Eco Friendly Detailing Recommended Products In the interest of full disclosure, I am in no way affiliated with, employed by, have any vested interest, or in any way receive compensation from the sale or distribution of the product lines reviewed or the company that manufactures or markets it. Results Obtained These articles are not intended to warrant or guarantee any results with any of the products mentioned. No endorsement of companies or their products mentioned is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar companies or their products not mentioned. The author does not provide, nor guarantee and is not responsible or liable for any third-party products or services. Brand, product and company names used throughout these articles are trademarks of their respective companies and are used for product identification purposes only. Proper Technique 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. Skill Level / Experience 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. Liability 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. Product Quality and Technique 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. There is no `one correct way' to apply a product; the way detailing products are customized are what each individual finds give them their desired results. Aesthetics The aesthetics- of a vehicles appearance is very subjective to say the least, the only best wax or sealant that really matters is what looks 'best' to you. In the final analysis it all come down to; 85% preparation, 5% product, 7% application methodology and the balance is in the ‘guy’ of the beholder Research Research others opinions and products, test them and then make an objective decision based upon factual information not marketing hype or brand loyalty. I have always thought that the more facts and information you have at hand the easier it is to judge what information you are being given. After all, how can you fully understand and properly use any product unless you have all the facts? Detailing products Should work on their real merits, not ‘smoke and mirrors'. Most importantly - choose carefully whose advice you listen to, and more importantly what advice you act upon, so I would strongly suggest that you verify any information that I or anyone else shares with you. What is Eco friendly detailing? How do we judge whether we are being eco friendly or not? Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle. By minimising - •Water usage •Run-off/drainage/waste •Using bio-degradable chemical products (check MSDS information) •Recyclable packaging •Manufacturing/sustainability Being green often means financial sacrifice, but the effect on the environment is just that little bit lighter. Optimum No-Rinse (ONR) is environmentally safe as it eliminates the run-off that occurs from rinsing a soapy car. Water that runs into storm drains does not receive treatment at a waste water plant before reaching a body of water. All the soap, oils, and dirt that was on your car is now in the nearest lake or stream that is inhabited by fish and wildlife. So by using ONR you are protecting the water quality because everything that was on your vehicle ends up in a towel and not in the storm drain. ONR is water-soluble, biodegradable, and meets all water usage laws established by the federal Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Biodegradable Of all the environmental buzzwords, biodegradable has perhaps been the most misused and is perhaps the most difficult to understand. Because in the past there have been no guidelines or regulations, many products have called themselves biodegradable without any real justification. Unfortunately, the word biodegradable has frequently been applied to products that generally aren't (such as detergents or plastics) and almost never used for products that really are (such as soap or paper). A biodegradable product [:has the ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means, into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment ] These products can be solids biodegrading into the soil (which we also refer to as compost able), or liquids biodegrading into water. Products labelled "biodegradable" cannot be legally released into storm water drains. Environmentally friendly [: means that the product does not contain toxins or carcinogenic components as defined by the various government agencies] however, many synthetic organic chemicals don't occur in nature and no natural enzymes exist to break them down. As a result, many petrochemicals remain in the environment for a long time and, because some are also extremely toxic, that means they cause serious problems Containment Systems One should never assume that aqueous solutions can be disposed of untreated via the storm drainage system. Pending regulations are in place (Clean Water Act and Ground Water Pollution) to limit the amount of contaminated water that is allowed to be discharged into storm water systems (i.e. street vehicle washing) It is an offence for anyone to cause or knowingly permit: the entry into surface waters or groundwater of solid waste matter, or of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, or the discharge of trade and sewage effluent into surface waters or groundwater without prior consent from the Environmental Regulator) A containment mat that will withstand the chemicals used in automobile, marine, and aviation washing and refinishing applications that would allow the water to be contained and then pumped into an optional holding tank preventing run-off contamination into rivers, lakes, bays and oceans, that will be in compliance with the discharge guidelines established by the Clean Water Act and the Environmental Protection Agency and other local regulations regarding wastewater runoff / containment may be the answer. Vacu-Boom system- http//:www.vacboo.com Inflatable Wash Pad - simply roll out the mat and inflate it with the blower supplied. Drive the vehicle on to the inflated mat and you have a fully portable wash pad. When the vehicle drives onto the floor the edges bend and then return upright - Inflatable Wash Pads - Inflatable Wash Pads - Liquid Tight Floor Low Pressure Washer Detailing System [With a patent pending, Craig's hot and trendy new company, The Total Pros, is the lucky company that will continue to promote his savvy new business idea internationally. The controversy over the introduction of this sensible new money-saving and water-conserving idea has just begun. Critics and pundits alike have had a field day discussing this new idea, but those who have taken the time to see and use it are really believing in it! The revolutionary new low pressure system works and saves any professional auto detailer the challenge of finding the right spot to perform a quick and easy service. "There has really never been any major profit margin doing a plain car wash service until now. Not only are we able to cut our time in half in all areas of prep washing, car washing and completed detailing, we have discovered some great added benefits," quips Craig proudly. "Because of the use of so little water we have found that we are able to completely wash, clay and detail our clients' vehicles right in their garages! We never have to worry about finding a spot on the driveway or parking lot to get the car completed. In fact, if you are into car washing maintenance or working in a variety of parking lot situations within office complex environments, we've discovered that you don't even have to move the vehicle out of the parking spot because you won't get other vehicles surrounding the car wet with water! "Shares Craig. What a space and time saving idea! "My new eco-friendly auto detailing system is so compact we have professional detailers working out of the back of small SUV’s, mini vans and compact mini trucks. We’ve been able to eliminate numerous larger system components using new technology and more compact equipment. Being compact saves space, time, gas and the cost of getting started," smiles Craig.] The Total Pros: Auto Detail Training | Meguiar's Detailing Supplies Environmental Commitment- please dispose of all non-biodegradable materials from your vehicle cleaning in a responsible manner Information resource Automotive Detailing Inside & Out; a Knowledge Base for the Perfectionist– by Jon Miller © TOGWT ™ Ltd Copyright 2002-2008, all rights reserved Detailing Articles This is one of is one of a series of unbiased and informative, knowledge based, subject specific articles, which are dedicated to the automotive detailing enthusiast or professional detailer in search of development and further education Copyright Protection and intellectual property rights-© This work is registered with the UK Copyright Service that supports international copyright protection by securing independent evidence that will help prove originality and ownership in any future claims or disputes. All original material is copyright, unless otherwise state (1) it may be copied and distributed for non-commercial purposes only provided that you retain all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the original material, (2) the information is copied in full with no changes unless prior written agreement is obtained from TOGWT, and a reference to © TOGWT ™ is included, any unauthorized use of these materials may violate copyrights and/or trademark. Be aware these files have been digitally watermarked and actually contain embedded copyright information; so they can be traced to any website on the internet if needed in a legal confrontation
quick question, who sells inflatable wash pads in the US? i need to pick one up but they are all kinda expensive, at least the ones i've found.
yeah i saw that one, but 1295 is a bit steep. i have heard of people getting some as low as $300 bucks.
