Detailed knowledge for detailersPosts about general maintenance of a detailed object.
The squeegee is a rubber handheld tool that is dragged over the surface, wiping off the water from the surface it is used on. The blade is usually made from (synthetic) rubber and is fairly flexible on its own. The use of the squeegee is a popular topic of debate because of its potential of creating surface imperfections.
The brakes and/or calipers on a vehicle refer to a system to slow down a vehicle when needed. In general, this works by increasing the friction between 2 moving parts, where the energy of the movement is transformed into heat. Some vehicles (like electric cars) use secondary systems to either aid in braking, or to use the energy to generate a usable form of energy (like electricity).
Detailing an electric engine bay is slightly different to a normal engine bay because the lack of a combustible engine. Electric engine require attention to different aspects then combustion engines. Seeing as electric cars are getting more popular, these will become a common sight in the future.
Cigarette burns of stains can be notoriously difficult to remove. The longer the stain has been there, the more difficult it gets to remove it completely. In some cases the fabric has been damaged and removing the stain isn’t possible without repairing the fabric itself.
Carpet stripes are lines in the carpet that give the impression that some parts of the carpet ar darker/lighter then the area next to it. This can be achieved by bending the fibers one way or the other. The only purpose of this is that it can look nice to some people. Customers might be impressed and like the effect.
Tyre blooming is the discoloration of the rubber in a tyre. This usually shows as brown rubber that is hard to clean off. In general, it won’t get washed off and it might stain towels or applicators. Blooming doesn’t cause immediate damage, but over time it could shorten the lifespan of the tyres by a small amount.
Conservation is a large part in the detailing process. It prevent wear and tear and is aimed at maintaining the original properties of the object. Conservation can also be financially rewarding, as is the case with most oldtimers or supercars.
Paintwork gets cleaned very frequently, but tyres not so much. Everybody who knows the word “detailer” or “valeter” probably knows how to safely remove contaminants from the surface of a vehicle. Even when glass is dirty, you’ll quickly see the streaks and your fingers will be itching to reach for the glass cleaner. Most parts of a vehicles gets cleaned frequently, and we have all kinds of products that help us keep our cars/bikes looking sparkly clean.
Salt is an unwelcome type of contamination on your vehicle. Salt can cause rapid corrosion and extreme dage to unprotected metals. It can also severely stain polished metals and create a matte look over the surface.
Applicators are products that are used to spread, apply, rub or buff a certain product to a certain surface. These can also be referred to as an applicator pad. There are many several differen shapes, sizes and material that are used for this.