Monday, October 29, 2018

Premium Microfiber Car Towels, Car Drying Wash Detailing Buffing Waxing Polishing Towel

Cons

At $16.69 is a little more expensive than other microfiber towels our there, but you know what they say “a cheap microfiber towel is only as good as the first use”.  With this towel sitting at 16×16 inches well worth the money for multiple jobs!

Final Verdict

Overall this car microfiber towel is fantastic.  Holds a lot of water and debris, and is great for those messy jobs.  Even with being a little more expensive definitely worth the investment. Highly Recommend.

Get it now here:

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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Houston’s Best Total Car Detailers – Disposing Of Used Oil And Other Wastes Properly Pt2

Disposing Of Hazardous Auto Waste Without Environmental Damage

Antifreeze

Years and years ago, we used to kill weeds around our garage with old coolant once we’d drained it out. Sometimes we simply dumped it down the sink before flushing out the radiator with water straight from the hose. The used water, chock full of heavy metals, ran down the driveway and into the gutters. These sorts of operations are illegal now. Commercial shops can’t dispose of antifreeze this way, and you shouldn’t either. When it’s time to drain your radiator, catch all of the coolants in a pan with minimal spills. Top it up with water and run the engine long enough to heat up and open the thermostat. After the water’s gotten to every part of the system (a few minutes), drain it and repeat the process. Flushing the system twice will purge all but the tiniest traces of the old coolant from the system. Put the right amount of fresh coolant into the system and use more water to top it up.

Now you face the question of what to do with your used coolant. In a lot of larger shops, recycling distillers are used to pull glycol out of used coolant so that it can be reused. Water is boiled away during this process, reducing all the unwanted material to just a few teaspoonfuls. Check around with shops in your area; one with the necessary equipment will likely accept your old coolant for free. There’s one important provision when you’re changing coolant: You need to use completely clean containers to extract the coolant. That includes pans, funnels, and any other surface that touches the antifreeze. Any contaminants – especially oil – will make the coolant impossible to recycle.

Paint And Gasoline

Today, most aftermarket automotive paint is based on either enamel or lacquer. (Many new cars are painted with water-based paint when they’re built.) The bad news is, a lot of local waste disposal systems won’t accept solvent-based paints or the thinners that go with them. For small quantities of paint, gasoline, or paint thinner, you can do what we do: Leave them in an open can and let them dry out. Note that this needs to be done in a secure area with plenty of ventilation – open liquids like this are both fire and poison hazards. Do not leave them where children or pets can get to them! (Also, you should be aware that evaporation doesn’t work for coolant; it takes too long to dry.) For larger quantities of paint, thinner, and gasoline, contact your local waste management authorities for proper disposal instructions. Gasoline needs special handling because one of its key additives, MTBE, is a potential groundwater contaminant.

Brake Fluid

Brake fluid is based on alcohol, and it has enough toxic components to make it poisonous if ingested. Catch the runoff when you bleed brakes in a jar. Old brake fluid that’s been exposed to air will absorb water, making it more volatile and less safe. New or unused brake fluid can be disposed of by pouring it into cat litter. Evaporation will dry the fluid out in a few days. As with paint and gasoline, this drying should be done in a secure area free of fire hazards and secured against pets and children.

Batteries

Car batteries contain lead that must be kept out of the groundwater. The good news is, most batteries are recyclable. The lead plates and sulfuric acid inside a battery can be readied for reuse fairly easily. Most states now have incentive programs in place to encourage you to let battery vendors recycle your batteries. Effectively, you get a small discount on the price of a new battery when you turn in an old one at the same time. Many garages and auto shops will take old batteries off your hands for free. As a last resort, you should be able to find a free battery disposal site operated at the city or county level.

