First up in the Detailing Essentials Series is one product I can’t detail without - Stoner Tarminator!
Tarminator is designed to remove tar deposits, heavy contamination, tree sap, bugs, road film, and more. But I don’t actually want to talk about any of that. Don’t get me wrong there are not many products out there that remove contamination better, but I’ve used this product in two entirely different ways to up my detailing game. Now, since this series was created to highlight products & techniques that have changed my personal detailing game, we need to talk about the first problem that it solved.
Early on in my detailing career, I struggled with dried polishing residue stuck in body seams. In some cases, IPA just didn’t thoroughly remove it. It would appear that IPA had eliminated it, only for the dreaded white residue to return. Then I tried a little Tarminator on a foam detailing swap and everything changed. The dried polishing residue was removed with ease once and for all. Now it's also important to remove any residue promptly, as waiting and letting it dry will only make life harder down the road.
The period after a paint correction that is dedicated to cleaning out every crack, crevice, door jam, and panel edge is what I call (The Go-Through) The Go-Through process ensures the vehicle is free of all polishing dust, residue, and oils. For me, Tarminator paired with some detailing swabs is an essential tool in making this process quicker and more effective. Many times as detailers, we get fixated with defect removal and polishing out every last scratch, but what is equally as important is ensuring that the overall vehicle is looking spectacular. These small details that sometimes get overlooked are what separates a good detail from an extraordinary one.
Now, on to the second problem that Tarminator fixed. How many hours have we all spent using APC scrubbing tires during our wheel cleaning process? I know I’ve personally spent way too much time. I remember searching the web and coming across a fantastic article. This article talked about prepping tires by wiping them down with Tarminator before applying a dressing. I was very intrigued and had to try it for myself. I sprayed Tarminator directly into a microfiber towel and wiped the tire down with firm pressure.
Tarminator removed any browning and left behind a crisp, clean, new rubber appearance. This process is perfect if you like a subtle matte finish or if you want to maximize the durability of a tire dressing.
By preparing the tire like this, the dressing can adhere to the rubber, reducing any sling potential. Once I tried this method, I never looked back. I still clean the tires lightly with APC during the wash process but save the significant work for Tarminator to handle. I’ve just fallen in love with the way it makes tires look.
These two examples I shared with you are just some of the ways Tarminator has upped my personal detailing game. How has Tarminator helped you? Remember, always keep pushing and sharing your detailing innovations. It’s from sharing and interacting together that we can all learn from each other detailing essentials (no pun intended).