March 12, 2006

Dear friend,

This is your edition of AutoMotives. Today we will talk about interior car detailing.

Sagging headliners, dingy seats and interior plastic can really detract from the driver's experience. All these problems can be improved with appropriate car detailing work. It only requires a little time and a few well-chosen products. To fully determine the interior's condition it's best to start with a thorough detailing.

First vacuum all carpeted and cloth surfaces. Use a brush attachment on headliners and other delicate cloth surfaces. Use a crevice extension to reach into recesses between seats and foot wells. A 12 Foot Vacuum Hose with crevice and wide extensions will really extend the usefulness of your wet/dry vac.

TIP: Many spills and stains will dissolve in water. It's often effective to dampen a small area with a pump spray bottle of water and immediately vacuum with your wet/dry vac. More stubborn stains can be removed with commonly available upholstery/carpet cleaners.

FOR GLASS: Clean all glass surfaces. I suggest to use Eastwood's Pro Glass Detailing System which includes a floating triangular head with replaceable bonnets. The unique shape and low profile of this tool allow it to reach into corners. Especially great for the lower windshield corners where there is very limited space between the glass and the dash. Works great with a Glass and Solid Surface Cleaner.

FOR TRIM & UPHOLSTERY: Interior vinyl, leather and plastic parts like seats, dash top and other trim panels can fade due to sun damage. For the most professional results it is best to remove the piece to be refinished. Eastwood also offers a full line of trim tools from the 3 Piece Door Panel and Trim Removal Set with stainless steel blades, to the less expensive plated steel Trim Removal Set. Other ducts, window and other trims can be unscrewed and gently pried away with the Reinforced Nylon Pry Tool Set.

Once the interior items to be refinished have been removed they should be completely cleaned with a detergent scrub followed by an application of Adhesion Promoter for hard plastics, vinyl, leather or carpet then coated with an Upholstery Dye. Be sure to work in a well ventilated area and follow label directions for best results.

Original style seat covers are available for the more popular vehicles. The seats in most cars built in the 60's through 70's and beyond have covers that can be replaced with a few basic tools. The Stretching Plier helps pull covers tightly around the metal frame so retaining clips or Hog Rings can be installed with specially grooved jaw Hog Ring Pliers. These Pliers are available with either Bent or Straight heads.

Sagging headliners seldom respond well to regluing. The foam backing over the years dries out and releases from the cloth headliner and the backing board. Applying a fresh layer of contact adhesive soon releases as the foam continues to degrade. Replacing the glue-in headliners is not as difficult as many would imagine. The actual process varies from vehicle to vehicle but basically the perimeter moldings, mirror, sun visors and dome light need to be removed before the backing board can be removed. The most impressive thing about this whole process is how the entire backing board can be gently bent and passed through a door opening.

At this point it's a simple and messy process to pull off the old cloth and brush away the dried foam. We recommend using a Headliner Kit, which includes the cloth and the proper adhesive. Follow the instructions included with the headliner and reinstall.