Tires

Keeping old tires in your neighborhood is a bad idea. They hold water and then breed mosquitoes. In some areas, old tires are reused as fuel for curing cement. Turning limestone into portland cement requires extremely high temperatures; using tires as fuel for this process completely combusts the rubber and fabric in them. The steel in the tires melts and can be collected from the furnace. Most tire-selling businesses have recycling programs that will help you get rid of your used ones. Some shops do charge for this service. Many local governments have tire disposal arrangements for homeowners. They may have a specific disposal site or special days when they will pick up tires from your home.

Make Less Waste!

The most efficient way to take care of hazardous waste is to try to generate less of it. Keep an eye on the future and plan purchases and maintenance to minimize the amount of waste you have to deal with. Some quick tips:

  • Keep your charging system in good working order to maximize the life of your battery.
  • Buy paint and solvent in smaller batches, sized as close as possible to the needs of the job.
  • Buy brake fluid in 8-ounce bottles, rather than quarts. This reduces the odds of leftovers going bad.
  • Keep your air cleaner sealed and fresh so that airborne contaminants stay out of your oil.
  • Keep your suspension aligned and rotate your tires regularly so that they’ll last longer.

At Total Car Detailing we are committed to keeping your car clean and cared for. Call us now for your detailing needs or contact us to schedule a detailing time that works best for you. Click here for the first installment of this article and don’t forget to peek at our blog for more helpful tips on automotive detailing and auto maintenance!

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Monday, October 22, 2018

Disposing Of Used Oil Properly – How To Not Harm The Environment

How To Dispose Of Hazardous Waste Without Harming The Environment

You should never place hazardous waste in your home garbage for disposal or pour it down the drain or into your backyard. You need to take the time and research the best way to dispose of the toxic fluids and materials that you have. This will save you money as you will not be fined and you will not harm the environment. Approximately 750 million gallons of used motor oil is recycled each year and it will only take 1 gallon of this oil to contaminate a million gallons of groundwater.

What You Need To Do

It is important to note that recycling laws and practices will vary across the country. The mix of garage cleanup items could be picked up in certain areas, but there are others where this is not possible. You need to get a printout which details the recycling practices in your area from the Department of Public Works. There are some items, like paint, which could be picked up curbside on special days and you need to be aware of this. Of course, there are some counties that make this more difficult. There is one county that only takes oil-based paints on one day at one site every other month between the hours of 9 and 5. This means that ordinary people with a traditional job will not have many options. This is why you have to research your options and see what you can do about the leftover materials generated from working on your car or motorcycle. The brake fluid and other materials can be left to dry out in a pan of cat litter. You should not poison the dog or burn down the house. Draining your filter overnight will also reduce the amount of oil that will eventually land up in the landfill.

Used Oil And Filters

The used oil should be kept in an oil drain pan which has a tight-fitting lid until you are ready to deal with this. These pans ensure that you will only have to handle the oil after every other oil change. The pan will also have a grate which holds the filter allowing it to drain completely. You should allow it to drain for several house or overnight. Used filters will need to be crushed or punctured in commercial shops to ensure that they drain. When it is time to handle the used oil, you should decant it into clean and dry plastic bottles such as empty milk jugs. You should then label them as used engine oil. You can buy oil in gallon jugs and you should look at doing this because it makes it easy to reuse the containers. This is a better size to buy than single quarts. In most states, any shop that completes oil changes is required to take back small quantities of used oil from their customers. The used oil will be recycled back into other products or it is burnt in special furnaces. If you are going to buy motor oil in quarts, you need to ensure that the last few drops are drained from the plastic quart bottles. To do this, you can set up a rig which holds the bottle upside down over another bottle for a prolonged period of time. Over time, you will find that you could be getting a couple of fingers of oil from this. You should save this oil for topping off the lawnmower or other purposes. The completely empty plastic bottles can then be placed in household recycling without contaminating the whole recycling infrastructure.

 

At Total Car Detailing we are committed to keeping your car clean and cared for. Call us now for your detailing needs or contact us to schedule a detailing time that works best for you. Click here for the second installment of this article.

