Does detailing emit hazardous materials?

Not sure where to post this, mods, so please move appropriately. Thanks.

So, while I was detailing my buddy's car over the weekend, a nosy, tree hugging Greenpeace type neighbor came by and accused me of emitting environmentally hazardous materials over the air, and if I had a permit for it. They said they can smell it while walking by my house. I was detailing in the garage with the doors open.

I was caught completely off guard since a couple people stopped by earlier and said I was doing a heck of a job, and that the paint looked like glass....so I did not even expect that line of questioning. I said that you can buy this stuff (Menzerna polishes) anywhere, and they're not hazardous, and if it bothers them so much, I could close the door next time. I am not looking forward to detailing with the door closed, esp when it's a nice day out.

So, I guess my question is, does she have a point? If she does, what about mobile detailing? I'm not going to let this little incident stop me, but I am curious. Just to piss her off, I'm tempted to host a detailing get together for my other gear-head buddies at my house....I'll even provide the equipment and supplies.

Thanks.

 

Permit? Did she have her b*tch permit on her? I would've politely told her to STFU unless she can provide documentation that what you were doing necessitated a permit. And tell her to forward all documentation to your lawyer.

 

They might have an ador but if they are sold here they are voc compliant. So you are fine. 105 has an aweful smell to it and gets in the house when I am in the garage but it is safe. I am sure all the dust going into your lungs isn't though. Tell them you can smell their cooking sometimes and that doesn't smell good and makes you sick-lol.

 

Or, if she's one of them tree huggers, ask her if she has a permit for the dope she's smokin.

 

99.5% of products are safe as most of them are going to be biodegradable to some large degree, US products will be VOC compliant. Some acid cleaners are dangerous but only to the use because of direct contact and gets diluted so much when washed away it is not harmful. Polishing dust again is only harmful to users as it can get into your lungs. I have had people say that I "polluting" when they see the foam in the gutters on the street from my driveway and I just say its 100% safe biodegradable soap it will do nothing of harm to anything.

Keep on detailing, it is just the user that is put at harm with detailing products and that is just the acids and strong cleaners because of direct contact and nothing else, so keep on detailing!

 

Boy can't say I've ever heard of someone asking or bringing this up before but yes some polish do release some sort of odor...but nothing that's harmfull. I would agree with Asphalt Rocket, Menzerna and other products sold in North America have to meet VOC requirements if not they are not allowed to be distributed/sold.

As for the permit....I'm not 100% sure on this but if your doing it as a business/profit you should have a permit. If you detail just for fun and pure pleassure you should be fine...but then again the government wants to stick their hands in your pocket any time you have any kind of extra income so like I said not 100% on the permit.

 

Like everyone else has said, if it is sold in the U.S., it is (relatively) safe.

If she says anything else about the permit or if you are licensed to be doing that for money/profit, just tell her that you do the work for free, but "the customer can tip you if they want to".

I can't see it being any real issue though, I am detailing other people's cars all the time and my neighbors couldn't care less. I even detail for a cop that lives two houses down from me, I have never been questioned about a license or permit.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. And pektel, thanks for expressing my true feelings....I was just being politically correct in my initial post.....LOL.

I'm not sure what she meant by permit either.....if she comes again to my house, I'll just tell her to shove it where the sun doesn't shine.

 

Sounds like trouble could be brewing, She could shut you down if your in a Residential Area.

 

I'm not too worried. I wasn't planning on detailing from my house anyway....wasn't keen on having strangers coming to my house. But it will inconvenient me a little if a friend wants a quick detail. I've only done 2 of my friends car, 2 months apart. I still have a few friends who wants me to do their cars. They all have decent driveways I can work from. However, now that she bitched about the smell, I guess it's time to do my own 2 cars in the next weeks ahead....with the doors open.

 

As stated earlier, if it comes up i conversation with her, you are detailing your friends cars for free. I ran into this when I first started because the nosy dyke,( can I say that Carlos? honestly she was!), starting poking around and called the bylaw officer and they shut me down until I got a business license.

 

Boy it's a good thing she asked that of you and not me. I would have told her that I ate chili and I'd been ripping farts all day. I'd then ask her to pull my finger!!
Edit: Anyone who knows me knows that this is ABSOLUTELY what I would have done, LOL.

 

LOL....would've loved to be there.:applause2:

 

lol. come on richy, whats with you and the fart obsession....:giggle:

and next time, tell the tree hugger that all the bullshit she is spewing out of her mouth is probably wayyyy more hazardous to the environment.

 

So you got a business license for working out of your home? I never intended to do that, but I don't think there are any laws that'll prevent my buddies from detailing their own cars in my driveway once in a blue moon.

 

I don't know, she's a little over the edge. I would just ask if i can see where this is written as apparently i am not up to date with that ordinance.

 

damn ... This reminded me of the time I got together with an old college friend. I picked him up and he brought his wife. I didn't know the wife, but her first few words were "is that a v8 engine vehicle with leather seats?" when she saw my 04 gto. I made sure she knew that I was getting like 14 mpgs ... lol

 

The most hazardous product we normally use is polish (silica and aluminium oxide) but they do not emit an odour. Solvents are a slight localised breathing hazard.

Acid type wheel cleaners, some of these are dangerous and do emit odour

The only other thing she may bring ut is water runoff to a storm drain (against most local by-laws)

Not a good idea to make an enemy of these type of people as they can and will make life difficult

 

Agreed.

People that do this can be real downers, but you've got to be respectful and careful.

...or....when in doubt, just pull the chili fart card! :applause:

 

We have one of these complainers next door to my work. Every time we do something, the call the cops. We climb a ladder, they call the city saying we aren't wearing protective gear. And we are a retail cabinet/countertop/flooring/plumbing fixture store!

Funny part about these people, is everyone else knows how much they complain. When the power company was out to put in a new transformer for the addition we built, I told them to put it 8 feet from the property line. Of course, the neighbor decides to come over and throw a fit, while the power company guys and myself are still talking about the location. The guy makes a big stink, yelling, and saying how it has to be 25 feet or something absurd. The power guy tells him, "actually, we can put this right up against the property line." then he turns to me and asks if that's my wish. And on the property line it sits

After the neighbor left, the power compnay guys told me that whenever the power goes out, those guys are the LAST to get their power turned on.

Funny how sometimes they don't understand how all their complaining bites them in the ass.


billy, this line:

tell the tree hugger that all the bullshit she is spewing out of her mouth is probably wayyyy more hazardous to the environment.

is oh so true. :lol: