Our 11-step cleaning protocol explained
We do not believe in a quick splash of water and a vacuum. Since we started Thistrict in 2016, we have learned that executive travel requires a higher level of hygiene than a standard hire. Every one of our 47 navy blue cars goes through a rigid 11-step checklist before it leaves our George Street garage.
The exterior chemical decontamination
The Scottish weather is not kind to navy blue paintwork. We start every cleaning cycle with a pH-neutral snow foam to lift the road salt and grit gathered from the A1 or the M8. This sits for 8 minutes exactly. We do not use brushes because they leave swirl marks that look unprofessional under the bright lights of the Edinburgh Airport terminal. Instead, we use 3 separate microfibre wash mitts for different parts of the bodywork to avoid cross-contamination of dirt.
Once the foam is rinsed, we apply a specific iron-out solution to the 19-inch alloys. Brake dust builds up fast on high-performance German saloons and it looks grey and dull if you just spray it with water. Our team uses a soft-bristle detailing brush to reach behind the spokes. Honestly, it is the most time-consuming part of the exterior work, but when you are meeting a board of directors, the wheels need to look sharp. We finish with a de-ionised water rinse to ensure there are no water spots on the glass.
Swirl marks look unprofessional under airport lights, so we never let a brush touch our navy paintwork.
High-touch point sanitisation
A car interior has 43 specific areas that people touch frequently. We use a 68.6% isopropyl alcohol solution on the steering wheel, gear selector, and I-Drive controllers. This is not just about looking clean; it is about proper hygiene for the next passenger. We spent £3,200 last year on specific medical-grade cleaning supplies to make sure we do this right. Each car receives a fresh set of sanitised keys in a sealed pouch once the interior is finished.
We also focus on the door handles, both inside and out, and the seatbelt buckles. Most people forget the window switches and the climate control buttons, but we include them in our 11-step list. Our cleaners wear fresh nitrile gloves for every car to ensure no oils from their skin end up on your leather steering wheel. It takes us about 22 minutes just to finish this sanitisation phase before we even think about the upholstery or the carpets.
Deep upholstery and carpet extraction
Our navy blue fleet features light grey or black leather interiors. We use a low-moisture leather feeder that cleans the pores of the hide without leaving it greasy. If the leather is slippery, it feels cheap. We want it to feel supple and firm. For the carpets, we use a German-made extraction vacuum that pulls 96.7% of moisture out. This prevents that damp smell that often haunts older hire cars in the winter months here in Edinburgh.
We pay special attention to the rear passenger footwells. Since 67% of our clients are being chauffeured or carrying delegates, the back of the car must be as pristine as the front. We use a specific crevice tool to remove every grain of sand from the floor mats. By the way, we replace our floor mats every 7 months regardless of wear to keep the cabin feeling new. It is a small cost that makes a big difference when you step into the car at the terminal.
If the leather feels greasy, it feels cheap. We aim for a supple, firm finish every time.
The glass and final mirror polish
Low sun in the North of UK makes streaky windscreens dangerous. We use a two-cloth system for all glass surfaces. The first cloth applies a vinegar-based cleaner to cut through any film from the air conditioning, and the second dry cloth polishes it to a crystal finish. We do this for the vanity mirrors, the rear-view mirror, and the side mirrors as well. Nothing ruins a first impression like a smudge on the glass when you are trying to check your tie before a meeting.
The 11th step is a final walk-around by our shift lead, Fiona. She uses a high-lumen torch to check the paint for any missed spots and ensures the tyres are dressed with a matte finish. We avoid high-gloss tyre shine because it flicks up onto the paintwork during the 14-mile drive to the airport. We want the car to look sophisticated, not like it just came out of a cheap showroom. Once Fiona signs the log, the car is ready for delivery.