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Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Professional Boat Detailing Part I

How To Detail Your Boat Like A True Professional Part I

Boats are valuable possessions. It’s not (just) that they have resale value, it’s that they enrich our lives. Boats are our ticket to an entirely different world, and they can take us to excitement or relaxation – whatever we prefer. A boat, like any treasured possession, needs proper maintenance to keep it looking its best and performing the way you want it to.

One of your responsibilities as a smart boat owner is to detail your boat when it needs it. The guide presented below will see you well on your way to shining up your boat and restoring it to good-as-new condition. Read on and learn about the importance of using the right cleaning products, protecting your boat’s vinyl and fabric components, and much more!

Step 1: Giving Your Boat A Good Rinse

While individual detailing sessions can vary according to your boat’s needs, almost all of them will start with a good rinse. Spraying your boat with clean water is the fastest, most effective way to blast away dust, grime, and loose debris.

When you rinse your boat, always start at the top and work your way down to the bottom. Don’t worry too much about the state of your boat after you rinse it; this is not intended to be a complete clean all on its own. As long as you knock off the loose debris, you’re making plenty of progress.

You can complete a satisfactory rinse with a basic nozzle on a garden hose. If you have a pressure washer, though, it can make the initial rinsing step much more effective.

Step 2: Soaping Up Your Hull

As noted above, your initial rinse was probably not effective at removing every speck of grime from the surface of your boat. Now it’s time to tackle the more stubborn dirt. Lather up the exterior using a specifically-formulated cleaning product (e.g. Boat Wash) in order to loosen the sturdier grime. A proper marine multi-surface cleaner will be safe and effective on every part of your boat – fabric, and vinyl as well as gel coat.

Important! Don’t ever let the soap dry on your boat’s exterior. It can streak terribly or even cause serious damage to the boat’s finish.

In order to avoid that problem, you need to conduct your soaping in small sections. Lather one spot up and then rinse it thoroughly before moving on.

When you return further on in the process to apply protection, the cleanliness of the surfaces you protect will determine how strong and long-lasting your protective treatments are. For the best results, pay close attention to your soaping!

Call us today or contact us for your consultation. Visit our blog for more related articles. Read on to Part II to learn more.

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Professional Boat Detailing Part II

How To Detail Your Boat Like A True Professional Part II

Step 3: Buff It Out

Your boat’s outside should look a lot better after a thorough boat cleaning, although somewhat dull when compared to when you first purchased it. To bring the shine back, you should start working on buffing the surface out by hand or use a rotary buffer in order to eliminate any oxidation and get the boat surface prepared for the waxing part of the overall detailing procedure.

Step 4: Wax On, then Wax Off

To provide your boat with that special showroom shine, you definitely need to apply wax to the surface. Wax not only shines the surface up to make it even more attractive but waxing your boat also protects its surface against grime and debris, which means you won’t need to detail it as frequently. Just as if you are waxing your car, make sure to concentrate only on small areas at once, buffing the wax off as you go until your boat’s exterior is glistening in pristine condition. One important thing to note is specialty boat wax, works a lot better than others that you might buy. That is due to the fact that boat wax is formulated specially to cope with increased water contact that is experienced by boats compared to cars. In order to maintain that newly waxed shine, a speed detailer can be used in between waxes in order to restore shine along with the very important UV protection.

Step 5: Cleaning the Interior of Your Boat

After the exterior of your boat has been thoroughly waxed and cleaned, it is time to start working on the interior. Like with the outside of your boat, multi-surface cleaners are ideal for a majority of cleaning tasks on the inside part of the boat since it is strong enough for cleaning stubborn areas, but still gentle enough so that surfaces are not damaged. For more stubborn marks and stains, you can use Spot Cleaner. For details, like the aluminum poles, a special metal polish can be used to clean them, and the same wax that you used on the exterior of the boat can be used to protect them.

