Detailing for many is a passion and an escape: a few hours every week when they get to slow down, enjoy life, and witness an amazing transformation. For others, detailing is a business, career, or job. Being efficient is a staple of DIY Detail; it’s important for both the business owner and the do-it-yourself enthusiast.
Efficiency Breeds Quality
Many equate efficiency with going fast and cutting corners. This is not what we consider efficiency at DIY Detail. For us, efficiency is an art form: reducing wasted energy, movement, and time while increasing quality. Cutting corners is not efficiency, nor is speeding up. Efficiency is being organized and methodical, taking the time to enjoy the process, and doing the work at hand correctly the first time.
The Efficiency Race Starting Line
To begin your journey, you need to start somewhere. The first step is following the instructions. We have metered Tolco sprayers on all our products for a reason: we want you to use less. Detailing is definitely one activity where less is more. Using more product than necessary means more wiping, more time, and the possibility of inferior results.
The Video That Changes Everything!
To see where time is being stolen from you, make a basic video of your next detail. There is no need to make it a cinematic masterpiece; you just need to see your workflow. Watching the video will reveal where time is being stolen from you, including unnecessary trips to the wash bucket, time spent hunting for something, and a lack of logical movement. When watching the video, ask yourself why you’re doing each step. If your answers aren’t convincing, it’s time to evaluate and improve.
Mise en Place Isn’t Just for Cooking
Mise en place is a French term used in cooking meaning “putting everything in place.” Being organized before starting saves time, reduces time spent searching, and reduces stress. Workspace organization is very important for efficiency. If you need to connect your hose, power, pressure washer wand, etc. every time you detail, it will deter you from starting the next detail. When everything is organized and ready to go for the next detail, you will be more apt to do it.
The Magic of Being Methodical
When you are comfortable with detailing, it’s time to be more methodical. Being methodical gives you freedom from stress. It eliminates doing the same things twice because you forgot whether you did them before, and it also eliminates missed spots. Being methodical gives you more time to enjoy detailing. It allows you not to have to think about what you’re doing but instead enjoy the process and relax.
Wheel Cleaning: A Case Study
Many detailers lose time, money, and enthusiasm cleaning wheels. A wheel is its own little micro detail. Take the lessons from the humble wheel and apply them to all parts of the detailing process.
The first step is the pre-wash. Don’t overthink it. You don’t need a separate wheel and tire cleaner; the dirt on the tire is the same as the dirt on the wheel. Spray or foam DIY Detail All Clean onto the surface and allow it to dwell. If it’s a wheel you’ve never detailed before, spray on some DIY Detail Iron Remover first to attack the brake dust. Before using your brushes, rinse the wheels. After rinsing, apply DIY Detail Incredible Suds or DIY Detail Rinse Less Wash to the surface and start the contact wash. Ideally, always start with the face of the wheel, then proceed to the barrel.
Making Detailing More Efficient
Detailing for many is a passion and an escape: a few hours every week when they get to slow down, enjoy life, and witness an amazing transformation. For others, detailing is a business, career, or job. Being efficient is a staple of DIY Detail; it’s important for both the business owner and the do-it-yourself enthusiast.
Efficiency Breeds Quality
Many equate efficiency with going fast and cutting corners. This is not what we consider efficiency at DIY Detail. For us, efficiency is an art form: reducing wasted energy, movement, and time while increasing quality. Cutting corners is not efficiency, nor is speeding up. Efficiency is being organized and methodical, taking the time to enjoy the process, and doing the work at hand correctly the first time.
The Efficiency Race Starting Line
To begin your journey, you need to start somewhere. The first step is following the instructions. We have metered Tolco sprayers on all our products for a reason: we want you to use less. Detailing is definitely one activity where less is more. Using more product than necessary means more wiping, more time, and the possibility of inferior results.
The Video That Changes Everything!
To see where time is being stolen from you, make a basic video of your next detail. There is no need to make it a cinematic masterpiece; you just need to see your workflow. Watching the video will reveal where time is being stolen from you, including unnecessary trips to the wash bucket, time spent hunting for something, and a lack of logical movement. When watching the video, ask yourself why you’re doing each step. If your answers aren’t convincing, it’s time to evaluate and improve.
Mise en Place Isn’t Just for Cooking
Mise en place is a French term used in cooking meaning “putting everything in place.” Being organized before starting saves time, reduces time spent searching, and reduces stress. Workspace organization is very important for efficiency. If you need to connect your hose, power, pressure washer wand, etc. every time you detail, it will deter you from starting the next detail. When everything is organized and ready to go for the next detail, you will be more apt to do it.
The Magic of Being Methodical
When you are comfortable with detailing, it’s time to be more methodical. Being methodical gives you freedom from stress. It eliminates doing the same things twice because you forgot whether you did them before, and it also eliminates missed spots. Being methodical gives you more time to enjoy detailing. It allows you not to have to think about what you’re doing but instead enjoy the process and relax.
Wheel Cleaning: A Case Study
Many detailers lose time, money, and enthusiasm cleaning wheels. A wheel is its own little micro detail. Take the lessons from the humble wheel and apply them to all parts of the detailing process.
The first step is the pre-wash. Don’t overthink it. You don’t need a separate wheel and tire cleaner; the dirt on the tire is the same as the dirt on the wheel. Spray or foam DIY Detail All Clean onto the surface and allow it to dwell. If it’s a wheel you’ve never detailed before, spray on some DIY Detail Iron Remover first to attack the brake dust. Before using your brushes, rinse the wheels. After rinsing, apply DIY Detail Incredible Suds or DIY Detail Rinse Less Wash to the surface and start the contact wash. Ideally, always start with the face of the wheel, then proceed to the barrel.
The Safest Ways to Clean GLOSS BLACK WHEELS!