ADN spring 2024 web

VOL. 9, NO. 4 SPRING 2024 

Germ 

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Thank you, Kevin......... 3 

Details Matter............ 4 

Innovations................ 6 

Industry News........... 8 

Dr. Detail................... 11 

IDA Column.............. 14 

Nitty Gritty.................... 

Josh Pierce................. 17 

Thank you, 

Kevin Halewood 

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Cover Story 

Germ Warfare............. 18 

VOL. 9, NO. 1 | SPRING 2023 

Publisher: Jackson Vahaly 

Editor: Debra Gorgos 

Design: KBA Designs 

Auto Detailing News is published 

4 times per year and is independently 

owned by Jackson Vahaly. 

Web address is 

www.autodetailingnews.com 

All inquiries should 

be directed to: 

Auto Detailing News 

110 Childs Ln. Franklin, TN 37067 

jacksonv@autodetailingnews.com 

Copyright © 2023 

Two Dollar Media, Inc./Auto Detailing News. 

All Rights Reserved. 

We here at Auto Detailing News were saddened to hear 

about the passing of Kevin Halewood, founder of Mobile 

Tech Expo, one of the very best tradeshows for detailers. 

Kevin was always so very kind and welcoming to me. He 

was communicative, enthusiastic and just an all-around 

nice guy. Born on July 24, 1954, Kevin passed away on 

February 4, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, 

Karen, his two children Kenton and Kara, and his grandchild 

Rowan. 

According to his obituary, Kevin was a professional 

speed skater in his early years. He worked as a manager 

for National Airlines, and then Pan Am, before he founded 

the beloved Mobile Tech Expo. 

“At heart, he was known for his storytelling, sense 

of humor, and positive outlook on life with the lifelong 

nickname ‘Happy Halewood’. Kevin was a friend to all 

creatures great and small, in his later years raising and releasing 

both squirrels and butterflies,” his obituary stated. 

Kevin was inducted into the International Detailing 

Association’s Hall of Fame in 2023. The following is the 

write-up was read when he received the award: 

Throughout his career, he has reached out to several organizations 

to promote growth, awareness, and networking for the detailing industry, 

including the International Detailing Association. He seems to be 

a walking encyclopedia of knowledge when it comes to professional 

detailers and suppliers for the past 22 years. 

Kevin's professional skills are exemplary. He is the only industry 

professional that reached out in the beginning of the IDA with 

complimentary print exposure to include membership applications, 

publishing members articles, and classes during the MTE tradeshow. 

Most importantly, he offered IDA free booth space and private rooms 

to host our industry speakers during Mobile Tech Expo for past and 

present. He was one of the first IDA believers to realize professional 

detailers and suppliers need their own platform to promote our industry. 

His vision was not to rely on the International Carwash Association 

(ICA) and be a "step child" in the industry. He immediately 

volunteered his personal time, newspapers, and tradeshow to get the 

IDA off the ground domestically and internationally without asking 

for compensation. 

Kevin started Sun King Publishing in 1987 to bring awareness 

to automotive trimmers. Years later, a newspaper was exclusively dedicated 

for professional detailers and suppliers. Sun King Publishing 

recognized the importance of the IDA by outlining our mission in 

print, thus lending legitimacy and the avenue to communicate to our 

present and future members. 

VOL. 9, NO.1 • SPRING 2024 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 3

DETAILS 

MATTER 

By Joe “The Detail Guy” 

Zeidler, IDA Member, CD-MC 

Joe Zeidler, IDA Member, CD-MC, 

is the owner of C & J's Precision 

Auto Detailing of Schuylkill Haven, 

Pennsylvania. He can be reached at 

JoeTheDetailGuy@yahoo.com. 

How does one earn the title of “professional 

detailer”? Is it our tools? How 

about our choice of chemicals? Is it our 

shop or trailers? How about our clothing 

and our appearance? Is it our dedication 

to doing craftsman type work every time 

we do a vehicle? 

The answer is yes to ALL of the above. 

As PROFESSIONAL detailers we 

should take pride in every aspect of our 

business. We wake up every day with the 

chance to do something we are passionate 

about and that is a big deal. Our tools 

should be in good working order, and 

we should take the time to decide which 

chemicals are going to be in our shops. 

Speaking of shops, our shops should be 

well lit and organized with room to work. 

Not everyone can start off with a big space 

but the goal for smaller startups should be 

building and growing a repeat customer 

base and then work on expanding into a 

larger building. The same goes with mobile 

detailers. I started with a mobile trailer, 

but I had everything onboard. Water, 

generator, pressure washer, chemicals, 

equipment and even a canopy. As a professional 

we shouldn’t require our customers 

to supply anything. 

Our appearance is important as well. 

Are you “freshening up” between customers? 

A little face wash and a reapply of 

deodorant makes a difference. Also, the 

4 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 9, NO. 1 • SPRING 2024 

For the 

Love of 

Detailing 

What makes a 

detailer a detailer? 

It’s more than just 

one simple answer. 

Pleasure in the job puts perfection 

in the work. - Aristotle 

clothing makes a huge impression. I have 

printed t-shirts as well as nice embroidered 

short sleeve button downs for meeting 

customers and making introductions. 

Now marketing is another story. Do 

you have a consistent motto and/or logo 

across all of your materials? Does the logo 

on your shirts match the one on your business 

cards? How about extra printed materials 

like brochures and giveaways? Is 

your website easy to navigate and can your 

customers book online? To establish your 

business, you must decide on your logo and 

carry that theme across all of your website, 

marketing and advertising. This will set 

you apart from those who aren’t professionals 

or just doing detail work as a hobby. 

I have been told by lots of people 

over the years that detailing is an easy to 

start business and I agree that it’s easy to 

start. However, it’s maintaining, growing 

and adapting that are the hardest parts. 

As professional detailers we need to set 

the bar for each other. In my market the 

economy doesn’t handle higher prices, so 

I have set competitive prices and strive for 

multiple details per day. When I started, 

I set my prices way too low and that almost 

cost me my business before it even 

got up to speed. I wanted people to try my 

service and hoped for repeat customers 

because I did quality detailing and that 

part worked but it took well over a year 

to gradually raise my prices where I was 

making a profit. Be patient and do not 

lower your quality of work and services. 

I tell everyone that has wanted to learn 

about a business in the detailing industry: 

“You must have a passion and not just be 

looking for a paycheck to be successful.” 

REAL detailing is not easy. We are bending, 

reaching, kneeling, twisting, turning 

What does it mean 

to take pride in 

your work? 

According to the website yourcareersupport.com, 

the article “How to Take 

Pride in Your Work in 7 Steps” lists the 

following seven ways you can encourage 

yourself to be prideful or your work: 

and standing all day. There is a difference 

between a wax shop and a detail shop. As 

a professional detailer, here are some of 

the things that set me apart: 

1. I keep over a dozen specialty 

brushes on hand as well as 

vehicle swabs. 

2. My microfiber cloths are r 

eplaced often and properly 

cleaned and stored. 

3. I change the water in the wash, 

rinse and wheel buckets after 

each vehicle. 

1. Know why your work matters 

2. Strive for continual progress. 

3. Be proud of your role. 

4. Help your coworkers. 

5. Make a difference. 

6. Treat people well. 

7. Acknowledge others. 

8. Set yourself up for success. 

4. I empty and clean out the 

vacuum after each vehicle. 

