The other day a "detailer" opened a shop at Swan and Grant in Tucson, name is Auto Spa Boutique. I spoke to the owner, can't remember his name, but was interested in what he had to offer in ways of a complete detail, ie: washing, claybaring, washing, polishing, sealing, and waxing.
Anyways, this gentlemen said they used a steam cleaner to first clean the car and then would do a hand wash and hand wax. I have never heard of anyone ever using a steam cleaner; and with steam being generated at 220°, I knew it would be damaging to the vehicle, especially if there were chips in the paint. I have used power washers at the carwash and a person has to be real careful to not blow chips out of the paint (don't ask me how I know). I don't care for powerwashers or automatic carwashers in general (I've never used an automatic carwash). Hand washing a vehicle with a good car shampoo, a good mitt, and drying with microfiber towels are the only way to go (using multiple buckets of course to clean/rinse the mitt). A good buffer using polish, sealer, and wax (as needed) are superior to hand finishing a vehicle.
I am in need of a good detailer to claybar, polish, seal, and wax my T4R, and maintain my vehicle, so I talked to this dude. Getting too dang old. After talking to him, I realized if I wanted it done correctly, I would have to do it myself. The gentleman at Auto Spa Boutique didn't know what a sealer was. He even commented why I needed to use a polish after claybaring. I told him what both did, and he told he I would have to supply the polish and sealer, and it would be extra.
I thanked him for his info, time and such, got his writeup, and left.
I know Auto Spa Boutique is bull$hit.
But the real question is:
Has anybody ever heard of, or used, a steam cleaner to first clean a vehicle?
Edit: I just wanted to add, that I went into Auto Spa Boutique because I had a terrible sandpaper feeling all over the T4R (I washed it the day before). He looked at it and said it was overspray (like from being around a vehicle that's being painted). I said, "No, it's probably the Russian Olive close to my car." Today, I washed the T4R with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash and a Premium Wool Mitt using two buckets. It took some of the "overspray" off, but ultimately, I tried WD40 (useful but would not apply it to the entire car - only for adhesive removal), GooGone (no use), paint thinner, ScatchX. Paint thinner worked on the area tried. ScatchX worked but not as well as paint thinner. I was already knowledgeable of having removed two front window visors with paint thinner after having consulted a body shop when I had my Buick Rainer. I knew I could claybar it, but there was too much for the clay. I needed someway to remove it, before I could do my detail. I got some Automotive Mineral Spirits (the good stuff) and took a microfiber towel and removed the "overspray". IMO, it was tree sap as I have a willow tree less than 100 ft SW of my car that is in bloom. The wind comes from the SW generally. So there you have it. It was tree sap, imo. I also considered it might be jet fuel combining with dirt/dust in the air, and that's still a possibility as I have had it happen before around the times when the Air Force is in training for takeoffs and landings (I am in the flight path). It's very possible it was jet fuel combing with dirt/dust. This was an excessive session for takeoff/landings, about 5 weeks long. I also have dust on the vehicle in the mornings because the T4R is not covered, it's in the open. The dust has never caused me problems. A good detailer could have identified the problem, imo.
This thread however, is really about using a stream cleaner to first clean the car. That also I would not recommend, unless you want to create problems for your vehicle. I cannot recommend Auto Spa Boutique even for the normal car wash. I have not used them and will not use them.
Anyways, this gentlemen said they used a steam cleaner to first clean the car and then would do a hand wash and hand wax. I have never heard of anyone ever using a steam cleaner; and with steam being generated at 220°, I knew it would be damaging to the vehicle, especially if there were chips in the paint. I have used power washers at the carwash and a person has to be real careful to not blow chips out of the paint (don't ask me how I know). I don't care for powerwashers or automatic carwashers in general (I've never used an automatic carwash). Hand washing a vehicle with a good car shampoo, a good mitt, and drying with microfiber towels are the only way to go (using multiple buckets of course to clean/rinse the mitt). A good buffer using polish, sealer, and wax (as needed) are superior to hand finishing a vehicle.
I am in need of a good detailer to claybar, polish, seal, and wax my T4R, and maintain my vehicle, so I talked to this dude. Getting too dang old. After talking to him, I realized if I wanted it done correctly, I would have to do it myself. The gentleman at Auto Spa Boutique didn't know what a sealer was. He even commented why I needed to use a polish after claybaring. I told him what both did, and he told he I would have to supply the polish and sealer, and it would be extra.
I thanked him for his info, time and such, got his writeup, and left.
I know Auto Spa Boutique is bull$hit.
But the real question is:
Has anybody ever heard of, or used, a steam cleaner to first clean a vehicle?
Edit: I just wanted to add, that I went into Auto Spa Boutique because I had a terrible sandpaper feeling all over the T4R (I washed it the day before). He looked at it and said it was overspray (like from being around a vehicle that's being painted). I said, "No, it's probably the Russian Olive close to my car." Today, I washed the T4R with Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wash and a Premium Wool Mitt using two buckets. It took some of the "overspray" off, but ultimately, I tried WD40 (useful but would not apply it to the entire car - only for adhesive removal), GooGone (no use), paint thinner, ScatchX. Paint thinner worked on the area tried. ScatchX worked but not as well as paint thinner. I was already knowledgeable of having removed two front window visors with paint thinner after having consulted a body shop when I had my Buick Rainer. I knew I could claybar it, but there was too much for the clay. I needed someway to remove it, before I could do my detail. I got some Automotive Mineral Spirits (the good stuff) and took a microfiber towel and removed the "overspray". IMO, it was tree sap as I have a willow tree less than 100 ft SW of my car that is in bloom. The wind comes from the SW generally. So there you have it. It was tree sap, imo. I also considered it might be jet fuel combining with dirt/dust in the air, and that's still a possibility as I have had it happen before around the times when the Air Force is in training for takeoffs and landings (I am in the flight path). It's very possible it was jet fuel combing with dirt/dust. This was an excessive session for takeoff/landings, about 5 weeks long. I also have dust on the vehicle in the mornings because the T4R is not covered, it's in the open. The dust has never caused me problems. A good detailer could have identified the problem, imo.
This thread however, is really about using a stream cleaner to first clean the car. That also I would not recommend, unless you want to create problems for your vehicle. I cannot recommend Auto Spa Boutique even for the normal car wash. I have not used them and will not use them.
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