Mold is a fungi that grows in warm, damp places. Along with warmth and moisture, it needs organic matter to breed. There are various forms of mold. Some strains are very dangerous to people. Mold has a dank musty smell.
For instance, black mold is harmful to people. By breathing in the spores, it could spark symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, eye irritations, and headaches.
Develop clean car habits. What are clean car habits?
- Clean or have your vehicle’s interior detailed regularly - vacuum, clean windows, wipe down all panels (giving driver's side special attention). Skin cells build up on the things you often touch.
- Have Your Vehicle Detailed Professionally At Least Once A Year — A professional detailer has the proper knowledge and tools for addressing things beyond your capabilities.
- Avoid Eating in The Car — Food and drinks spills land under/between seats, door pockets, onto seats and carpets.
- Repair Leaks —Windows, Seals, and Sunroof
- Keep Sunroof Drain Clean — Clog drains pushed water into the car.
- Open Windows To Let Moisture Escape.
- Replace Cabin Air Filter Per Auto Maker Recommendation — Check with repair shop for filter location and replacement
- Occasionally Run Fan With AC off — Dries Moisture in System.
You may ask, “If I suspect mold, what should I do?” Don't touch it. Find a professional who can properly kill and clean the mold with specially made chemicals. You may or may not find these in the local auto or department stores. Using the wrong chemical could cause more harm than help. It could spread the mold rather kill it, discolor or stain seats and carpet.
Ultimate Goal - Reduce the three ingredients inside of you auto: warmth, moisture, and organic matter. Mold is airborne. So it won't be completely eliminated. By controlling the environment, you can keep it from finding ahome in you car.
Red Clay Detailing provides mold remediation and mobile detailing service in Atlanta, Georgia. Contact at 404-419-6882
2017 marks the second year of Red Clay Detailing’s attendance and the SEMA Show. The SEMA Show is the world’s largest automotive industry convention. It is held yearly the first week of November in Las Vegas, NV. The show takes up all two million square feet of space along with parking lots, side alleys, back alleys, and parts of the Westgate hotel: no space goes unused. SEMA stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association.
This event is a car guy or gal’s dream come true. There were classics, exotics, hot-rods, rat rods, race vehicles, off-road vehicles, 4×4’s, low-riders, custom builds. One could suffer from octane overload with all the vehicles on site. In fact, there was even a helicopter; it was covered up for the day by the time we got to it.
If you love four wheels: cars, trucks, or SUVs, you must attend the SEMA Show. However, you must be in the automotive business in order to attend.
Unlike 2016, the security was much tighter. Instead of mailing the badge holder, Spousal badge holders had to be picked up in person at the show registration desk: Thank God there was no waiting for spouses. Secondly, specific doors were available for building entry. At these entry points, attendees had their bags checked and passed through metal detectors. Upon entering show halls, people meet by another level of security. Show staff were checking for fake badges. It would be safe to say, the Mandalay Bay shooting was a catalyst for this year’s intense security.
This year was much different than 2016. With no booth commitments, Yasir had freedom to explore more halls, and talk with more vendors. On the second day of the show, his shoes were smoking from all the walking. He visited every single convention hall seeking out key vendors. Each hall had at least one vendor that he needed to see.
Without fail, vendors brought new products and services to the SEMA show. It was an opportunity to test new tools, talk to makers about products, meet with industry peers, network and make new contacts. Also, there were educational seminars on business and marketing. People attended from all over the world, not limited to only vendors. One detailer came from Australia, yes, the land “down-under.” Another pair came from the United Kingdom.
SEMA was a time of gathering information and researching tools that will benefit our customers. Although there are many toys, it was not play time. As the seasons change, you should experience better service and improved relations as a Red Clay Detailing customer.
A commercial grade European vapor steamer is the tool of choice for cleaning vehicle interiors. It produces “dry” vapor. Along with cleaning, a vapor steam sanitizes auto interiors. Also, vapor steam is eco-friendly and odorless.
Adequate heat is the key. Vapor steam is most effective when heated to approximately 300 degrees. With an adjustable PSI, it may be used for several interior cleaning applications: seats, carpets, vents, dash, and doors.
All surfaces of your vehicle are cleaned with less chemicals. This process deep cleans the pores of the surface by breaking the bond between the dirt and the surface. The moisture then suspends the dirt so it can be wiped away. At the same time, it kills bacteria on contact leaving you with a clean and sanitized vehicle.
Vapor Steam Benefits
• More effective than general cleaning
• Deodorizes and sterilizes
• Reduces chemical use
• Less drying time for fabric and carpet
• No water saturation that can lead to mold spores
• Less water means healthier carpet and upholstery
• Kills germs and bacteria and micro-organisms like mold and dust mites
• Thorough cleaning of all nooks and crannies
• Sanitizes air conditioning vents
As you can see, it only makes sense to use the vapor steam cleaning method to insure your car is as clean and sanitized as possible.