5. I get all areas of a vehicle 

including: 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

The gas fill area 

The fender wells 

Door jambs 

That ¼ inch part of the 

window (so many tend to 

miss because they don’t 

lower the glass) and 

I always make sure to take off 

and properly detail the license 

plate and surrounding area. 

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ® 

What attracts customers 

In the introduction to Mark Sanborn’s 

book ‘The Fred Factor,’ a book about 

finding passion in your work, Jon Gordon, 

author of ‘The Energy Bus and The Carpenter’, 

offers the following advice: 

“While so much has changed over the past 

twenty years, one thing has not changed… human 

DETAILS MATTER 

These little things are what separates a 

professional detailer for a wax shop. 

And finally, we need to be open to 

learning. Detailing has changed so much 

over the years and the equipment, chemicals 

and processes have evolved as well. We 

need to learn as much as we can so we can 

offer our customers the best possible detail 

for the money they have paid. Connect 

with other detailers. Talk about the pros 

and cons in their areas and ask about their 

process and marketing ideas. Attend tradeshows 

and network. Visit detailing forums 

and never be afraid to admit you need help 

with something you do not know. 

Together as a community of professionals 

I can guarantee you that we all will 

learn something new from our peers. 

I hope to hear from others and if you 

have any questions on how I go about my 

process or just want to talk shop send me 

an email at: CJPrecisionAutomotive.com. 

Thanks, and stay safe. 

nature. Don’t let all the fighting on TV and social 

media fool you. In the real world, kindness is still 

appreciated. Excellence is valued. Relationships are 

essential for happiness. When we see someone do 

their job exceptionally well with a loving, serving, 

and caring spirit, they stand out, and so can we.” 

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INNOVATIONS 

Introducing new & improved products for professional auto, boat & motorcycle detailers. 

INTERIOR WIPES 

Malco ® Automotive, of Barberton, 

Ohio, announced last December the 

launch of two new variations of Automotive 

Interior Wipes: 

✔ Malco ® Clean & Shine Wipes for 

Leather, Plastic & Vinyl, and 

✔ Malco ® Leather Conditioner Wipes for 

cleaning and conditioning. 

The addition of interior wipes in 

these popular detailing products offer 

professional and enthusiast automotive 

customers an efficient and effective solution 

for automotive cleaning. 

Malco ® Clean & Shine Car Interior 

Wipes power away grease, grime, and 

dirt from leather, vinyl, and plastic while 

restoring a rich, satin gloss to car interior 

surfaces without leaving behind an oily 

or greasy residue. In just one step, this 

durable, lint-free cleaning wipe offers a 

time-saving, ready-to-use formula that is 

a cleaner & protectant in one and is the 

perfect solution as a quick interior detailer 

to bring back that new car look. 

Malco ® Leather Conditioner Wipes 

are leather cleaning wipes that safely and 

effectively clean, moisturize, and protect 

your leather car seats. A gentle, nongreasy 

leather care formula combined 

with a large, durable, non-linting leather 

cleaner wipe helps rejuvenate and enrich 

your leather interior while protecting it 

from drying, fading, and premature wear. 

Malco Leather Wipes are safe for leather 

surfaces in automobiles, trucks, RVs, 

boats, etc. 

“As the Malco Automotive brand continues 

to grow we're excited to provide an 

effective solution of our favorite interior 

products for enthusiasts and professionals 

alike,” said Lauren Osina, Director of 

Marketing, in a company press release. 

“These interior wipes represent a seamless 

extension of our commitment to excellence. 

Now, users can experience the 

same trusted formulations in a convenient 

wipe format, ensuring a quick and effective 

solution for the care of their vehicle 

interiors" she added. 

Malco Clean & Shine and Leather 

Conditioner Wipes are durable 7” x 8” 

wipes available in 30 count-canisters. 

Malco Products, Inc. is a global manufacturer 

of professional grade finishing 

and detailing products for the automotive, 

marine, and commercial vehicle 

markets. 

IRON REMOVER 

PDP, Professional Detailing Products, 

a chemical manufacturer in Canton, 

Ohio, announced back in November 

a breakthrough in the category 

of Iron Removers for the Detailing 

Industry. PDP’s production team has 

successfully engineered an advanced, 

concentrated Iron Remover that does 

not have the typical sulfur smell. When 

sprayed, you will not have to endure 

the strong, pungent, lingering sulfur 

smell in your environment, and on 

your clothes, skin, and hair. 

This changes what we have always 

thought about Iron Remover products – 

that they come with a strong sulfur smell, 

and that we just have to endure it. No 

longer! 

PDP now offers three products in 

the Iron Remover category: 

1. Iron Melt, a concentrated strength 

iron remover (original formula, with 

the smell) 

2. Iron Wheel Gel, a concentrated 

highly viscous iron formula for 

wheels- with virtually no sulfur 

smell 

3. Iron+, a concentrated semiviscous 

iron formula for paint, 

glass, and trim- with virtually no 

sulfur smell 

Iron+ and Iron Wheel Gel use the 

same high concentrations of the same 

organic compound that is in PDPs Iron 

Melt, and virtually every other iron remover 

on the market, which combines 

with ferrous iron to form a reddish-purple 

solution. 

This powerful iron catalyst identifies 

the iron contaminants and lifts them out 

of the paint. Iron + is a concentrated 

high solids pH neutral formula, and the 

semi-viscous formula allows just enough 

dwell time on the paint and in the crevices 

for a deep pristine clean. 

Iron Wheel Gel is formulated to create 

a thick gel-like viscosity to dwell on 

the wheel, allowing it to work longer. The 

strong pH neutral formula reacts with 

the iron, turning it reddish purple. Iron 

Wheel Gel is safe for all wheel finishes. 

Allow 2-5 minutes of dwell time and flush 

off to reveal a deep cleaned wheel. 

SAFETY WEBINAR 

The International Detailing Association 

is offering the following webinar, 

which was recorded in February: 

Potential Dangers of Chemical 

Exposure and Safety Precautions 

Detailers Should Take 

The International Detailing Association 

hosts a series of webinar presentations 

covering a variety of topics to help 

improve the knowledge and ability of 

IDA Members and Non-Members from 

the comfort of a home or office computer 

or any mobile device! The webinars 

take place on the third Thursday of the 

month. 

In this webinar, David Ghodoussi, 

PhD, will discuss the hazardous nature 

of many chemicals used in the detailing 

industry. Ghodoussi earned his Bachelor 

of Science in Chemistry and Chemical 

Engineering from the University 

of California, Santa Barbara in 1983 

and his Master of Science and PhD in 

Organic and Polymer Chemistry from 

Oregon State University in 1992. He 

has experience managing chemistry 

labs and taught general and organic 

chemistry labs for over three years at 

Oregon State University between 1983 

and 1986. 

David worked in R&D and manufacturing 

clear coat paint for Dupont and 

PPG for over five years. Since 2001, he 

has been working in manufacturing automotive 

detail products for Optimum 

Polymer Technologies and Opti-Coat, 

LLC. Overall, he has over 47 years of 

experience working in chemistry labs, 22 

years of which have been at his current 

organization. 

The webinar is free for members 

and $25 for non-members. 

6 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 8, NO. 4 • WINTER 2023

INDUSTRY 

NEWS 

All the news and dirt 

concerning detailing 

businesses, suppliers, 

events and industry icons. 

