We service a wide, wide range of individuals and families, and along with that, an incredibly wide variety of car types as well! Despite the plentiful differences of car models we serve, there are some particularly common items we tend to find. Whether it's under the seats, in the side pockets, or stuck onto the third row cupholder, here's the top 10 items we find while detailing your car.
French Fries
Now we know French fries aren't eaten under the seats, but inevitably that's where they end up. You could say finding fries in your car is an American classic, and we don't expect that to go away anytime soon. McDonald's was the OG fast food stop on the American road trip, and it's still a thing in 2023. We just wish the fries got into your tummy.
Flossers
This one goes out to all of the passengers that wisely took advantage of their free hands with a personal flossing session. Dentists rejoice, there is hope of maintaining this healthy habit. Sure, it's a little gross to have particles that were stuck in-between your teeth end up in your car, but it's probably better than being in your mouth for weeks. Most common place to find flossers: side pockets.
Crayons, play dough, and goo!
If there is one thing that is a challenge for a detailer, it would be colored crayon and goo stains made possible by arts and crafts lessons at summer camp. While our top-of-the-line steamer helps made cleaning up these messes easier, if left unattended, they can easily stain car surfaces. Par for the course for drivers with multiple kids under 10, these items are almost invariably found in the third row cupholder or on the inside of a sliding van door.
Coins
We hope one day our 6 Horsepower shop vacuum will come fully equipped with a coin sorting machine inside, but until that day, we'll be sucking up coins all day long. While crypto currency and credit cards have surely made a dent in the amount of coins we use when shopping, Abe Lincoln and George Washington still remain fixtures in the cupholders of American cars. Most common place found: front cupholders and center console reach-ins.
Air Pod Pro Cases
This is one of those items we actually get excited about finding, because we know it's valuable to you. While the case has usually been replaced by the time we found it, at least you can sell it on Facebook marketplace for some extra cash. Or, it also makes for a peace-of-mind spare if it gets lost again. Air Pod cases aren't usually an easy find. It's most commonly found directly under the driver's seat, typically in the middle where it's equally challenging to retrieve from any angle.
Business Cards
We could be a referral exchange for the amount of business cards we find deep in the tranches of the driver or passenger's side crevices. Kitchen and bath remodelers, therapists, and financial planners top the ranks of the cards we find. We hope the information was stored safely in your contact list before they ended up in the never to be seen again area of your car, but alas we normally return any business cards we find at the end of the detail.
Compostable fruit (It didn't start that way.)
The intention was admirable! You got a piece of fruit for yourself or a family member, but life got in the way and it didn't get eaten. With each passing day, the fruit became less and less desirable. Slowly, it faded from your center of focus, and invariably it ended up at the bottom of your car, in many cases, for months or even years. We're big fans of dry fruit, but the apples we find have been pruned far beyond repair. While we do use 100% compostable bags to seal up any valuable items to return to you at the end of your detail, we normally leave out any compostable fruit and put it right in our trash can. Most commonly found: Under the kid's seat. Hint: Slugger still needs his dose of Vitamin C.
Lollipops and Candy
Willy Wonka would love detailing for some of our sweet tooth customers. Gummi bears, sprees, and pick your poison-taffy variety take home the high honors for most popular candy. And we're not surprised, nothing takes the edge off a long road trip better than a sweet edible bear to munch on. Just make sure to get your car detailed when you get back from your road trip ;).
Mulch
The one universal truth about transporting your own mulch from the nursery to your home, it will spill out in your car. Even if it is completely bagged up.
But, no harm no foul, this is one of the easiest things to pick up with our Vacmaster Beast.
Most commonly found: in the back seat or in the trunk.
Makeup and jewelry
If it's not stuck on the steering wheel, we hope to find makeup creams securely stored in the side pockets. This is an easy item to return to our clients and saves a few bucks too! Earrings, necklaces and (not wedding) rings round out the other items we find in this category. Ladies rejoice, sometimes getting your car detailed can turn into a mini shopping spree!
Fresh Start Auto Detail is a St. Louis based auto detailing company that provides service at the convenience of your own home. Fresh Start uses professional-grade steam and air tools to restore your car to like-new condition. You can even watch us in your own driveway from your window! Fresh start offers a Full Premium Detail, Interior Detail, or Express Clean. Simplicity is our style and clean is what we deliver. Book your service online at freshstartautodetail.com.