Excessive Filth

In my efforts to be "more valuable" at work I decided to help with some actual detailing yesterday. We were short handed and I saw a need and filled it. Well I must say I have an enormous amount of respect for what these women do. They make detailing a car look easy. But let me tell you getting into the "nooks and crannies" as I tell customers is no easy task.

Today, a customer dropped off an SUV to be detailing, shampooed and have the leather seats conditioned. I went to take the car through the wash first and was repulsed by what I saw. This wasn't just a car that has had a bunch of kids in with some stray cheerios, the occasional milk or soda spot and some crumbs and dirt. The back seat looked like someone had fingerpainted with an ice cream sundae and then sprikled peanuts, loose change and misc crumbs on top. The side of the seat had what I hope was chocolate of some sort and not a bodily excrement. In between the seat belts there was a mixture of a bottle cap, crayon and what looked like a butter wrapper, all of which had now become a solid.

The bed of the SUV was actually cleanest part with only a huge amount of wirey dog hair everywhere. However, the front seat is another story. It just looks like liquids have been spilled everywhere, not just on the console and cup holders, but on the seats, the floor and yes even the steering wheel.

I noticed at one point that we had something called an "excessive filth" charge. I suggested to the bosses that we rename that because it could be a little offensive to say just an average mom with a standardly use/loved minivan. So we renamed it the "extra elbow grease" charge. Today however, I really thought we shuld have the option of calling it excessive filth when necessary.

So hats off to you detailing ladies. I do not know that I have the stomach or fotitude to do your jobs some days! Next time you get your car detailed think of how it looked before and how it looked after and remember gratuities are almost always accepted and appreciated. :)