COMPANY NEWS 

Appearance 

Technology 

Group acquires 

P&S Detail 

Products 

Appearance Technology Group 

(“ATG”) of Detroit, Michigan, announced 

the acquisition of P&S Detail 

Products (“P&S”) of Hayward, California, 

in a January 10 press release. Founded 

in 1961, P&S is a leading designer 

and manufacturer of branded, consumable 

car care liquid chemicals for professional 

and do-it-yourself (“DIY”) users. 

P&S offers a comprehensive portfolio of 

cleaners, dressings, polishes, waxes, and 

coatngs across its Pro Series and Double 

Black collectons. ATG partnered in 

the transaction with P&S’s owners, Bob 

Phillips and Dave Phillips, as well as its 

management team. Nathan Iverson, 

CEO of ATG, said, “P&S has established 

itself as one of the preeminent 

brands within the automotive detailing 

community, the press release stated. 

P&S’s success has been underpinned 

by the Phillips’ unwavering passion for 

serving the needs of detailers through innovative 

and high-quality products. We 

look forward to supporting P&S’s continued 

success as part of the ATG family 

of brands.” Bob Phillips, Co-Owner and 

President of P&S, stated, “On behalf of 

the Phillips family, we are exceptionally 

Words of Wisdom 

“If you don’t drive your business, 

you will be driven out of business.” 

B.C. Forbes, Scottish Financial Journalist 

proud of what P&S has accomplished 

and look forward to the 

next chapter of growth alongside 

ATG.” Dave Phillips added, “We are 

excited to partner with the team at ATG 

as we continue to build upon the ongoing 

legacy of the P&S brand that our father, 

Bill Phillips, founded over 60 years ago.” 

Nathan Iverson further stated, “P&S 

represents ATG’s third add-on acquisition 

within the past 18 months and is a 

key milestone in our continued efforts to 

build the leading provider of branded, 

consumable vehicle detailing and reconditioning 

products across the professional 

and do-it-yourself markets.” ### About 

P&S Detail Products Headquartered in 

Hayward, CA, P&S is a leading designer 

and manufacturer of premium branded 

detailing products for professional 

and DIY users. The company offers a 

comprehensive portfolio of innovative 

cleaners, dressings, polishes, waxes, 

and coatings across its Pro Series 

and Double Black collections. For 

more information, please visit www.psdetailproducts.com. 

About Appearance 

Technology Group Headquartered in 

Farmington, MI, ATG is a leading provider 

of innovative car care accessories, 

appearance liquids, compounds & polishes, 

and specialty aerosols. With over 

2,500 SKUs sold across eleven highly 

recognized brands, ATG is the preeminent 

one-stop solution across vehicle detailing, 

reconditioning, paint, body, and 

equipment, car wash, and automotive 

OEM markets. For more information, 

please visit www.AppearanceTG.com. 

IRS launches new online tool for businesses 

As part of continuing transformation 

work, the Internal Revenue Service 

announced on December 18, 2023, the 

launch of the second phase of a new online 

self-service tool for businesses that 

expands the business tax account capabilities 

and eligible entity types. 

As a result, individual partners of 

partnerships and individual shareholders 

of S corporation businesses are now eligible 

for a business tax account in addition 

to sole proprietors. 

Available at IRS.gov/businessaccount, 

the new business tax account is a 

key part of the agency's continuing service 

improvement initiative. This is part 

of the larger effort under last year's Inflation 

Reduction Act (IRA) and described 

in the multi-year Strategic Operating 

Plan released this spring. 

"This is part of the ongoing IRS modernization 

effort to make improvements 

for business taxpayers and others," said 

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. "This 

next step in the evolution of the Business 

Tax Account will help these businesses 

download transcripts and other features. 

Ultimately, these new online options will 

help make interactions easier for businesses 

while reducing paper-based processes 

and the need to call the IRS." 

This phase of business tax account 

also adds the following new features: 

• Users can now download 

a PDF of a business tax 

transcript: 

• For sole proprietors, this includes 

Forms: 940, 941, 943, 944, 945, 8752, 

8288, 11-C, 730, 2290. 

• For S corporations, this includes 

Forms: 940, 941, 943, 944, 945, 8752, 

8288, 11-C, 730, 1120S, 2290. 

• For partnerships, this includes Forms: 

940, 941, 943, 944, 945, 1065, 8752, 

8288, 8804, 11-C, 730, 2290. 

• Sole proprietors can also view 

certain notices: 

• CP080: Reminder - we have not 

received your return, credits may be 

on your account. 

• CP136: Annual notification of Federal 

Tax Deposit (FTD) requirements 

to our partners and customers for 

(Forms: 941, 941-SS). 

• CP216F: Application for extension of 

time to file an employee plan return – 

approved. 

Individual partners and individual 

shareholders will be able to access business 

tax account information once they have 

filed a business return with the Schedule 

K-1 and it is processed by the IRS. To access 

business tax account, individuals must 

have a Schedule K-1 for a minimum of 

one year during the 2019-2022 period on 

file. They will only be able to view information 

for the year(s) they have a Schedule 

K-1 on file. New businesses won't have 

access until a business return is submitted, 

processed, and on file with the IRS. 

Sole proprietors with an Employer 

Identification Number (EIN) qualify to 

access their business tax account. Also 

known as self-employed individuals, sole 

proprietors with EINs are those who file 

a business return under their EIN, such as 

reporting payroll taxes and reporting the 

highway use tax on trucks and buses. 

INDUSTRY NEWS 

Sole proprietors who have already 

set up an individual account under their 

SSN or ITIN, and have an EIN linked to 

their SSN or ITIN, can use their existing 

login to access their business tax account. 

At this time, sole proprietors who do not 

have an EIN are not eligible to set up a 

business tax account. Instead, they can 

access their tax records by setting up an 

IRS individual online account. 

Over time, business tax account will 

be a one-stop application that provides 

business taxpayers a suite of digital products 

and services, including access to 

viewing letters or notices, requesting tax 

transcripts, adding third parties for power 

of attorney or tax information authorization, 

and storing bank account information 

to manage tax payments. 

It will help users manage their tax obligations, 

reducing the burden on taxpayers 

who would otherwise need to call or 

mail the IRS. To set up a new business tax 

account, or for more information about 

this app, visit IRS.gov/businessaccount. 

Need help with taxes? The IRS is offering free help nationwide 

Helped by Inflation Reduction Act 

funding, nearly 250 IRS Taxpayer 

Assistance Centers nationwide will 

have extended operating hours 

Tuesdays and Thursdays during the 

tax filing season. 

The Internal Revenue Service announced 

on January 29 that nearly 250 

IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) 

around the country will extend their 

weekly office hours to give taxpayers additional 

time to get the help they need 

during the filing season. 

The extended office hours will continue 

through Tuesday, April 16. To see if a 

nearby TAC is offering extended hours, 

taxpayers can visit their local office. To find 

your local office, visit https://apps.irs.gov/ 

app/office-locator/ or can call 844-545- 

5640. Normally, TACs are open from 8:30 

a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 

and operate by appointment. 

The expanded hours at the assistance 

centers reflect funding and staffing made 

possible under the Inflation Reduction 

Act, which is being used across the IRS to 

improve taxpayer service, add new technology 

and tools as well as help tax compliance 

efforts. 

“This is another example of how additional 

IRS resources are helping taxpayers 

across the country,” said IRS Commissioner 

Danny Werfel. “Adding extra hours 

provide more options for hard-working 

taxpayers to get help with their tax issues. 

