Ty
05-03-2009, 11:53 PM
Carpet Cleaning
A sound understanding of the proper technique and the correct process will produce excellent results even with a mediocre product. A quality product used without the proper surface preparation or application technique will never obtain a satisfactory result. Using the proper methodology (surface preparation, using a quality product, along with the correct application technique) will ensure an excellent result.
Some methods described may be beyond the capabilities of the average detailer or enthusiast; in this case we strongly encourage the reader to consult a professional detailer or body shop concerning the matters discussed herein.
The writer assumes no responsibility, expressed or implied, due to misuse or misinterpretation of the information or methods used, or for any vehicle damage or injury that may occur due to the suggestions and information offered.
Proceed with this in mind; the products you use constitute a very small factor in the equation. Methodology and technique constitute 95%; the reasoning behind the choice of quality products is to eliminate any limiting factors, thus enabling you to place emphasis on technique used.
Interior Carpet Cleaning:
Classifying stains-
a) Organic stains- these include proteins and fats, body oils, mould yeast, bacteria, bugs and carbohydrates. Most of the stains found in the vehicle interior are of an organic nature and require an alkaline type cleaner. Some organic stains (i.e. blood, vomit, urine) should be removed with an enzyme type cleaner and a disinfectant applied to the area - Protein Stain Remover HT-67 – topoftheline.com will remove blood, urine pet, and food stains,
b) Non-Organic stains- mostly found on the exterior of the vehicle, hard water scale (calcium) lime deposits, Road tar, grease and oil film, and require an acidic type cleaner.
c) Petroleum soils - substances that do not contain water, nor are they miscible, these soil types include, motor oils, and crease and road tar, and require a solvent type cleaner.
Stain Types-
a) Water Soluble Stains- These stains can be dissolved in cool water or loosened with water based cleaner, coffee; soft drinks, cocoa and chocolate are good examples.
b) Oil soluble stains- These are stains that are comprised of oily or greasy substances, which include cooking, oil from fried foods and suntan oil.
c) Combination Stains- These stains contain both water based and oil-soluble properties. Cleaning these stains require treatment with a petroleum solvent followed by water based cleaning solution.
d) Unidentifiable Stains- Sometimes stains cannot be identified. Treat these stains like a combination stain. Clean with a petroleum solvent followed by water based cleaner.
Different cleaning methods to remove two different types of contaminants
Hot water and liquid soap to remove water-soluble contaminants:
•Dirt, Mud
•Road Salt
Wax and Grease Remover to remove solvent soluble contaminants:
•Grease and Oil (Stoner’s Tarminator)
•Road Tar ditto
•Tree Sap ditto
•Bird Droppings ditto
•Wax and Polishes (DuPont Prepsol)
•Silicone ditto
The three steps to interior detailing are vacuuming, cleaning, and conditioning/protecting
1. Vacuuming: Completely wipe away dirt/grime with damp cloth until clean, rinsing out clothe as required, allow to completely dry before use. Use a rubber bristled brush in a circular motion to raise the nap of the fabric once it is thoroughly dry; this will loosen the debris and bring it to the top of the carpets pile, enabling a vacuum to remove it
Vacuum thoroughly, getting loose dirt is critical (Metropolitan Vac 'N BloTM) always begin your interior cleaning with a thorough vacuuming; it is much easier to vacuum loose dirt from doorjambs when the dirt is dry instead of muddy after washing the exterior.
Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach areas (don't forget the instrument panel and stereo controls), the upholstery attachment (usually a soft round brush) for the seats, and the stiff-bristled brush on the carpet, to loosen deeply embedded dirt and lift matted carpet-pile
2. Cleaning: The next step is to clean the dashboard, door panels and the headliner, spray 303TM Cleaner & Spot Remover™ until damp; this product may be used on all water safe materials. The cleaning action increases with warm water, agitation and longer dwell time. Alternative product- Einszett Cockpit Premium – htpp://www.einszettna.com/
3. Conditioning and Protecting: Don't miss this very important step. Once your interior is clean, you should use a conditioning/protection product (303™ High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection or Scotchgard™ Carpet Protector) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition.