Final Inspection Of Your Boat Detailing Job

After your boat has been cleaned and waxed, you should think about keeping that just detailed appearance maintained in addition to keeping the surfaces of your boat looking new. Since boats are in the sun most of the time, you need to protect its surfaces against harmful UV rays. Plastics, rubber, and vinyl all need a marine aerospace protectant coat, while a gel coat may be wiped down using a marine speed detailer. The final step is to treat any fabrics with marine fabric guard in order to prevent mildew buildup and water absorption. These simple tips can help to ensure your boat looks brand new for many years.

For more tips and tricks, visit our blog. If you would like to schedule your boat detail with us, please feel free to contact us or call today!

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Monday, October 1, 2018

The Truth About Ceramic Coating: Part 2

What Does Ceramic Coating NOT Do?

Unlike some other companies, at Total Car Detailing we want you to drive away with the best looking car you can, serviced with all the appropriate amenities!

For all of the reasons mentioned previously, a ceramic coating is able to preserve a vehicle’s exterior paintwork and reduce ongoing maintenance requirements. However, regardless of the claims of retailers and manufacturers, the ceramic coating is not a miracle product resolving all problems for your vehicle. This is why it is essential that you are aware of what ceramic coating will not do.

1. Removing The Danger Of Swirl Marks, Rock Chips Or Scratches

The scratch resistance abilities of ceramic coating tend to be exaggerated. While smaller scratches can be repelled by ceramic coating, as is mentioned previously, the coated vehicle is not fully resistant to the risk of parking lot scratches or rock chips. Moreover, automated car washes or improper vehicle washing techniques will continue to create a swirl mark on the car’s surface. It is important to understand that ceramic coating is not a substitute for a severe chip or scratch protection, such as paint protection films, nor does it remove the need to wash your vehicle in a correct manner to avoid these swirl marks.

2. Removing The Risk Of Water Spotting

An average drop of water typically contains a specific amount of minerals or dirt. Once the water evaporates on the vehicle’s surface, the minerals are left behind resulting in visible water spots. Consumers and retailers can assume that the hydrophobic quality of the ceramic coating will remove water spots as water slides off ceramic coated vehicle surfaces. While some water will be removed from the hydrophobic surface, there are other droplets that will bead and remain on the car; thereby, creating the opportunity for water sports.

3. Removing The Need To Wash

As is mentioned previously, the ceramic coating ensures the vehicle appears as if it was new with minimal maintenance or no maintenance. All people will admit that the road is a dirty area and when driving a vehicle, it will become dirty. Even with ceramic coating, you will still need to wash the vehicle regularly to maintain its overall look. One of the benefits of ceramic coating is that the cleaning procedure will be simpler. Furthermore, having a ceramic coating means there is no longer a need to wax the car every few months; thereby, removing a significant part of vehicle maintenance. Of course, the ceramic coating does not make the car maintenance-free; it does not mean there is less work only that you can better maintain the vehicle.

4. So, What Does This Mean?

Basically, the points mentioned previously show that it is important to be informed about a product before making final decisions regarding whether or not it is right for your car. Will ceramic coatings benefit the maintenance of your vehicle and add value to your car? Of course, it will! Is ceramic coating a one-stop-shop option for the car’s exterior problems? No, it is not. It is vital to realize that ceramic coating can be beneficial, but it is not a substitute for the comprehensive protection one can find in a high-quality Clear Bra or paint protection film. Also, don’t be afraid to take a peek at the other services we offer, like Interior Detailing!

Do you think Ceramic coating may be right for you? Call us or contact us without delay, or schedule an appointment for us to come to you!

If you missed the beginning of this article click here.

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The Truth About Ceramic Coating For Cars: Pt.1

What Can Ceramic Coating Do For You?

