1. Vehicle type, cabin size and access
Record the vehicle category (car, taxi, delivery van, minibus, coach, plant cab), the number of seat rows, whether the load area is being included, and how the crew gets in. High roofs, sliding doors, tight parking bays and low underground entrances all change how a machine moves around the job. Where the work happens in a locked multi-storey or a narrow outdoor bay, a compact mobile unit is easier to work with than a trolley that has to be pushed up a ramp, which is why PowerDe’s mobile active-water machines are described for indoor garages and narrow outdoor parking spaces.
2. Materials and what they can tolerate
Note the seat covering (fabric, vinyl, leather, Alcantara-type trim), carpet and mat type, headlining, and any trim the operator has been told not to soak. Ask the customer which areas have already been shampooed or extracted, because previously saturated fabric changes drying time and the price of doing it again. Materials decide the mode more than the stain does, so this information belongs on the quotation itself rather than in a note.
3. Soil type and how it got there
Spilled drinks, tracked-in grit, pet hair, oil and grease on a work van’s floor, food debris in a taxi, mould smell after a leak: these need different sequences. Write down what the customer reports and what is visible at inspection, including whether the vehicle has been used for trades, pets, or passenger hire. A fleet customer’s regular schedule is quoted differently from a single accident clean.
4. Utilities and where the machine gets its power and water
This is the item most often missed on site. The PowerDe HMW2 steam cleaner is listed as a mobile active-water cleaning machine with dry-steam, wet-steam and hot-water modes for narrow indoor garage and outdoor parking spaces, and the product page for the battery version also lists leakage, short-circuit, high-temperature, high-voltage and water-shortage protection. If the crew works without mains power, the battery variant is the relevant configuration; if a supply and a water point exist, the non-battery variant may be sufficient. Record what is available at each bay or kerb position before choosing.
5. Time available and drying expectations
Ask the customer when the vehicle is needed back, and state honestly what the process leaves behind: seats and carpets that need drying time, or a finish that can be driven away. Low-moisture steam and vacuum work suits short handover windows; heavy extraction does not. Note the local weather and ventilation, because drying time in an unheated bay in winter is not the same as in a covered bay in summer.
6. Site rules and exclusions
Dealerships, fleet depots, underground car parks and airport aprons each impose rules on water discharge, cable routes, working at height, and which products may be used. Confirm in writing what the site permits, where waste water may be collected, and which parts of the vehicle are excluded from the job (loose cargo, personal property, damaged trim, exposed wiring). Exclusions written on the quotation avoid disputes at handover.
7. Documentation of the finished job
Agree the record the customer will receive: dated photographs before and after, the areas covered, the process used, and any defects noticed during the clean such as torn seams or existing water ingress. Fleet and rental customers in particular will want that evidence attached to the invoice.
With vehicle type, materials, soil, available utilities, handover time and site rules recorded, an operator can size the job and confirm the right configuration with the manufacturer. To check current specifications and configuration options for PowerDe cleaning equipment, contact Shenzhen PowerDe Automation Precision Equipment with your working conditions.