Using the right detailing tools to apply and remove the cleaning and conditioning products will make the job easier and will give you professional results
Fabric Seat Cleaning:
1. Cleaning- Use a soft brush to remove any surface dust, the next step is to clean the fabric by spraying 303™ Cleaner & Spot Remover™ until damp; this product may be used on all water safe materials. The cleaning action increases with warm water, agitation and longer dwell time. Completely wipe away dirt/grime with damp cloth until clean, rinsing out towel in clean warm water as required, allow to completely dry before use (See also Automotive Leather Upholstery Cleaning and Care)
2. Conditioning and Protecting- Don't miss this very important step. Once your interior is clean and completely dry you should use a conditioning/protection product (303™ High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection or Scotchgard™ Carpet Protector) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition It is very important to ensure that the fabric upholstery is very thoroughly rinsed, as the cleaners will pull (wick) the dirt to the surface. The soap and oils will attract dirt and oily grime like a magnet (re-soiling) if they are not thoroughly rinsed away giving the appearance that they have not been cleaned.
3. Ultra Violet Protection (Maintenance) - Select a product (303™ Aerospace Protectant) that contains UVR protection for maximum fade protection, a must for convertibles.
Seat Removal
For a thorough interior cleaning, removal of the seats will allow access to hard to reach areas. It's relatively easy if you take your time and are careful. Front bucket seats are typically held down by four bolts on the ends of the runners at the base of the seat, two in the front and two in the back, these bolts are usually torque down hard (when replacing start the bolt by hand, being very careful not to cross-thread them)
These are removed using a socket wrench. Sometimes the bolts are covered by a decorative plastic moulding, which is held in place by a screw or just pops off using a prying action with a slotted screwdriver. First, slide the seats to its rear-most position, exposing the front bolts, remove, then, sliding the seat to its forward position, exposing the rear bolts, remove.
When all four bolts have been removed, gently tilt the seat either forward or back to reveal any wires that are connected to the underside of the seat (for seat position controls, heaters, seat belt sensors, etc.). Carefully unplug these wires, and remove the seat from the vehicle, taking care not to scratch seat or paint surfaces as you lift out the seat. Cover the remaining wire harness with a plastic bag and aluminium foil; this will prevent water and cleaning solution from getting into the wiring harness.
A sound understanding of the proper technique and the correct process will produce excellent results even with a mediocre product. A quality product used without the proper surface preparation or application technique will never obtain a satisfactory result. Using the proper methodology (surface preparation, using a quality product, along with the correct application technique) will ensure an excellent result.
Some methods described may be beyond the capabilities of the average detailer or enthusiast; in this case we strongly encourage the reader to consult a professional detailer or body shop concerning the matters discussed herein.
The writer assumes no responsibility, expressed or implied, due to misuse or misinterpretation of the information or methods used, or for any vehicle damage or injury that may occur due to the suggestions and information offered.
Proceed with this in mind; the products you use constitute a very small factor in the equation. Methodology and technique constitute 95%; the reasoning behind the choice of quality products is to eliminate any limiting factors, thus enabling you to place emphasis on technique used.
Interior Carpet Cleaning:
Classifying stains-
a) Organic stains- these include proteins and fats, body oils, mould yeast, bacteria, bugs and carbohydrates. Most of the stains found in the vehicle interior are of an organic nature and require an alkaline type cleaner. Some organic stains (i.e. blood, vomit, urine) should be removed with an enzyme type cleaner and a disinfectant applied to the area - Protein Stain Remover HT-67 – topoftheline.com will remove blood, urine pet, and food stains,
b) Non-Organic stains- mostly found on the exterior of the vehicle, hard water scale (calcium) lime deposits, Road tar, grease and oil film, and require an acidic type cleaner.
c) Petroleum soils - substances that do not contain water, nor are they miscible, these soil types include, motor oils, and crease and road tar, and require a solvent type cleaner.
Stain Types-
a) Water Soluble Stains- These stains can be dissolved in cool water or loosened with water based cleaner, coffee; soft drinks, cocoa and chocolate are good examples.
b) Oil soluble stains- These are stains that are comprised of oily or greasy substances, which include cooking, oil from fried foods and suntan oil.
c) Combination Stains- These stains contain both water based and oil-soluble properties. Cleaning these stains require treatment with a petroleum solvent followed by water based cleaning solution.
d) Unidentifiable Stains- Sometimes stains cannot be identified. Treat these stains like a combination stain. Clean with a petroleum solvent followed by water based cleaner.
