Detailing An Icon

If you're familiar with the car detailing world, then chances are you'll have heard of Polished Bliss. Polished Bliss is a well-established detailing company, as well as being friends of Auto Finesse. We thought we'd pop on up to Scotland for a chat and some shortbread.

Hey Clark, so what exactly does Polished Bliss do?

Having been professionally detailing for more than 10 years, I'm the most experienced detailer in Aberdeenshire. From my detailing studio on the outskirts of the city, I offer a range of detailing services designed to meet the needs of discerning individuals throughout Scotland and beyond. From routine cleaning and waxing, new-car preparations, paint correction details, to self-healing paint protection films/coatings. I'm responsible for looking after the vast majority of Aberdeenshire's most valuable prestige and performance vehicles.

How Did You Get Started?

I initially started car detailing as a hobby in the evenings and weekends, whilst working full-time as a car valeter for Volkswagen Aberdeen. I was one of the first customers to start buying detailing products from a new local company called Polished Bliss and as a result quickly became friends with the owners, Rich and Angela. Rich had also started to detail in his free time and we quickly realised that instead of potentially stealing business from each other it would be better to work together. Long story short, I became an employee of Polished Bliss and very quickly we started to gain an excellent reputation and a strong client base. Fast forward a few years and the product sales side of the business had grown so much that Rich had stopped detailing completely and I was given the opportunity to buy into the business and became an equal partner. Due to the three of us eventually wanting different things from the business, in April 2016 we decided to split it into two and as a result I'm now happily working away on my own under the "Polished Bliss Detailing Services LTD" name, however, the business will be changing name in the new year.

Any Advice For People Wanting To Start Their Own Detailing Business?

If I was to give any advice to someone wanting to start their own detailing business it would probably be to make sure in their mind that they are 100% committed. That's the only way it's going to work. People often see the fancy cars and think it must be the best job in the world, but it's certainly not a 9-5 job and the hours quickly add up. 70+hour weeks can be a regular occurrence so you need to get your head down and get stuck in and almost have a never say die attitude. You also need to learn the basics of car cleaning first - I've always said that starting out as a valeter was the best thing for me as I picked up tips and techniques to deal with certain things that the majority of detailing training courses won't cover. It's all well and good if you've been taught by someone for a couple of days to use a machine polisher, but if you're no good at the washing and decontamination stages of a detail or even tackling a filthy interior then it will catch you out - some of the best detailers I know started out valeting first. From there on, concentrate on gaining experience whether that be practicing on your own car/friends/family member's cars and get used to producing consistently high-quality jobs. From there, the word will start to spread.

Can You Tell Us Your Top Three Need-To-Know Detailing Tips?

The first would be to keep a spray bottle filled with water in the boot of your car so you can quickly and safely blast away any fresh bird droppings, you should never wipe it off as there's usually a high grit content which can cause some nasty scratching.

The second would be; when buffing residue from your paintwork, always have your microfibre towel folded into a nice flat quarter shape, don't use the towel scrunched up into a ball as this can induce marring - you wouldn't think it makes much difference but it does and it's something a lot of people do!

And the third is; when cleaning windows, lower the glass slightly and clean the top couple of inches first before fully closing and cleaning the remainder of the glass - it's a small detail, but can make a big difference.

Favourite Auto Finesse Products?

My favourite AF products would probably have to be Iron Out Fallout Remover, Crystal Glass Cleaner, Rejuvenate and Tripple Car Polish. All of their waxes are very nice and easy to use as well, and punch well above their weight in terms of looks and cost.