You really want to keep your car in pristine condition. To this end, you carefully and thoroughly wash it on a regular basis. Moreover, you wax it every few months to keep it shining. However, despite all your efforts, chips, stains, and swirl marks increasingly become abundant all over the exterior of your car. Even worse, grime, dirt, and water spot start to cling to your car just a day and sometimes the same day after thoroughly washing your car. Are facing such a situation? What if I told that there is a product that changes the narrative. Instead of having to rigorously wash your car with no clear benefits, this product will help keep your car clean. Importantly, it will protect your car from environmental hazards, while doing away with the repetitive actions that exterior protection products are known for. The good news is that there is the Ceramic Coating, also known as Nano-Ceramic Coating. Aside from protecting your vehicle, it also adds value to your car. That being said, it is important to understand all the fact pertaining to this product (or any product you want to buy), before making the decision to actually buy the product. With regards to Ceramic coatings, the internet is awash with conflicting claims. On one side of the aisle are the manufacturers and retailers who have claimed that the product offers outstanding performance. On the side, the commentators in the auto care industry have been critical of the product. As such, herein we will clear up issues pertaining to Ceramic Coating to better your understanding of the product. We delve into what the product is, its benefits, the fact about its effectiveness, and the limitations it has.

Ceramic Coating: What Is It?

Ceramic Coatings, including Ceramic Pro, C.Quartz, and Opti-Coat Pro are liquid polymers applied by hand to the exterior surface of a vehicle. Once applied, the coating chemically bonds with the vehicles factory paint, creating a protective layer just above the paint. While the definition of what a Ceramic Coating may make it seem like it is a substitute for the Paint Protection Film, in reality, it is not. Paint Protection Films provide comprehensive protection to the exterior of the car. A Ceramic Coating should be considered as a premium wax alternative. It creates a semi-permanent and in some cases, permanent bond with the car’s paint, and, therefore, it does not break down or dissolve and wash away. As such, it does not necessitate repeated applications every so often.

How Does A Ceramic Coating Work?

In a nutshell, a Ceramic Coating will add an extra layer of protection to the exterior surface, keeping your car looking better (like new) for longer with relatively minimal maintenance. Furthermore, the coating makes your vehicle more resilient to the elements and easier to clean. Below are some of the benefits you stand to experience when you apply Ceramic Coating to your car’s exterior surface.

Protection From Oxidation/UV Damage

When a vehicle’s paint is exposed to the sun, it begins to oxidize. This makes the paint dull and faded. With a layer of Ceramic Coating, the paint is protected from the sun’s UV rays, a sort of deterrent to the process of oxidation as well as protecting the paint from oxygen in the atmosphere.

Protection From Chemical Etching And Stains

Naturally occurring chemical contaminants also present another danger to your car’s exterior as they cause chemical staining. Ceramic Coatings create a layer of chemical-resistant coating, which reduces the interaction of the acid contaminants with the car’s exterior. Therefore, applying this coating makes your car resistant to etching and staining. Nonetheless, you also need to remove the contaminant as soon as possible.

Ease Of Cleaning

Ceramic Coating is hydrophobic, meaning it repels water. As such, when you have this coating on your car, water will bead and slide off quite readily and easily, thereby making it easy for you to clean your car. Moreover, mud and grime will find it difficult to cling on to your car.

Enhanced Gloss

Properly applying a layer of high-quality Ceramic Coating enhance the gloss of your car. Ceramic Coating is renowned for enhancing the reflective properties of a car’s paint and or clear coat. This makes your car stand out even more.

At Total Car Detailing, we appreciate how much Ceramic Coating can add value to your car. Being the leading Ceramic Coating installers in our service areas, we have also experienced the benefits car owners accrue from having Ceramic Coating installed first-hand. However, we also understand the limitations of these coatings. Acquaint yourself with the limitations in our next article.

If you are interested in this for exterior protection and would like to schedule an appointment, click here.

Also, Don’t hesitate to call or contact us with any questions about our other automotive detailing services.

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