When you price compare for detailing services in Kingston ... ask the question “Old School” or “New School”?

Most professional detailers are using the "old school” bucket-and-brush method of cleaning interiors, but The Car Spa is using the latest in steam technology.  With interior cleaning, there are still various ways a detailer goes about completing the task.
  1. The "very old school” bucket, brush, wet-vac method. This is the least effective, most time-consuming, and a near-primitive way to clean an interior.  Even worse ... opening up a pressure washer on the floor of your vehicle.  As you can imagine ... this leaves your floor, the underlay, the electrical wires, etc. very, very wet.
  2. The "old school” carpet extractor method. Most detail shops have a carpet extractor. Some still have a cold water unit, but most have a heated unit that does a fine job in cleaning floor mats, carpeting, and fabric seats. However, the carpet extractors are limited to mostly those tasks. The hard-trim panels such as console areas, seat tracks, trim panels, dash areas, etc. need to be cleaned with sprayed-on cleaners, brushed, and wiped clean. This is a bit more time consuming to do effectively.
  3. The "new school” method is using the steamer on everything. It's safe, quick, more effective, and gets in places that brushes can't. If a competitor tries to convince you otherwise, drop by and check out the steamer yourself.  I guarantee that you will be impressed!!
It's true that in most cases a steamer works better than a carpet extractor, but take note that there are still situations that require a carpet extractors. They will always have their place. An auto interior that is absolutely trashed will benefit more from extraction than just steam. Sometimes dirt has to be flushed out, and a carpet extractor will be able to do this better than steam alone. However, for cars that are not trashed, you will be able to get carpets and seats just as clean with steam — or better, in most cases.
HOW DOES STEAM WORK?
All steamers have a boiler. The water inside the boiler is heated and pressurized which will produce steam — or more precisely, hot dry vapor, which is a gas. As all gasses do, when vapour contacts the atmosphere it expands violently and dissipates. Vapor molecules are extremely small and are able to penetrate the pores on any surface. When the hot vapor molecules come in contact with the cool surface in the pores, they violently expand and force all dirt, debris, and bacteria to the surface. Also, because the vapor is so hot, bacteria — as well as anything else — are killed. The results are surfaces that are free of any substances that were not originally on those surfaces. In addition, the surface dries extremely quickly because you are cleaning with hot vapor, which has a water content of only about 5 percent. When using steam on the interior of a vehicle, the overall interior will be almost totally dry upon completion of such use.
STEAMER ADVANTAGES
There are so many more advantages to using a steamer over brushing, or cleaning with carpet extractors. Let’s examine them:
  • A steamer will get into areas a carpet extractor only wishes it can. A steamer can be used to clean between seats, consoles, dashes, cup holders, vents, door pockets, doorjambs, seat tracks, and more.
  • A steamer will not leave an interior soaking wet the way a carpet extractor will. Over-wetting with an extractor is a major reason for mold, mildew, and odors within an interior of a vehicle. Steam dries within minutes.
  • A steamer will clean hard surfaces that an extractor cannot.
  • A steamer will clean leather seats better than using harsh chemicals and a brush. It will leave leather soft and supple.
  • With a steamer, you are using super-heated vapor. Chemicals are rarely needed which keeps the interior drier and leaves the inside smelling fresh, not harsh.
  • A steamer can be used to clean windows to perfection, without the streaking often seen from the use of window cleaners.
  • A steamer does a tremendous job in removing window tint and decals safely and more quickly than any other method.
*****In some instances, if carpets or seats are extremely soiled, a carpet extractor may be the choice to use because of its flushing ability with hot water. However, the steamer I chose incorporates hot water injection when needed, which acts like a carpet extractor (but with much hotter water) and also has a built-in vacuum.