At Red Clay Detailing, we keep your interior nice and clean with vapor steam. Request an appointment today.
Choosing a parking spot with your cars appearance in mind may seem silly to some. However it really does make a difference. Once you start, it will become second nature.
Lets start with avoid the following parking places: in direct sunlight, under trees, under bird perches e.g., power lines and street light arms. The goal is to keep the car away from anything that harms the paint. Shade is always preferred to the harsh heat and damaging UV rays of sunlight. If that shade comes from a leaf, needle, and sap dropping tree, not to mention bird droppings, go for the sun!
Thick gooey pine tree sap and bird droppings are the worst offenders. They can permanently damage paint and convertible tops, thus costing you money in repair bills.
Is a bird feeder near your parking spot? Can you move it?
Besides sap and sunlight, you should be mindful of potential door dings and scratches. The ultimate ding free solution, you should park away from other cars! If that’s not possible, you may want to park on the end spot in a corner, far away from the adjacent space. One last thought on dings, you should park farther out in the lot avoiding those rushing into the store and the dreaded shopping carts.
You may say, “I have a garage.” Not so fast, you may consider parking on the least traveled side of your own garage; it will help prevent abuse from foot traffic.
Car covers are another great way to prolong your cars newly detailed appearance. There are a few considerations. Covers must be installed over clean cars. They must be kept clean themselves. A dirty cover on a dirty car can cause more harm than good. Always purchase the best cover you can afford for your cars particular needs. (Is your car stored outside in harsh weather year round?..or maybe it sits in a garage all winter?) We can show you the proper technique for installing the cover, which will make it easy and fast to use and insure it stays clean.
The tips listed above are not meant to make you obsessive. They are to help you be mindful of your investment. A few minutes of thought can set up your “spot” and prolong your cars new look for years. If you have further questions about caring for your car’s appearance contact us.
As a car owner, you want to maintain your car’s appearance. However, you find it difficult getting your car to the detail shop. Have you ever had a detail shop come to you? The solution is hiring a mobile auto detailer. The mobile auto detailer will clean your car on-site while you are attending to more important matters. In many cases, the mobile detailer performs services on a level similar to a fixed detail shop. A mobile auto detailer offers the following benefits:
A professional mobile auto detailer comes to your home or office. Therefore, a mobile detailer saves you the hassle of dropping off and picking up your car from the local detail shop. If you have several cars, a mobile detailer can detail all the cars during one visit.
2. Personal Attention
The mobile detailer provides personal service. Rather than volume, the detailer focuses only on your car. Without rushing, the technician properly details your car, achieving quality results. While at your location, the detailer is readily available so you can watch and ask questions during the process. Do you have a special request not listed in the service menu? The mobile detailer may a that specific need.
Usually, the mobile detail service will be a small team. Rather than different people, the same team will detail your car on each visit. This detail team learns your preferences, knows which products and techniques work best for your vehicle, reducing the need for repeated instructions. Also, the mobile detailer can arrange regular visits. This will maintain the car to your standards.
As outlined above, the mobile detailer benefits car owners in several ways. If you are looking for a low-stress way of keeping up your car’s appearance, a mobile auto detailer may suit you. The mobile detailer simplifies your life by coming to you. In addition to personal vehicles, mobile detailers service boats, planes, RV’s, tractor-trailers and company fleets.
Each Spring, the plants go wild and release pollen. In places like Georgia, we are covered in a yellow haze of pine pollen, for weeks. For many car owners, this is a dreaded time of year. During this time, car owners may boycott washing their car until after the yellow release stops. Secondly, they may drive themselves crazy with daily rinses or frequent car washes.
How should one care for their car’s appearance during the Spring? You should protect the paint before Spring is in full swing.
What should I use?
Wax or seal the paint. Say what?!
Waxes are naturally based like carnauba as well synthetic based. Waxes are more common to the general public. Sealant are synthetic and long lasting. On average, waxes lasts about four to six weeks. Whereas, sealants protects up to three months. These time frames are for well maintained vehicles.
When properly applied, waxes or sealants items help protect against dirt and pollutants. Although your car is regularly washed, paint protection adds a protective barrier against the elements. There are many choices in the local auto care departments. Find a product that works best for your car and apply regularly for lasting protection.
Consult a professional auto detailer, if you wish to learn which of these product may best suit your auto needs.
Thank you for dropping by the newly designed Red Clay Detailing website. It has been a long time coming. The blog is a new feature for Red Clay Detailing. The goal will be to share our experience within detailing world and beyond.
I hope you like the new design. Check back regularly to see what’s new.