Paint Cleaner question

[UncleV]

I heard that this should be used after polsihing to make sure that the wax or sealant bonds properly to the paint. It's suppose to remove all lubricants left over by polishing compounds.

What is your experience with this type of procedure?:
Wash
Clay
Poilsh
Paint Cleaner
Sealant

Seems to make sense.
If you use them, what brands do you prefer?

[makdaddy626]

That's what I do.

More often than not, I use KAIO as my cleaner to prep the surface for wax or sealant. I've also used the WG offering (paintwork polish enhancer) before using the WG DGPS and found that I liked the Klasse better (better cleaning abilities in my opinion).

[Jimmie]

That's what I do.

More often than not, I use KAIO as my cleaner to prep the surface for wax or sealant. I've also used the WG offering (paintwork polish enhancer) before using the WG DGPS and found that I liked the Klasse better (better cleaning abilities in my opinion).

:iagree: same here and also the Pinnacle paintwork cleansing lotion.

[ScottB]

I find a paint cleanser is usually only need for a proper finish INSTEAD of polishing. If you polish, you have clean paint. Maybe a quick wipe down ISO style would help bonding of any wax or sealant.

[aabablusaan]

My process varies from yours:

Wash|Clay|Paint Cleaner|Polish|LSP

In my opinion, if you polish, then clean paint, you're removing some of the benefit of the polish. I could be wrong though...I'm an amateur.

[aabablusaan]

And as far as THEM is concerned, I use the following Meguiars products:

=ScratchX - gets out fine swirls, contaminants that couldn't be removed by clay

=Deep Crystal 1 - more mild than ScratchX

I do this by hand, and haven't accessed any other products besides these OTC products

[mixxer]

Before a sealant i would use Klasse AIO , not only to asure bonding but IMHO it also adds some depth.

[Rsurfer]

My process varies from yours:

Wash|Clay|Paint Cleaner|Polish|LSP

In my opinion, if you polish, then clean paint, you're removing some of the benefit of the polish. I could be wrong though...I'm an amateur.
I find a paint cleanser is usually only need for a proper finish INSTEAD of polishing. If you polish, you have clean paint. Maybe a quick wipe down ISO style would help bonding of any wax or sealant.(Quote from Killr, which I agree with)

[killrflake]

I find a paint cleanser is usually only need for a proper finish INSTEAD of polishing. If you polish, you have clean paint. Maybe a quick wipe down ISO style would help bonding of any wax or sealant.

Killr can tell me what ratio of ipa to water you sugjest or do you use it staight from the bottle. Sorry if it's a dumb question.

[ZoranC]

I find a paint cleanser is usually only need for a proper finish INSTEAD of polishing. If you polish, you have clean paint.
In Meguiar's 5-step paint care cycle cleaning comes before polishing. Aleggedly purpose is to assure best possible result when polishing.

[Rsurfer]

In Meguiar's 5-step paint care cycle cleaning comes before polishing. Aleggedly purpose is to assure best possible result when polishing.Perhaps a marketing scheme?

[ZoranC]

Perhaps a marketing scheme?
I would not know for sure as I am not a car care chemical expert that knows ingredients in cleaner type of products and what they do to clear/paint. However it is worthwhile noting quite a number of car care product companies advise same and that quite a number of professionals does exactly same. To me as a layman what they say sounds logical. Purpose of paint cleaners is to take out "dirt" that washing and claying can not address, dirt from pores that is very obvious on severely neglected vehicles. Polishing can not address that as polishing can not reach them, it addresses the tops of "mountains" while dirt is in the "valleys". Even if polishing could "suck it out" you don't want that "polluting" your pad while you are trying to make your paint perfect. Hence "take the filth out then level the paint" makes sense to me and I envision everything else is either not touching that filth or is grinding it into the paint.

[TOGWT]

Pre-polishing - for a pristine paint film surface- after the application of detailer’s clay use a paint cleaner (Zaino ZPC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner – (http//: www.zainostore.com/ (http://www.zainostore.com/) or Klasse All-In-One (http//:www.autogeek.com (http://www.autogeek.com/)) to ensure the surface is clean and the sub-surface is free of any grease or other residue, ensuring a clean surface will also avoid pad becoming contaminated and / or clogged prior to polishing The paint cleaners suggested above can sometimes be used instead of detailers clay if the ‘bag test’ doesn't reveal contaminates but the surface looks ‘soiled’ use a chemical surface cleaner (especially on light colored paint)

Paint cleaners contain a mild abrasive (Kaolin or Fullers earth) and a light solvent to remove any oil or other debris from the paint surface

After polishing you should carry out a surface wipe-down to ensure any oils/silicone and / or fillers are removed to allow an assessment of the surface and ensure all surface marring has been removed

[ZoranC]

:goodpost: Thank you Jon!

[makdaddy626]

Very interesting, thanks for everyone's input. I guess I've been doing things backwards (Polish, then Klasse)... I think my confusion may have originated in part from the Pinnacle videos, where the polishing video shows the use of Paintwork Cleansing Lotion at the end. I went back and watched it again and now realize that it might have been meant as an alternative to the other polishes, rather than as the 3rd step in polishing.