Different cleaning methods to remove two different types of contaminants
Hot water and liquid soap to remove water-soluble contaminants:
•Dirt, Mud
•Road Salt
Wax and Grease Remover to remove solvent soluble contaminants:
•Grease and Oil (Stoner’s Tarminator)
•Road Tar ditto
•Tree Sap ditto
•Bird Droppings ditto
•Wax and Polishes (DuPont Prepsol)
•Silicone ditto
The three steps to interior detailing are vacuuming, cleaning, and conditioning/protecting
1. Vacuuming: Completely wipe away dirt/grime with damp cloth until clean, rinsing out clothe as required, allow to completely dry before use. Use a rubber bristled brush in a circular motion to raise the nap of the fabric once it is thoroughly dry; this will loosen the debris and bring it to the top of the carpets pile, enabling a vacuum to remove it
Vacuum thoroughly, getting loose dirt is critical (Metropolitan Vac 'N BloTM) always begin your interior cleaning with a thorough vacuuming; it is much easier to vacuum loose dirt from doorjambs when the dirt is dry instead of muddy after washing the exterior.
Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach areas (don't forget the instrument panel and stereo controls), the upholstery attachment (usually a soft round brush) for the seats, and the stiff-bristled brush on the carpet, to loosen deeply embedded dirt and lift matted carpet-pile
2. Cleaning: The next step is to clean the dashboard, door panels and the headliner, spray 303TM Cleaner & Spot Remover™ until damp; this product may be used on all water safe materials. The cleaning action increases with warm water, agitation and longer dwell time. Alternative product- Einszett Cockpit Premium – htpp://www.einszettna.com/
3. Conditioning and Protecting: Don't miss this very important step. Once your interior is clean, you should use a conditioning/protection product (303™ High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection or Scotchgard™ Carpet Protector) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition.
Using the right detailing tools to apply and remove the cleaning and conditioning products will make the job easier and will give you professional results
Fabric Seat Cleaning:
1. Cleaning- Use a soft brush to remove any surface dust, the next step is to clean the fabric by spraying 303™ Cleaner & Spot Remover™ until damp; this product may be used on all water safe materials. The cleaning action increases with warm water, agitation and longer dwell time. Completely wipe away dirt/grime with damp cloth until clean, rinsing out towel in clean warm water as required, allow to completely dry before use (See also Automotive Leather Upholstery Cleaning and Care)
2. Conditioning and Protecting- Don't miss this very important step. Once your interior is clean and completely dry you should use a conditioning/protection product (303™ High Tech Fabric Guard, which includes UVR protection or Scotchgard™ Carpet Protector) to ensure protected surface will repel dirt and moisture, and again, keep your vehicle in its like-new condition It is very important to ensure that the fabric upholstery is very thoroughly rinsed, as the cleaners will pull (wick) the dirt to the surface. The soap and oils will attract dirt and oily grime like a magnet (re-soiling) if they are not thoroughly rinsed away giving the appearance that they have not been cleaned.
3. Ultra Violet Protection (Maintenance) - Select a product (303™ Aerospace Protectant) that contains UVR protection for maximum fade protection, a must for convertibles.
Seat Removal
For a thorough interior cleaning, removal of the seats will allow access to hard to reach areas. It's relatively easy if you take your time and are careful. Front bucket seats are typically held down by four bolts on the ends of the runners at the base of the seat, two in the front and two in the back, these bolts are usually torque down hard (when replacing start the bolt by hand, being very careful not to cross-thread them)
These are removed using a socket wrench. Sometimes the bolts are covered by a decorative plastic moulding, which is held in place by a screw or just pops off using a prying action with a slotted screwdriver. First, slide the seats to its rear-most position, exposing the front bolts, remove, then, sliding the seat to its forward position, exposing the rear bolts, remove.
When all four bolts have been removed, gently tilt the seat either forward or back to reveal any wires that are connected to the underside of the seat (for seat position controls, heaters, seat belt sensors, etc.). Carefully unplug these wires, and remove the seat from the vehicle, taking care not to scratch seat or paint surfaces as you lift out the seat. Cover the remaining wire harness with a plastic bag and aluminium foil; this will prevent water and cleaning solution from getting into the wiring harness.