of course, this raises the issue of how the concentrates are diluted. Proper dilution will save money, ensure that the product provides peak performance, and keep technicians and vehicle surfaces safe from potentially hazardous over-concentrations.
Regardless of the chemical dispensing system, I always recommend that one person (perhaps the detail manager) oversee dilution so that it is consistently performed correctly. If every technician dilutes their own chemicals, you are assured to have as many variations of that chemical as there are technicians.
It is best to have pre-diluted versions of the dilutable chemicals available for technicians to use. Pre-dilution can be as simple as purchasing empty five-gallon containers with a spigot and placing them on a shelving unit. Each of the five-gallon containers can hold pre-diluted (“ready-to-use”) chemicals, allowing technicians to simply refill trigger sprayers using the spigot.
Pre-dilution can also be as fancy as an automated system that can be pre-set to pull up chemical concentrate into a vat that is continually filled with just the right amount of water and chemicals. This pre-mixed solution can be pumped out to overhead stations or simply spigotted for filling up secondary-use bottles.
Either way, the idea is to completely remove individual technicians and their personal opinions about proper dilution from the equation.
Liquid chemicals can be dispensed by a central system in the back room through a bank of hoses with trigger sprayers attached in each of the detail bays. Either approach can work just fine, depending on the size of the operation and the space available for the systems.
Maintaining Proper Back-Up Supplies
Running out of a critical chemical in the middle of a busy day is a common issue in far too many detail shops, and it is completely avoidable. It is as simple as having a dedicated space (in a supply closet or back room) with shelves that are organized with the various detail shop chemicals. The size of the backup containers (i.e., gallon or five-gallon) depends on the volume of product that is typically used in the shop.
Have the containers in “columns” on the shelf. How many containers you need depends on the typical use, but the important thing is establishing a minimum on-hand quantity. As soon as that minimum is reached, it triggers the chemical monitor to place an order with the supplier, which ensures there will be no shortage of a product. The minimum on-hand quantity should be an amount that ensures plenty of product until the next order would normally be expected to arrive. Should there ever be a shortage, simply increase the minimum
There may be a few hiccups in the first few months of adopting this system, during which proper on-hand quantities for each chemical will be fine-tuned. But once you are dialed in, chemical supply becomes a non-issue, and chemical expenses are easily monitored and predictable. It’s a simple system that works well, but unfortunately, many operators don’t use it.
Benefits of Treated Water
Several dilutable chemicals work much better if diluted with treated water. Two quick examples are glass cleaner and interior surface cleaner. For smaller operations, simply using relatively inexpensive distilled water can make a huge difference in the performance of the chemicals. Note that it is distilled water, not purified water, which still contains minerals.
Many car wash operations use treated water for the wash tunnel. Consider running a supply line to the detail area so that detailing chemicals can be diluted with the same treated water.
Summary
Understandably, some operators who are unfamiliar with the world of detailing chemicals may think it’s simply a matter of having some car soap, wax, and vinyl dressing. However, the world of professional detailing chemicals is expansive and cannot be tackled by the novice without some help.