The IRS is continuing to work hard 

both during the upcoming tax season and 

throughout the year to find ways to make it 

easier for people to interact with us.” 

"We’re inviting anyone who wants or 

needs some assistance to stop by," added 

IRS Wage & Investment Division Commissioner 

and Taxpayer Experience Officer 

Ken Corbin. "This is one more way 

the IRS is delivering expanded services to 

help visitors resolve their tax issues, make 

a payment or answer general tax-related 

questions. Whatever the case, we’re offering 

additional time for taxpayers to get the 

face-to-face help they may need." 

During these additional office hours, 

TACs will offer all regular services, however 

for cash payments, taxpayers must 

have an appointment. If a taxpayer needs 

in-person identity verification services, they 

must bring two forms of identification, and 

one must be a current government-issued 

photo ID. They should also bring a copy or 

digital image of the tax return in question 

if one was filed. Tax return preparation is 

not a service provided at any IRS TAC. 

Malco® Automotive has supplied the automotive 

industry with high-quality, professional-grade 

cleaning and detailing products since 1953. 

www.malcoautomotive.com 

@Malcoautomotive 

EXTERIOR AUTO CARE 

INTERIOR AUTO CARE 

AUTO SERVICE SUPPLIES 

TECH TIPS 

@Malcoautomotive @Malcoautomotive 



INDUSTRY NEWS 

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS 

Small business owners are saying: 

Everything is awesome! 

According to a J.D. Power 2024 U.S. 

Merchant Services Satisfaction Study, small 

business owners are optimistic about the future, 

with 88% indicating the financial state 

of their individual businesses is about the 

same or better off than a year ago. 

In a February 2 story by Crowdfund Insider, 

“small business financial optimism is 

“correlated with increased sales processed 

by merchant services providers.” 

There are 94% of merchants “that 

now accept debit or credit cards; 88% 

that accept digital wallet; and 54% that 

accept Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment 

methods,” the story stated in reference 

to the J.D. Power study. 

“The past couple of years have been 

very challenging for most small businesses, 

but industry-wide efforts to simplify 

payment processing fee structures, ramp 

up customer support and speed up payments 

have had positive effects on merchant 

services satisfaction,” said Paul 

McAdam, senior director of banking and 

payments intelligence at J.D. Power. 

Other key findings of the study include: 

✔ Small businesses say they are 

receiving payments faster. More 

than one-third (34%) say the typical 

amount of time from transaction to 

funding their merchant accounts 

was faster than expected, up 10 

percentage points from a year ago. 

Likewise, 65% of small businesses 

say they’ve received faster funding, 

so card payments are settled/ 

posted same day or on nonbusiness 

days, up 14 percentage 

points from 2021. 

✔ 

Provider responses to COVID-19 

earn goodwill among small 

businesses. Nearly three-fourths 

(73%) of small business customers 

say they are aware of at least one 

proactive measure their merchant 

services provider has taken in 

response to challenges caused by 

the pandemic, which has driven a 

71-point increase in satisfaction 

with cost of service. Specific actions 

taken by providers in response 

to the pandemic include offering 

discounted products and services, 

updated fraud controls and faster 

funding turnaround times. 

DETAIL 

DOCTOR 

What’s 

Your Brand? 

Do you agree? 

Story reveals what 5 things small 

business owners wish they knew 

An in-depth report by MSN, reveals the top five things small business 

owners said they wished they knew before starting out. The January 28 

story includes: 

Smallbiztrends.com released a report 

on December 8, all about customer retention. 

The website gathered the customer 

retention findings from a variety of 

sources. Here are the following statistics, 

according to Smallbiztrends.com: 

• The probability of selling to an 

existing customer is 60-70 percent. 

• The probability of selling to a new 

prospect is 5-20 percent. 

• 80 percent of your future profits 

will come from just 20 percent of 

your existing customers. 

• 65 percent of a company’s business 

comes from existing customers. 

• 32 percent of executives 

say retaining existing customers 

is a priority. 

• A typical American business 

will lose 15 percent of its 

customers each year. 

• 27 percent of small business owners 

estimate that 11-20 percent of firsttime 

customers don’t return to their 

business. 

• 80 percent of businesses 

surveyed rely on email marketing for 

customer retention. 

• 56 percent of survey 

respondents considered email 

marketing to be the most effective 

method of reaching customer 

retention goals. 

• 36 percent of U.S. retail 

professionals said organic search 

drives customer retention. 


professionals said paid search 



professionals said social 

media drives customer retention. 


professionals said retargeting drives 


1. You'll need to delegate more than you like. 

2. You have to be ruthless with your processes. 

3. You'll spend more time running the business than you think. 

4. You'll need to manage your cash. 

5. You're responsible for building an audience. 

Customer retention report includes need for loyalty programs 

customer retention. 

• 21 percent of U.S. 

retail professionals said 

affiliates drive customer retention. 


professionals said referral marketing 



professionals said mobile 

marketing drives customer retention. 

• It costs 5 percent more to acquire a 

new customer than it does to keep a 

current one. 

• It costs 16x more to bring a new 

customer up to the same level as a 

current one. 

• 82 percent of companies agree that 

retention is cheaper to execute than 

acquisition. 

• A mere two percent increase in 

customer retention can lower costs 

by as much as 10 percent. 

• 82 percent of consumers in the 

United States said they stopped 

doing business with a company 

due to a poor customer experience. 

• Companies lose 71 percent 

of consumers due to poor 

customer service. 

• 68 percent of customers leave 

you because they perceive you 

are indifferent to them. 

• 60 to 70 percent of 

customers will do business with 

a company again if it deals with a 

customer service issue fairly even 

if the result is not in their favor. 

• 47 percent of customers would take 

their business to a competitor within 

a day of experiencing poor 

customer service. 

• 66 percent of consumers 

who switched brands did so 

because of poor service. 

By Bud Abraham, 

The Detail Doctor 

buda1940@outlook.com 

Years ago, if somebody asked you 

“what’s your brand,’ you might answer, 

“Coke or Pepsi” or “Winston or Marlboro,” 

but with the decline in smoking 

that is most likely not be the answer you’d 

give today. 

As a small businessperson today, you 

must understand branding and what it 

means to you and your business. In today’s 

competitive market you must develop 

a brand for your detail business to set 

it apart from your competitors. Whether 

you’re starting a new detail business or 

seeking to grow an existing business. 

WHAT’S YOUR NAME? 

The first thing to do is come up with 

a catchy name and logo which will represent 

your brand. 

In my opinion, you should avoid using 

letter-type or initial names like “J&M 

Detailing,” as these are hard for people to 

remember. I think it is better to use your 

real name as it can instill confidence, and 

show that a real person is running the 

show and is proud enough of the business 

to display his/her name. So, Danny’s Detail 

Service, or Danny’ Detail Salon, or 

Bud Abraham is Founder and President Emeritus of DETAIL PLUS Car Appearance Systems, with more than 40 years 

of experience in the car care industry as a manufacturer, operator, distributor and consultant. He writes articles and gives 

seminars on the subject of auto detailing throughout the automotive industry. He can be reached at buda@detailplus.com. 

Danny’s Executive Detailing or Danny’s 

European Detailing, and so on, are good 

examples. 

As you think about a name you will 

agree that it makes sense to spend time 

developing a great name and logo. 

