This is not a blog entry about a product, a technique, or anything related to the business end of detailing…its about the effects of the job at hand. Truth be told, “detailing” is a very labor intensive service!
There is something to be said for a super clean, glossy, and defect free car…and that is it took a lot of effort to get it looking that way! Something that is never really looked at, or understood by the paying customer sometimes, is the stress and torture your body goes through. All the bending over, the far reaching across the hood, the downward pressure applied to the machine while polishing, etc. really take a toll on the body. Hands get sore and achy from the constant wiping and and swiping with microfiber towels on various surfaces, not to mention the vibrations of the machine while polishing and gripping it. Backs get strained and contorted while bending over and reaching hard to reach areas of the car, or polishing the side skirts on a lowered car. Applying pressure to a machine isnt just using the hands, but the back as well. It takes the whole body in most cases.
Stretching is a very important step in reducing the effects of the endeavor we call detailing. By loosening up your body and getting it ready to contort, twist, and move in various abnormal ways, you will not be stiff, sore, or in so much agony the next day if you do this on occasion, and more so if you do it on a daily basis! I for one get pretty sore after a round of four or five 12-14 hour details done in a single week.
Also, something else to really pay attention to is the eating aspect while working. So many times I have gone 7-8 hours without eating during a long detail that when I finally realize I forgot to eat, I am exhausted physically because I haven’t been giving my body the energy source it needs! I personally have a high metabolism so I need to eat 5-6 times a day! So constantly have to remind myself to break once I split a car down the middle while compounding, or make a full round of final polishing, or while the sealant is setting up on the car. Doing this dramatically helps me focus and have sustained energy on a longer detail!
Hope that helps with just a couple of things that aren’t talked about all the time!