# Popular Detailing Mistakes



## RandomlySet (Jul 10, 2007)

What are some of the most common detailing mistakes you see, or have done yourself?


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## RS3 (Mar 5, 2018)

Joining a detailing forum for ideas on which products to buy.
Massive mistake if you value your bank balance.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Carrying on pretending it's not going to rain.


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## suds (Apr 27, 2012)

It always think personal presentation/appearance in front of clients is very important, so maybe mistakenly picking up the tube of haemorrhoid cream when brushing my teeth was a big mistake - a!though it really does reduce wrinkles!


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## RT1994 (Jun 25, 2019)

When I was first starting out, over application of product. Learned very quickly that less is more with most products, especially waxes/sealants.


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## AndyQash (Jul 28, 2019)

Picking up the wrong bottle and using AG Vinyl & Rubber Care as an LSP instead of the my 50/50 AG Aqua Wax / BSD, soon learned to put any LSP concoctions into different style bottles.


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## Scotty B (Jul 1, 2009)

Not wearing gloves after I got married and scratching the paint work with my new wedding ring. Buffed out so lesson learned.


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## straight6hatch (Jul 17, 2020)

Thinking that standard microfibre cloths are fine for glass. Been wondering for years why I could never get good results on glass until I got a proper fish scale glass cloth &#55358;&#56611;


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## atbalfour (Aug 11, 2019)

Buying leather conditioners for modern car interiors.

Thinking that ONR / QDs are 'safe'.

Applying tire dressing to a dirty tire.

Detailing in the sun - I've been guilty of applying a coating to a warm panel. The machine was back out 15 streaky minutes later.


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## noorth (Jul 10, 2019)

RS3 said:


> Joining a detailing forum for ideas on which products to buy.
> Massive mistake if you value your bank balance.


Like an episode of the twilight zone :lol:


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## 350Chris (May 12, 2016)

Wrong product for the job...

Brushes, Pads, polish or clay that are too harsh or too soft For the task and end up generating more work in the long term - and not doing test sections for the same; being stubborn and banging on with a product when I should change it

Not keeping clay in hot water to keep temperature in it


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## scooobydont (Feb 25, 2017)

Trying to buy a cheaper product or tool other than the ones that have been proven to work and recommended many times. You end up buying the proper one in the end anyway.


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## sevenfourate (Mar 23, 2013)

Caring what the neighbours think :lol:


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## AndyQash (Jul 28, 2019)

scooobydont said:


> Trying to buy a cheaper product or tool other than the ones that have been proven to work and recommended many times. You end up buying the proper one in the end anyway.


Learnt that recently by straying away from TRC cloths, that extra couple of quid makes all the difference.


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## scooobydont (Feb 25, 2017)

AndyQash said:


> Learnt that recently by straying away from TRC cloths, that extra couple of quid makes all the difference.


To be honest, I will probably still do it, it's the Scottish in me :lol:


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

Picked up a bottle of glass cleaner that was standing next to a QD detailer and used it on the body work :wall:


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## baxlin (Oct 8, 2007)

Spending several hours on a widowed neighbour’s car as a favour. She was very pleased with the result.



But so were several others........


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Buying over hyped products.


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## Tricky Red (Mar 3, 2007)

Using Clay to get rid of tar splats when tar remover is hugely more effective.


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## sunnydude959 (Jan 3, 2014)

1. Accidentally using body shampoo instead of leather conditioner on my seats as they were in similar bottles (I thought it did smell a bit too nice to be leather conditioner)

2. Accidentally burnt through the paint on my A-pillar using a microfibre cutting pad with a DA.

I wouldn't say that these were popular mistakes, but certainly the two main mistakes i've made before


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## Itstony (Jan 19, 2018)

Removing or spinning a belt buckle away from the front.
Impatience. 
Not wearing required PPE.
Planning.
A moment for JSA.
Short cuts.
Right tools for the job.
Not clearing up, tools, and washing pads and cloths after a session or end of day.

All classed boring, all are the road to potential train wreck ..... well, slight exaggeration, can't write the two words I want to.
Will fess up flouted all these one time at least, that was enough for me :lol:


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## TeddyRuxpin (Mar 7, 2016)

Energetically vacuuming the inside of the car and either dragging or toppling the actual vacuum over and scratching doors and sills... on multiple occasions... 

I've stopped using those tall Dyson hoovers now.. strictly Henry Hoovers.... a small/low base unit with a low centre of gravity!


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## President Swirl (Oct 23, 2011)

Putting DLUX on the trims 10 minutes before Noah floated past.


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