You never know if, down the road, 

you’ll want to open more locations. Two, 

even just one location with a strong brand 

that’s easy for people to remember can 

bring you customer loyalty if you operate 

your business with outstanding quality 

and customer service. 

There’s only one situation where you 

should not develop your brand, and that’s 

if you plan on maintaining a run-down, 

poor-quality detail business, with no 

word-of-mouth support. And if that’s the 

case, don’t bother, because your brand 

will be shunned because of a customer’s 

‘bad experience’. Additionally, having 

a brand where customers find the same 

disappointments at other locations will 

actually work against you. 

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK 

WILL GUIDE YOU 

If you feel as I do, that you want to deliver 

to the public the best detail business 

you can offer, then your brand can be a 

nice, profit-making machine and benefit 

others. You are literally making customers’ 

lives cleaner, better and easier by offering 

them a clean vehicle. 

Being a successful detailer shouldn’t 

just be about aesthetics. It should be 

about the entire customer experience. 

Focus on providing exceptional service, 

maintaining cleanliness, and ensuring a 

comfortable, safe and welcoming environment. 

Train and incentivize your staff to 

deliver friendly, top-notch customer service 

and implement systems to address customer 

feedback and concerns promptly. 

We all know about what I just suggested. 

However, your particular customers 

may also respond positively or negatively 

to other things that you may not have 

thought of. You may be able to guess 

that “not enough seating” is an issue to 

be solved, for example, but how do you 

know for sure what else your customers 

like or dislike? 

Gathering feedback is important to 

help guide you toward what your customers 

really want and need, so stop guessing 

and simply ask them! A good customer 

survey, whether on paper or online, can really 

help with this. You can also offer a rating 

platform via mobile apps and via text. 

HOW TO DEVELOP 

YOUR BRAND 

To really develop your brand, your 

detail business must stand out in ways 

that differentiate it from your competition. 

I’m talking about being ‘unique’ 

here. What is it about your business that 

customers would seek out while passing 

up others? 

It could be that each location has a 

nice, clean and airy room, is air-conditioned, 

or it’s spacious and comfortable: 

Maybe it’s having the brightest workshop. 

Can customers find easy parking at 

your location? If you’re mobile, it might 

be the way you present yourself in their 

driveway. Is your mobile unit presentable 

or embarrassing? Whatever things your 

businesses have that makes them unique, 

customers should experience each time 

they hire you. 

This will build trust and confidence in 

your services. Customers need to be satisfied 

no matter how often they hire you or 

what services they purchase. 

In other words, in order for you to really 

develop your brand well, there must 

be consistency of your brand’s unique attractive 

features at your location because 

… consistency builds trust. 

Similarly, each time a customer comes 

to your business, they should get the same 

experience that attracted them there in the 

first place. So, be careful about making too 

many radical changes without thinking 


them through first. You may even want to 

ask what your customers think in another 

survey, before you go ahead. 

In today’s business environment your 

brand will play a vital role in setting your 

business apart from the competitors. 

Whether you’re starting a new detail business 

or seeking to improve your existing 

one, establishing a strong and distinctive 

brand is key to attracting and retaining 

customers. 

REACHING YOUR TARGET 

Advertising your brand must be efficient 

and you do not want to waste your 

advertising dollars. A shotgun approach 

isn’t a very efficient use of your ad dollars, 

because not everyone you advertise to in a 

broad way will be interested in using your 

detail business. 

For instance, you can narrow your online 

advertising to just your zip code, or 

even a nearby zip code, but understand 

that most people won’t travel more than 

a few miles to you unless your detail business 

is head and shoulders above any other 

competitor in the market and worthy 

Can you 

remember it? 

People tend to do business 

with companies they are 

familiar with, according to 

strategynewmedia.com. “If 

your branding is consistent 

and easy to recognize, it can 

help people feel more at ease 

purchasing your products or 

services.” The website also 

added that, “People wear 

brands, eat brands, listen to 

brands, and they’re constantly 

telling others about the brands 

they love. On the flip side, you 

can’t tell someone about a 

brand you can’t remember.” 

of their time and money. 

Draw a ring around your location on 

a map. A city location may require up to 

a 3-mile radius, while other less populated 

or dense areas may require going further 

out. Experiment with your service radius. 

And don’t advertise in areas that are not 

occupied by vehicle owners. 

If there’s an area nearby that has few 

or poorly=run businesses, target it. 

Target the right demographics: the 

people who own an expensive home or 

drive a luxury car. Your state motor vehicles 

department can sell you a list of car 

makes by zip codes. If you know someone 

who is a member of a country club 

ask to borrow the member directory and 

develops a mailing list of members in 

your radius. 

Become an integral part of your local 

community. Join the local chamber 

of commerce and attend meetings. Participate 

in events, sponsor local initiatives 

and sports teams, and/or partner with 

neighboring businesses. Engage with customers 

on social media, respond to their 

queries, and foster a sense of community 

for your detail business. 

Building strong relationships with customers 

will strengthen your brand’s reputation 

and encourage loyalty. 

And make sure that you use your 

brand and logo on everything the public 

sees. Where a company shirt, put a decal 

on your car, you get the idea. 

WHY ARE LOGOS SO 

IMPORTANT? 

A logo is not just about identifying 

your brand. Understand that there are 

lots of customers who can’t read a word 

of English, and even more who are functionally 

illiterate. A logo that’s self-explanatory 

— such as an image of a shiny 

car—will help these customers know you 

are advertising a detail shop. 

Secondly, logos are important for creating 

mental retention. It’s much easier 

for people to remember and recognize 

a logo. Remember, “A picture is worth a 

thousand words.” 

Your logo is up to your own imagination, 

but I believe that it should be related 

to the detail business. 

To spark your imagination, try 

Googling “Detail Shop Logos” for some 

ideas. But it is now wise and illegal to copy 

someone else’s logo. Don’t do that. We are 

all part of the detailing community and 

we need to support each other. 

I’ve seen lots of detail businesses use 

a smiley clean car cartoon or a bunch of 

bubbles, around their name. You could 

also go “vintage” with an older car and 

use mid-century modern starbursts. 

Or, you can go 

completely off-thewall 

with a uniquely 

unusual logo that has 

nothing whatsoever 

to do with cars. Let 

me share the story of 

a new car wash that 

opened in the area 

near me in Portland, 

Oregon. 

There wasn’t an 

automatic carwash in the area, so this 

man built one. 

When he opened his car wash he 

made sure he had a beautiful building, 

an attractive, attention-getting sign and 

beautiful landscaping to ensure it stood 

out and gave off a clean image. His employees 

were uniformed like pros, not in 

t-shirts and jeans. Overall, it washed head 

and shoulders above most of automotive 

service businesses in the area. 

He had raised the bar and other car 

wash or detail businesses could not compare. 

But what he did with his car wash’s 

name and logo was what I thought was 

exceptionally brilliant. 

He named it 

RUB-A-DUB Car 

Wash and placed a 

tub on the roof with 

three men in the tub. 

That was it. He only 

had to put the three 

men in the tub logo 

on his smaller signs 

and his business cards. 

RUB-A-DUB ended 

up becoming the most popular car wash 

in the whole area and I truly think it was 

because of the name and the unique 

logo. They both created buzz. People 

would laugh and say, “What a ridiculous 

name for a car wash,” but they never forgot 

it! RUB-A-DUB dub, three men in a 

tub… who could forget it? 

