WHAT IS SOYBEAN PLASTIC? One interior material that is being used more and more is made from soybeans. But, what is it exactly? According to sciencing.com, “The two major types of soybean-derived plastics are polyurethane products and polyester thermoset products. Soy polyols, made from soybean oil, are used to make toner, adhesives, sealants, coatings, newspaper ink, automobile panels and urethane foam, including rigid urethane foam insulation. When combined with the appropriate chemicals, soy polyols rival their petroleum counterparts in durability, strength and often cost.”
CRAYON REMOVAL Oh, kids, you gotta love ‘em. Trying to beautify the interior of a vehicle with a rainbow of colors is sweet, but what isn’t sweet is the residue left behind. Pereira calls this kind of stain removal a “destructive repair,” meaning, you will have to hurt the stain before you can fix it. Firstly, you have to dry brush the crayon residue and vacuum up the wax. Then, you have to use some WD-40. But, that’s not all. If left as is, the WD-40 will begin to smell and cause a ‘fishy’ smell. So, you will now have to use a protein stain remover to remove the WD-40 you just used on the crayon stain.
HAIR REMOVAL TIPS To remove human and pet hair start by vacuuming with a rubber brush-like attachment. And, here is a key trip, said Pereira, brush it out in one direction only, in the same way you would use a lint roller on a piece of clothing. Some detailers swear by pumice stones. However, you have to use them carefully as they can crumble and leave chunks behind which is another mess you’ll have to vacuum up. Also, detailers cannot get too clumsy with them and need to pay careful attention as I have seen detailers scuff up other parts of the interior with the stones.
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AUTO DE TAILING NEWS
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VOL. 3, NO. 4 • FALL 2018
look worse than when you started. There has been more than one occasion when I was asked to advise on a bad cleaning job on an interior and my advice has been (and is really the only way to solve the problem) was to fiber rinse and put the interior to a neutral pH state.
What are some of the toughest and most problematic interior stains and how should they be extracted? DP: Tannin stains. When cleaning an interior identifying the stains you are cleaning is important. If you don’t know what the stain is then treat it as if it was a tannin stain. And know that
using a high pH cleaner on a tannin stain will set the stain, not remove it.
What exactly is tannin? DP: Tannin is a natural occurring vegetable dye found in many plants, most especially grape skin, tea leaves, bark and stalk of vegetation. It is responsible for the “bitter” taste of red wine and some coffees. When coffee or tea or other beverages with tannins are spilled onto carpet, the heat of the beverage “opens up” the fiber and allows it to penetrate. These hot spills bond with the fiber and removal is difficult, especially after a day or two have passed — or weeks or months, which can be the case.
20 MINUTES OR LESS Some customers will think that they will have to wait hours and hours to pick up their car after an interior detailing has been completed. But, if a detailer does everything correctly, the vehicle should be ready 15-20 minutes after the detailing is complete, according to Pereira. One of the biggest mistakes is soaking the car and not properly attacking the stain with the right ratio of product to the stain. A vehicle’s interior should not be drenched — it is a waste of time, product and energy and will leave behind a wet dog smell.