Golf carts live outside. They sit under a tree at the club, in an open bay behind the garage, or on a trailer, and they take rain, sun, pollen and grass clippings all season without getting more than a quick rinse. I detail golf carts at the owner's home or in the club lot anywhere in Johnson County. This page covers what actually needs doing on a cart, what I do about it, and how pricing works.
What goes wrong on a cart
A cart is mostly vinyl, molded plastic and open floor, and each of those fails in its own way.
- Vinyl seats. Sunscreen, sweat and UV dry the vinyl out. It goes chalky, then it cracks. Light seats pick up dye from shorts and a gray haze from dirty hands.
- Mildew in the seams. The stitched seams and the gap where the seat bottom meets the back trap moisture. Black speckling shows up there first, and once it is in the stitching a wipe-down does nothing.
- Floor grooves. Most cart floors are ribbed rubber or textured plastic. Grass clippings, pollen, bunker sand and dried mud pack into the grooves and turn into a green-brown crust that a leaf blower does not move.
- Faded body panels. The plastic body, the dash, the cup holders and the bag well all oxidize. Black plastic goes gray, colored panels go flat and chalky.
- Wheels and windshield. Brake dust is not the problem on a cart. Grass stain, mud and fertilizer are. The acrylic windshield scratches easily and fogs over with sap and pollen film.
What I do on a golf cart
Interior
I start with the floor. Compressed air and a stiff brush to lift the packed material out of the grooves, then the shop vac, then 212°F steam to break down what is stuck, then a rinse and a dry. Seats get a vinyl-safe cleaner worked in with a boar-hair brush so the grain and the seams get scrubbed, not just the flat surface. Mildew in the stitching gets steam followed by a second pass with the brush. Then a UV protectant goes on every vinyl surface, which is the part that keeps the seats from cracking next summer. Dash, cup holders, the scorecard holder, the storage pockets and the bag well all get cleaned and dressed.
Exterior
Foam contact hand wash on the body, the roof, and the underside of the roof where the dust settles. Wheels scrubbed. Windshield cleaned with a plastic-safe cleaner and a clean microfiber, never an ammonia glass cleaner, which clouds acrylic. Then a spray sealant on the body panels so rain beads and pollen rinses off instead of sticking.
Trim & Plastic Restoration, $95 add-on
If the body panels, dash and bumpers have gone gray and chalky, a wash alone will not bring the color back. The Trim & Plastic Restoration add-on is a dedicated restorer worked into the plastic that brings the black and the color back and holds for months instead of days. On an older cart this is the single biggest visual change.
Where I do it
Your driveway, your garage bay, or the club lot if the club allows outside vendors. I confirm parking and a couple of quick logistics when you book. Most carts take 2 to 3 hours. If you have two carts, or a cart and a car, I can do both in the same visit, and I schedule it so nothing gets rushed.
Pricing
Carts vary too much for a flat price. A two-seater with clean seats and a dusty floor is a different job than a six-seater with mildewed seams and chalky panels. So I quote by text with photos. Send three or four pictures to 913-391-1868, one of the seats, one of the floor, one of the body, and one of anything that worries you, and I text back one firm number. Most carts land below the Interior Reset sedan price of $225, text photos for a firm number. The Trim & Plastic Restoration add-on is a flat $95 on top if you want it.
Book it
Text photos to 913-391-1868 or call. I answer myself, and I confirm the number before I drive out. You pay after the job when you have looked it over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you detail my cart at the golf club?
Yes, as long as the club allows outside vendors in the cart lot or barn. Check with the pro shop first. If they say no, I do it at your home, and most carts fit in a driveway or garage bay without any trouble.
Can you get mildew out of the vinyl seat seams?
Almost always. Steam and a boar-hair brush pull it out of the stitching. If a seam has split and the mildew has grown into the foam underneath, the stain lightens but the seam itself needs a repair I do not do.
Will the seats crack less after a detail?
Yes, if the protectant is kept up. Cleaning takes off the old sunscreen and grime, and the UV protectant slows the drying that causes cracking. Reapplying it every couple of months through the summer is what makes the difference on a cart that sits outside.
How much does golf cart detailing cost?
There is no flat cart price because carts vary. Most land below the Interior Reset sedan price of $225. Text photos of the seats, floor and body to 913-391-1868 and I text back a firm number before I drive out.