The appeal of mobile detailing is that the car never leaves home. The detailer brings the tools; you bring the car and a bit of space. A few minutes of preparation is the difference between a smooth visit and one that starts with twenty minutes of moving things around.
Pick the spot
A detailer needs to open every door fully and walk all the way around the car with a hose or a polisher on a cord. A good rule is an arm’s length of clear space on each side.
- Flat is best. A steep driveway sends rinse water and buckets downhill.
- Shade helps. Soap and polish dry too quickly on hot paint in direct sun. If you have a choice between the sunny side and the shady side at the booked time, park in the shade. A garage with the door open is fine for interior work and for polishing.
- Think about runoff. Rinse water has to go somewhere. Lawn or gravel next to the driveway is ideal.
If the car will be at your workplace, check that washing a car in the parking lot is allowed, and say which level or row it is on in your notes.
Water and power
The request form asks two simple questions: is there a water tap nearby, and is there a power outlet nearby? Answer them accurately. Many detailers carry a tank and a generator and can work anywhere; others plan to connect to your outside tap and an outlet. Either is normal, and knowing in advance lets the right detailers respond.
If you have a tap, make sure it is turned on at the inside shut-off (in Connecticut many people close it for winter) and that a hose can reach the car.
Empty the car
You do not need to clean before the cleaner arrives, but you do need to remove what should not be cleaned around.
- Take out valuables, paperwork, chargers and anything loose in the door pockets, cup holders and seat-back pockets.
- Empty the trunk or cargo area if you want it vacuumed.
- Child seats: decide whether you want them removed and the seat underneath cleaned. If so, take them out yourself; you will want to refit them yourself anyway.
- Leave floor mats in. They get cleaned too.
Say it in the notes
Detailers read your notes before they decide to respond, so this is where a sentence saves a phone call. Useful things to mention:
- the one thing that bothers you most (a stain, a smell, cloudy headlights);
- pets that ride in the car, and where;
- anything fragile or recently repaired, such as fresh paint or a cracked trim piece;
- access: a gate code is better shared by message after you have chosen a detailer, not in the notes.
Leave phone numbers and email addresses out of the notes. LocalMatch hides them from detailers who have not accepted your request anyway, and your contact details reach the detailers who do accept automatically.
On the day
- Have the key ready, and be reachable by phone for the first ten minutes in case there is a question.
- Keep pets and children clear of the work area. Hoses, cords and open doors are a lot to navigate.
- Walk around the car together at the start if you can. Point out existing scratches and the areas you care about.
- Walk around it again at the end, in daylight, before the detailer packs up.
Afterward
If a wax or sealant went on, ask how long before the car should get wet. If the seats were shampooed, leave the windows open a little while it dries. Then mark the job done on your request page and leave a rating: it takes ten seconds, and it is the only kind of rating LocalMatch shows, one from someone who actually booked.
Not booked yet? Send a request. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