In the Blink 

of an Eye 

According to inkblotdesign.com, 

in just 50 milliseconds, people 

can get the gist of an image 

(Bugelski, 1970). “Compare that 

to the multiple seconds needed 

to read a headline or text. When 

scrolling through feeds, a logo 

can grab attention faster. Having 

an eye-catching and memorable 

logo takes advantage of this 

human tendency. It serves as 

a constant visual reminder to 

choose one brand over another.” 

So, whenever somebody needed a car 

wash, they thought of the RUB-A-DUB. 

The owner eventually died, and the new 

owner—thinking the name was stupid— 

changed it. Guess what? The car wash 

eventually closed down. 

Getting back to the makings for your 

business logo, be sure to register your logo 

with the U.S. Copyright Office (https:// 

www.copyright.gov). It’s not difficult or 

expensive to protect this vital asset. 

Make sure you post your store location 

under the same logo on all printed 

and online materials. What good is brand 

development if customers are not aware 

that they can get the same or similar treatment 

at another of detail business? 

Once you have branded your business, 

do everything you can to maintain that 

identity so that it’s held in high esteem by 

as many people as possible. People will remember 

your brand, so you want them to 

remember only good things. 

Brands work most effectively if you 

are operating a high-quality, reputable 

business. What impressions does your 

brand elicit from your customers? Are you 

making it stand out? If not, my advice is 

to start working on it today. 

As always, if you have questions, you 

can reach out to me at buda1940@outlook.com. 

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IDA 

COLUMN 

Going “Inside the IDA” – 

A Podcast For Detailers, By Detailers 

Episodes explore industry insiders’ and influencers’ trials and triumphs 

By Erin Reyes 

IDA Communications Coordinator 

For more than 15 years, the International 

Detailing Association 

(IDA) has been steadily building 

its reputation as the leading global 

association for the professional 

detailing industry. Through the 

organization’s multi-level certification 

program, monthly educational 

webinars led by industry experts, 

seminar presentations at top 

tradeshows, and more, IDA members 

have proven their knowledge 

and role as thought-leaders in the 

industry. Now, the IDA has added 

yet another valuable resource 

to share detailing stories with the 

masses – a weekly podcast! 

At the end of last year, the 

IDA proudly launched “Inside 

the IDA”, a podcast created “for 

detailers, by detailers”. It is meant 

to take an in-depth look at the stories of 

detailing professionals across the globe – 

who they are, what they do, how they got 

to where they are now, and where they 

hope to go next. There is no singular path 

to becoming a detailer or having a successful 

detailing career, and each journey 

shared on the podcast promises to be truly 

unique. 

That much is evident from the first 

episode alone, in which the hosts – Keith 

Duplessie, CD-SV, WC, RIT; Barry 

Theal, CD-SV, RIT; David Patterson, 

CD-SV; and Alan Medcraf, CD-SV, RIT 

– introduce themselves and discuss what 

“Inside the IDA” podcast hosts together at Mobile Tech Expo (MTE) in Kissimmee, Florida, February 2024. L to R: Alan 

Medcraf, CD-SV, RIT; Barry Theal, CD-SV, RIT; Keith Duplessie, CD-SV, WC, RIT; and David Patterson, CD-SV 

they hope to achieve with the podcast. 

Duplessie – a founding member and 

former two-term president of the IDA 

– points out that both he and Theal are 

longtime industry veterans, each with 20- 

25 years of experience, both on the operator 

side and now the supplier side of 

things. Meanwhile, Patterson has a body 

shop background, transitioning to the detailing 

world around 15 years ago, working 

with various manufacturers. Medcraf, 

also a former IDA president, is the only 

boots-on-the-ground operator on the 

panel and also the only host based in the 

United Kingdom. 


It is this international aspect that 

sparked Medcraf ’s involvement with the 

IDA in the first place, and what he hopes 

to share with others through the podcast. 

“The whole reason I got into the IDA 

is that international element,” Medcraf 

says in the first episode. “Travelling the 

world and just getting to see how detailers 

do the basic things in different countries, 

different areas, for different reasons. 

That’s the part that interests me. I just 

want to help detailers around the world 

spread their message and grow.” 

Don’t expect to ever hear the same 

story twice from one episode to another. 

The goal when selecting guests 

to appear on the show is to “find 

unique detailers,” Duplessie explains. 

“People who come from 

different places in the industry.” 

The hosts even joke that having 

two of them interview the same 

guest separately would result in 

very different experiences, since 

they each have vastly different 

backgrounds and interviewing 

styles. 

Of course, the focus of the 

podcast is really not on the hosts 

at all, but the guests and the inspiring 

journeys they have found 

themselves on. 

As the sole operator – and the 

only regular podcaster – on the 

panel, Medcraf assures that he 

will get into some technical details 

with guests, but he also loves business 

and is a trainer at heart, so he 

wants to dive deep and get into the 

“why” of it all. 

Duplessie agrees and is interested in 

exploring detailing as the “entrepreneur’s 

dream”, digging into how guests have 

gotten to where they are today. 

“[Detailing] can be everything from 

a fancy shop to a one-person show in a 

home garage to a multi-million dollar, 

multi-city location business,” he says. 

“You can build it to the dream you want 

it to be. I’m excited to talk to those people 

and really get the question asked of ‘how 

did you come up with this?’ and ‘when 

did you have this dream?’. That’s going 

to be the cool conversation.” 

C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K 

“Inside the IDA” is the exclusive International Detailing Association podcast created for detailers, by detailers. 

New episodes are launched weekly on Wednesdays. Tune in on Spotify, and be sure to subscribe to get notified 

when new episodes are available. 

Each host also shares their “Holy 

Grail” guest for the podcast’s first year, 

ranging from quiet but influential forces 

in the industry to first-year operators who 

Legend Ad Auto Detailing News.pdf 1 5/24/21 5:12 PM 

are struggling to find their place in the 

industry and even detailing enthusiasts. 

You’ll have to listen to episode 1 for who 

they named specifically, then keep tuning 

in to see if they can book their dream 

guests. One thing they can all agree on 

when it comes to who should be featured? 

“Very interesting people,” says Patterson. 

There may even be guests who have 

nothing to do with the detailing industry 

– social media influencers, business gurus 

– essentially, individuals who can share 

their specialized knowledge and apply it 

to detailing. 

The hosts also intend to highlight the 

consumer perspective. “If you’re tuning 

in as a consumer, this will be an all-level 

conversation,” Duplessie explains. “We 

want to talk at a level where the manufacturer 

is taken into consideration, and 

we ask the hard questions of them and 

for them. We do the same with the operator 

detailer and we also do it from the 

consumer perspective. Like ‘why should I 

even get my car cleaned by someone who 

does it professionally?’ And I think we can 

touch on all of that and give our guests an 

opportunity to talk about those things.” 

All around, the podcast will hopefully 

expose audiences to people, perspectives, 

and experiences that they might otherwise 

not encounter. Theal is particularly 

looking forward to the positive effect the 

podcast will have on listeners and the detailing 

profession. 

“I think [the podcast] is a great thing 

for the IDA and for all of us in our industry,” 

he says. “We get to be positive, we 

get to motivate the industry, and grow the 

industry as a whole.” 

So, what can the audience ultimately 

expect from “Inside the IDA”? Honesty, 

inspiration, connection, education, and 

a whole lot of fun. Duplessie sums it up 

best: “How can we help make the thing 

that we do and that we love better, not 

just for ourselves, but for everybody? 

That’s what this podcast is about.” 

