Car Valeter with 4 years experiance...Got any Qs?

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:19

Well I’ve been car valeting on and off for the same company for 4 years and abit now. Ranging from BMW, Porsche, Subaru and Audi dealerships and private customers.

So do you have any questions about keeping your car nice and tidy? Got a few scratches that needs removing? Is this polish better than that polish? Stain on the seat, scuff marks on the vinyl, how do I get rid?

Ask away and I'd be happy to answer them.

(I’m not selling car valeting here, just a simple Q and A. I won’t reveal who I work for or where)

Confused · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:21

Plenty of questions/information in this thread that you might be able to assist on!

merlin · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:21

No offence mate but 4 years experience of car cleaning isn't much compared to some of the experience of the detailing freaks in this forum.

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:22

merlin said:
No offence mate but 4 years experience of car cleaning isn't much compared to some of the experience of the detailing freaks in this forum.

haha yeah your probs right there.

Clarkey · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:25

merlin said:
No offence mate but 4 years experience of car cleaning isn't much compared to some of the experience of the detailing freaks in this forum.

I'd say there is a big difference between lots of years reading hyperbole on detailingworld and 4 years experience doing it full time.

alex24 · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:25

I have a question since you're offering:

My car has had a leaky sunroof and it's stained the seats. Have tried the general shampoo-type cleaner to remove it with a small amount of rubbing, but didn't help much. What's the best type of cleaner to get this out? It looks like rings of stain where it has evaporated.

The seats are blue in the affected areas, should I worry about colours being removed too?

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:30

alexhull24 said:
I have a question since you're offering:

My car has had a leaky sunroof and it's stained the seats. Have tried the general shampoo-type cleaner to remove it with a small amount of rubbing, but didn't help much. What's the best type of cleaner to get this out? It looks like rings of stain where it has evaporated.

The seats are blue in the affected areas, should I worry about colours being removed too?

I take your seats are cloth material not leather. Try a shampoo cleaner again but with a lot of elbow grease. At work we use a wet vac with shampoo attachment. The water tank inside gets a dash of chemical called Brisk low foam with is a light seat/floor material cleaner.

Try again but get stuck into it.

alex24 · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:33

Yeah, they're cloth. I plan to get stuck in again when the weather is a little better and clean the whole thing.

Might look for a better cleaner aswell then.

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:38

alexhull24 said:
Yeah, they're cloth. I plan to get stuck in again when the weather is a little better and clean the whole thing.

Might look for a better cleaner aswell then.

Ofc keep to a fabric/cloth material clean designed for cars and if you can get hold of a wet vaccume cleaner do so! Also to avoid more water stains/marks after cleaning the area, clean the whole seat. As in just the bottom half or top half depending on where the stain is. Drying is also a important part of stain removal, if its a nice dry day keep the doors open let it dry naturally (shutting the doors is not a good idea).

alex24 · 11 Mar 2009 at 16:40

crang2k said:
Ofc keep to a fabric/cloth material clean designed for cars and if you can get hold of a wet vaccume cleaner do so! Also to avoid more water stains/marks after cleaning the area, clean the whole seat. As in just the bottom half or top half depending on where the stain is. Drying is also a important part of stain removal, if its a nice dry day keep the doors open let it dry naturally (shutting the doors is not a good idea).

I had guessed as much, hence waiting for some nice weather!

Seems like a bit of common sense and elbowgrease should sort it then, thanks.

Banny · 11 Mar 2009 at 19:25

I have one too, my seats (cloth) on my audi got some milk spilled on them ages ago, it has left a slightly white stain on them, what is the best stuff to use to get this off.

Scooby_WR1 · 11 Mar 2009 at 19:43

Banny said:
I have one too, my seats (cloth) on my audi got some milk spilled on them ages ago, it has left a slightly white stain on them, what is the best stuff to use to get this off.

You would need a wet-vac to do the whole seat or you could try that vanish stuff in the spray can that foams up and give the seat a good scrubbing.

hillbilly2 · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:07

Toker said:
autosmart tardis for the easy solution or clay bar

Cheers mate,will 500ml of autosmart be enough to do a whole car?

NathanE · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:12

You sound like a detailer mate, not a valeter.

A valeter is like some polish guy in the Tesco's car park that love giving millions of swirl marks to their customers and occasionally a nice sports car with an ignorant owner.

Scooby_WR1 · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:20

NathanE said:
You sound like a detailer mate, not a valeter.

A valeter is like some polish guy in the Tesco's car park that love giving millions of swirl marks to their customers and occasionally a nice sports car with an ignorant owner.

Lol,
We get called valeters too but we still do the same stuff as detailers i suppose not many people have heard of detailing.

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:20

Banny said:
I have one too, my seats (cloth) on my audi got some milk spilled on them ages ago, it has left a slightly white stain on them, what is the best stuff to use to get this off.

Milk is a ******* pain, i know this doesnt help but we use something called BioBrisk that basically removes anything dirt wise thats biological i.e. sick, blood, milk etc. There may be a product in the general market that gets rid of all these things and leave and nice smell and yes a wet vac is needed for this job!

Scooby_WR1 said:
You would need a wet-vac to do the whole seat or you could try that vanish stuff in the spray can that foams up and give the seat a good scrubbing.

^^^^^

hillbilly2 said:
Getting ******* tar off paint work,my car is layered. WD-40 then a good wash?

No dont use WD-40! I had a guy come in off the road looking to have the tar removed from his car after he went through aload of road works, never seen a car covered in tar like his was. Some of it he tried to get rid of using WD-40 then i dont know what he used to "scrub" it off but he had scratched his paint work to hell.

I know i keep refering to "i use this chemical at work" but I do, its called.....Glue and Tar remover from AutoSmart, it does the job ******* well, spray it on a cloth (NEVER spray and chemical directly onto any surface of a car or inside, always spray it on a cloth/old clean rag first then apply). Then rub the cloth on the area of the tar till it removes it then polish the area.

Btw some chemicals I use will NOT be avalible in shops, however if you goto your local valeting place or car dealership and have the name or general idea of the chemical you need you maybe able to purchase it from the distributor.

hope that helps at all?

Gaygle · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:24

Ok, i have one. Basically i have half leather seats and naturally the bolsters have become worn, very scuffed and some parts have gone shiny. Is there any way of restoring the leather look for fairly cheap?

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:26

hillbilly2 said:
Cheers mate,will 500ml of autosmart be enough to do a whole car?

Yes, make sure you use it in a well ventilated area.

hillbilly2 · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:28

crang2k said:
Yes, make sure you use it in a well ventilated area.

Bought

torN · 11 Mar 2009 at 20:28

Gaygle said:
Ok, i have one. Basically i have half leather seats and naturally the bolsters have become worn, very scuffed and some parts have gone shiny. Is there any way of restoring the leather look for fairly cheap?

Im afraid I cant help you there mate sounds more like a new leather job rather than cleaning job. Sorry I cant be any more help, someone else however may have a solution for you.