Keeping pads clean during compounding/polishing

Clean pads are extremely important IMO, especially cutting pads whether you're using wool or foam. My procedure is to rinse out my pads (wool and foam) prior to using them. A damp pad works very differently from a dry one, whether or not you're talking about foam or wool. I soak them in a laundry tub under running water and then wring them out. I then put them on my rotary (the only bloody thing I use it for anymore!!) and spin them at 3000 rpm for about 30 seconds. They should be damp, not wet. Use the pad until it stops being effective which might be a whole panel or a portion of it. Change the pad to your next one when it becomes ineffective. Clean it with an APC in your laundry tub and spin dry as above and you're good to go again. I only use a few pads and clean them often. My tub is at the bottom of the stairs so it's an easy solution for me. I highly recommend this method. Most people will criticize my method, so try it if you want. It has worked for me for years and I could care less what others think. I am also a staunch advocate of the 3401. Results are all that matter to me.

My suggestion if you're limited on pads goes like this...

Do no more than a couple of sections at a time with your pad. Then clean it on the fly with a terry cloth towel, drying it out as much as possible. Take that pad off and set it aside.

Put on a new pad and repeat the process. While you are using this next pad, the previously used pad(s) are sitting aside and getting some additional dry time.

Once you've exhausted whatever number of pads you have, then start over with the first pad used.

By using this process, you can minimize pad saturation. If you use a single pad to the point of saturation before replacing it, now you are SOL. Keep rotating whatever number of pads you have religiously to minimize pad saturation.

If you have a power washer and pad cleaner use one cutting pad for no more than 2 panels spray some cleaner on it, let it soak while you are using a second pad. When the second is full rinse the first out and repeat with the second as you did the first then start using the 3rd so the first has some dry time too. Thats probably what I would do with only 3 pads.

If you’re using MF pads and this is one reason I like them, even a small air compressor with an air blower nozzle can clean and cool an MF pad quickly. So you really could use one pad for the whole car if you blow it out regularly, which I do every section.

If you’re using foam and you clean it with water, it won’t be usable again until it dries completely.

Lets get 1 thing straight right off the bat. Water cleans pads clean. Simple as that.

The only actual problem there is with having a minimum amount of pads to handle a job is the time you’ll take away to walk over to the sink and clean them 1 at a time immediately after they’ve hit their limit, and the 2nd part and here’s the real issue and that’s waiting for them to fully dry.

Best way I usually do to dry them is after you’ve rinsed it clean gently wring out the excess and slap it on a polisher and point the polisher into an empty wash bucket and turn the polisher on full speed. After that take the polisher & pad and press it into a good microfiber drying towel and then lay the pad face up in the direct sunlight and it will soon be dry.

Only way to dry them faster is tossing them in the dryer but I don’t put my pads in the dryer so you’re at your own risk if you do that.

Once again, there’s no need for pad cleaners as long as your don’t let them sit dirty overnight.

Eldorado2k said:

Lets get 1 thing straight right off the bat. Water cleans pads clean. Simple as that.

The only actual problem there is with having a minimum amount of pads to handle a job is the time you’ll take away to walk over to the sink and clean them 1 at a time immediately after they’ve hit their limit, and the 2nd part and here’s the real issue and that’s waiting for them to fully dry.

Best way I usually do to dry them is after you’ve rinsed it clean gently wring out the excess and slap it on a polisher and point the polisher into an empty wash bucket and turn the polisher on full speed. After that take the polisher & pad and press it into a good microfiber drying towel and then lay the pad face up in the direct sunlight and it will soon be dry.

Only way to dry them faster is tossing them in the dryer but I don’t put my pads in the dryer so you’re at your own risk if you do that.

Once again, there’s no need for pad cleaners as long as your don’t let them sit dirty overnight.

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Get a cheap used rotary. Spin it at 3000 rpm...done. I usually am cleaning about 2 or 3 pads at a time, but if I'm doing a nasty hood or something, I'll just keep using my black wool pad and cleaning it as required until I'm done that stage.

Nice to be back posting....haven't been here in a long time.

richy said:

Get a cheap used rotary. Spin it at 3000 rpm...done. I usually am cleaning about 2 or 3 pads at a time, but if I'm doing a nasty hood or something, I'll just keep using my black wool pad and cleaning it as required until I'm done that stage.

Nice to be back posting....haven't been here in a long time.

Click to expand...

I don’t use the wool pads, but I can’t imagine using a damp foam pad. The 1st thing that comes to mind is that it’d be unusable. Not for you?

Sometimes I’ll put the center of a foam pad up to my nose to check if it’s fully dry yet and if it’s even slightly damp I’ll hold off until it’s ready.

Is that vacuum setup still going strong for you?

Another option for someone who only has a few pads is to only do 2-3 panels and then call it a day. Clean them, and let them dry for tomorrow.

There is no law that states the entire vehicle has to be completed in a single day.