The International Detailing Association (est. 

2008) is the leading global association for 

professional detailing operators, suppliers, 

and consultants to the industry. The association 

is dedicated to promoting the value of 

professional detailing services, the recognition 

of professional detailing as a trade, and 

empowering detailing industry professionals 

at each stage in their career. 

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NITTY 

GRITTY 

Getting 

to Know … 

Josh Pierce 

CD-SV, MC, 

WC, RIT of 

Carousel Auto 

Appearance in 

Iowa City, Iowa 

Please tell us your 

business’s name and 

where you’re located. 

I operate Carousel Auto Appearance in 

Iowa City, Iowa. 

How and when did you 

get started in the 

detailing industry? 

We entered the auto industry in the early 

2000s doing leather and upholstery repair 

in the family business and quickly learned 

it wasn’t something I wanted to pursue 

long term. During that time, we started 

dabbling in detail work and really fell in 

love with it. 

Why did you decide to 

become a detailer? 

I’ve always had a passion for all 

things automotive, I was never really 

mechanically inclined so that led me to 

the appearance side of the industry and 

I quickly fell in love with making things 

look new again. 

What advice do you have for 

people just starting out? 

My biggest piece of advice to someone 

just entering or looking to get into auto 

detailing is to seek out a mentor and 

training. The learning curve for a new 

technician can be drastically reduced by 

finding a mentor. 

You recently received the 

“Outstanding Service Award” 

at the Mobile Tech Expo. 

The IDA stated that this award 

goes to someone who goes 

above and beyond at their job. 

Why is it important to you to 

go “above and beyond.” 

I feel that as a veteran of the auto 

detailing industry it is my duty to give 

back… there are so many greats that 

paved the way for me and helped me 

achieve what I have that I would be doing 

them and the industry a disservice if I 

didn’t do my part. There is nothing more 

important to me than seeing the younger 

generation succeed and grow the 

industry and it’s my job to guide them and 

give them the tools they need! 

How did it feel receiving 

the award? 

It was the greatest honor of my 

professional career; nothing means 

more to me than giving back and to be 

recognized as someone who is doing 

their part… it is an amazing feeling. Few 

people can say they are in the same 

group as some of the greatest leaders 

the detail industry has ever seen. Being in 

the same group as Keith Duplessie, Bob 

Phillips, Prentice St. Clair, Barry Theal and 

the other greats is very surreal. 


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Part of the job of interior detailing 

is seeing, smelling and dealing with 

germs. There can be encounters so 

gross and some professionals have gotten 

nauseous and others have had to 

take breaks. Even before the pandemic, 

when germ warfare was on the brain 

and internationally combated, detailers 

have always known that people can 

be…. Well, to put it bluntly: Gross. 

As Rob Schruefer, professional detailer 

and columnist for Auto Detailing 

News once said in an interview, “As far 

as the day to day, it is difficult cleaning 

up after truly gross people. There are 

peoples’ vehicles that I would not even 

consider riding in if we were friends. 

Some people are just gross.” 

Take the photo to the left for instance. 

This is an actual photo a detailer 

shared online. 

Anyone who does interior detailing 

knows it isn’t for the faint of heart… 

Can you turn away a customer if the 

mess is too much? Yes. But, it can cost 

you a repeat customer and cause wordof-mouth 

detriment. 

Therefore, detailers have to dive in, 

mask up, glove up and prepare for germ 

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While the coronavirus is getting a lot 

of attention, the norovirus, the one made 

infamous for ruining cruise ship-based vacations, 

is one that is definitely dangerous 

as it lasts and survives on surfaces for days 

and even weeks. 

According to the CDC, surfaces can 

get contaminated with norovirus in many 

ways, including when: 

• An infected person touches the 

surface with their bare hands that 

have poop or vomit particles on 

them 

• An infected person vomits or 

has diarrhea that splatters onto 

surfaces 

• Food, water, or objects that are 

contaminated with norovirus are 

placed on surfaces 

• Aerosolized vomit lands on 

surfaces or enters a person’s 

mouth then he or she swallows it. 

• You are contagious from the 

moment you begin feeling sick 

and for the first few days after you 

recover. 

• Norovirus can spread quickly 

in enclosed places like daycare 

centers, nursing homes, , and 

cruise ships. 

• Norovirus can stay on objects and 

surfaces and still infect people for 

days or weeks. 

• Norovirus can survive some 

disinfectants, making it hard to get 

rid of. 

HOW TO 

PROPERLY ‘KILL’ 

THE GERMS 

The CDC recommends using either 

chlorine bleach or U.S. Environmental 

Protection Agency (EPA)approved disinfectants 

to control NoV outbreaks. All disinfectants 

should be used on clean surfaces 

(i.e., surfaces that are not visibly soiled) 

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for maximum performance. 

Chlorine bleach concentrations 

for most nonporous surfaces: 1/3 cup 

bleach in 1 gallon water (1:50 dilution). 

For heavily contaminated nonporous 

surfaces use 1 and 2/3 cups bleach in 1 

gallon water (1:10 dilution). 

Leave bleach on the surface for 10-20 

minutes and then rinse thoroughly with 

clean water. 

Once opened, bottles of household 

bleach will lose effectiveness after 30 

days. Use a new unopened bottle of 

bleach every 30 days for preparing diluted 

disinfectant solutions. Prepare a fresh 

dilution of bleach (only from bleach bottles 

that have not been open for more 

than 30 days) every day of use and discard 

unused portions. 

Other disinfectants include heat disinfection 

[i.e., pasteurization to 140° F 

(60°C)]. Heat has been used successfully 

under laboratory conditions for items 

that cannot be subjected to chemical disinfectants 

such as chlorine bleach. 

EPA’s Registered Antimicrobial 

Products Effective Against NoVs 

EPA-registered disinfectants should be 

used according to manufacturers’ instructions, 

including the use of proper 

PPE recommended by the manufacturer 

when applying the product. 

NOT ALL 

PRODUCTS 

ARE THE SAME 

Disinfectant products may be marketed 

and sold under different brand 

and product names, according to the 

Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA). To determine whether EPA 

expects a given product to kill SARS- 

CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes 

COVID-19, you need to determine 

whether its primary registration 

number is on this list (see infographic): 

• First, find the registration number 

DETAILPLUS.COM || 503-251-2955 


22 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 9, NO. 1 • SPRING 2024

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FIND OUT AT EPA.GOV/LISTNTOOL 

WHY FOCUS ON THE FIRST TWO 

PARTS OF THE EPA REG. NO.? 

EPA registration numbers have two or three parts: 

Who registered this 

product with EPA? 

Which product is it? 

Who is distributing 

the product? 

The first two parts of the registration 

number identify the product 

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WHAT IF THE COMPANY AND 

PRODUCT NAMES DON'T MATCH? 

Disinfectants can be marketed and sold 

under different product and brand names. 

INSIDE 

Same 

formulation 

and efficiency 

OUTSIDE 

Different brand 

and product 

names 

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When using List N, use the first two parts of 

the EPA registration number - not the 

product name - to identify products 

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If the first two parts of the EPA Reg. No. match, the 

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VOL. 9, NO.1 • SPRING 2024 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 25 

SSARSS-CooooooooV-2 

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on the product label. Look for 

“EPA Reg. No.” followed by two 

or three sets of numbers. 

• If your product's registration 

number has two parts (ex. 

1234-12), it has a primary 

registration number. If this 

number is on List N, the product 

is qualified for use against SARS- 

CoV-2 (COVID-19). 

• If your product's registration 

number has three parts 

(ex. 1234-12-123), you have 

a supplemental distributor 

product. These products have 

the same chemical composition 

and efficacy as primary products, 

but often have different brand 

or product names. If the first 

two parts of this registration 

number (ex. 1234-12-) are on 

List N, the product is qualified 

for use against SARS-CoV-2 

(COVID-19). (The first two parts 

of this registration number reflect 

the primary registration, while the 

third identifies the distributor’s 

EPA company number.) 

• Regardless of whether you are using 

a primary registration product or a 

supplemental distributor product, 

always check that the product's 

label includes directions for use 

for the pathogen on List N. For 

example, if List N indicates that 

a product will kill SARS-CoV-2 

(COVID-19) if you follow the 

directions for rotavirus, make sure 

the label contains directions for use 

against rotavirus. 


MORE FACTS 

FROM 

THE CDC 

• It is estimated that 100-150 

Leptospirosis cases are 

identified annually in the 

United States. About 50% of 

cases occur in Puerto Rico. 

• The largest recorded U.S. 

outbreak occurred in 1998, 

when 775 people were 

exposed to the disease. Of 

these, 110 became infected. 

• Although incidence in the 

United States is relatively low, 

leptospirosis is considered 

to be the most widespread 

zoonotic disease in the world. 

• It’s estimated that more than 1 

million cases occur worldwide 

each year, including about 

59,000 deaths. 

MEASLES? 

REALLY? 

Yes, measles are making a comeback 

and can be deadly, according to the CDC 

(Center for Disease Control). Measles is 

a highly contagious virus that lives in the 

nose and throat mucus of an infected person. 

If other people breathe the contaminated 

air or touch the infected surface, 

then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, 

they can become infected. 

“Measles is so contagious that if one 

person has it, up to 90% of the people 

close to that person who are not immune 

will also become infected.” 

I thought measles were eradicated? 

Yes, in 2000 the United States was measles 

free. Yet sporadic cases lead to larger 

outbreaks every few years. But now a 

drop in vaccination rates, exacerbated by 

the coronavirus pandemic, has experts 

worried about a resurgence, reported 

the New York Times in an expose on the 

deadly disease. 

When vaccinations lag, “the first disease 

to appear is measles, because it’s 

highly infectious,” said Dr. Saad Omer, 

dean of the O’Donnell School of Public 

Health at U.T. Southwestern in Dallas, 

told the New York Times. 

DEADLY 

URINE 

…and why you should always wear gloves 

In a post that has made the rounds 

on Facebook detailing forums, a woman 

pleads with others to be careful and wear 

gloves if they are exposed to pet urine. 

Her husband was working on a truck in 

which the carpet was soaked with dog 

urine. Not wearing any gloves, her husband 

almost died and spent 30 days in the 

hospital due to leptospirosis. 

Here is her post (which she initially 

posted on the Facebook group Truck 

Mount Forums): 

Hey all… I’ve seen posts over the last few 

days with pics of carpet soaked in dog pee 

I thought I’d share a story. [My husband 

was on life] support after contracting leptospirosis 

from dog pee. He lifted a soaking carpet 

… had a small cut on his hand and that’s how 

it started. 

He’s done this a thousand times before like 

I’m sure you all have. 

By Monday night he had full organ failure. 

They told me he had little hope of surviving. 

16 days in ICU. 30 days in hospital. 

I could go into the horrors, but I think this 

covers it. Wear gloves and wash your hands. 

Ps: He’s made a full recovery thankfully" 

According to the Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention (CDC), “Leptospirosis 

is a bacterial disease that affects 

humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria 

of the genus Leptospira. In humans, 

it can cause a wide range of symptoms, 

some of which may be mistaken for other 

diseases. Some infected persons, however, 

may have no symptoms at all. Without 

treatment, Leptospirosis can lead to kidney 

damage, meningitis (inflammation of 

the membrane around the brain and spinal 

cord), liver failure, respiratory distress, 

and even death.” 

KNOW THE 

SYMPTOMS 

If you think you were exposed to 

contaminated urine, know that the time 

between a person’s exposure to a contaminated 

source and becoming sick is 

two days to four weeks. According to the 

CDC, illness usually begins abruptly with 

fever and other symptoms. Leptospirosis 

may occur in two phases: 

• After the first phase (with fever, 

chills, headache, muscle aches, 

vomiting, or diarrhea) the patient 

may recover for a time but become 

ill again. 

• If a second phase occurs, it is more 

severe; the person may have kidney 

or liver failure or meningitis. 

The illness lasts from a few days to 3 

weeks or longer. Without treatment, recovery 

may take several months. 

GOT GOOD 

GLOVES? 

Of course, wearing gloves is one of 

the best ways to prevent an infection, but 

are you wearing the right ones? Protective equipment 

includes gloves, finger guards and arm coverings 

or elbow-length gloves.” 

The following information from OSHA 

outlines the different types of chemical- and 

liquid-resistant gloves which are made with different 

kinds of rubber: Natural, butyl, neoprene, 

nitrile and fluorocarbon (viton); or various kinds 

of plastic: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol 

and polyethylene. These materials can be 

blended or laminated. 

✔ Butyl gloves: Made of a synthetic rubber. 

These protect against chemicals, such 

as peroxide, rocket fuels, highly corrosive 

acids (nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric 

acid and red-fuming nitric acid), strong 

bases, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, 

esters and nitrocompounds. They resist 

oxidation, ozone corrosion and abrasion, 

and remain flexible at low temperatures. 

Butyl rubber does not perform well with 

aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and 

halogenated solvents. 

✔ Natural (latex) rubber gloves: Temperature 

resistant and resistant to abrasions caused 

by grinding and polishing, they protect 

from most water solutions of acids, 

alkalis, salts and ketones. Latex gloves 

have caused allergic reactions in some 

individuals and may not be appropriate for 

all employees. 

✔ Neoprene gloves: Made of synthetic 

rubber. These protect against hydraulic 

fluids, gasoline, alcohols, organic acids 

and alkalis. They generally have chemical 

and wear resistance properties superior 

to those made of natural rubber. 

✔ Nitrile gloves: Made of a copolymer, 

these provide protection from chlorinated 

solvents such as trichloroethylene and 

perchloroethylene. Although intended for 

jobs requiring dexterity and sensitivity, 

nitrile gloves stand up to heavy use even 

after prolonged exposure to substances 

that cause other gloves to deteriorate. 

They offer protection when working 

with oils, greases, acids, caustics 

and alcohols but are generally not 

recommended for use with strong 

oxidizing agents, aromatic solvents, 

ketones and acetates. 

GERM TERMS 

Disinfect, sterilize or clean… what’s the difference? 

If you’re promoting the killing of germs inside a customer’s 

vehicle, make sure you’re using the right terms. 

According to the Registered Nursing Organization, they 

are defined as: 

✔ Cleaning: The removal of foreign material, such 

as soil or food residue, from objects. It's typically 

done through the use of water with detergents 

or enzymatic products. It is the same process as 

what you do with your laundry and dishes. 

✔ Disinfection: A process that eliminates many, if 

not all, disease-causing microorganisms. The 

only exception is bacterial spores on non-living 

objects. 

✔ Sterilization is a procedure that breaks up all 

forms of microbial life. Performed through 

physical or chemical methods 

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