Cleaning Polishing Pads? | Stop DAMAGING Your Most Expensive Investment | McKee's 37 Polishing Pad Cleaner Review

Joe, thank you for another informative review.

You mentioned using pressure washer, but I'm going to assume smushing/squeezing pads, is also a no-no (I'm guilty of doing this with applicators).

Also, I was hoping to see the 'after' of the microfiber pad. You're probably know what I'm thinking - off label for microfiber pretreatment.
 
Thanks Joe,now I can admit that I have been using a dedicated pad cleaner that is not cheap compared to APC. I have been using XMT and now Wolfgang pad cleaner and was afraid to admit that I believed that the pads felt and looked cleaner. There is always that wiseguy who will say that the same results will come from gas,paint thinner,milk,apple juice......Nice write up. I will try Nick's 37 next when I run out of Wolfgang.
 
Joe@NextLevelDetail said:
Some of the cheaper APCs on the market use more harmful chemicals, So they can have a attractive price point
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Just curious.....what do the more expensive APC's use that makes the APC more expensive?

Thank you for taking the time and effort to create this post. I agree with using polishing pad cleaners to clean your pads.
The McKee's Polishing Pad Cleaner looks like it works well.

Another option to consider (and personally use) is Wolfgang Polishing Pad & "Extender"
Wolfgang Pad Werks Pad Cleaner & Extender

Cleans pads well and conditions them.
 
great work joe. I've always just had two buckets each with two gallons of water and 1oz. of d114. One bucket it for my towels and the other is for my pads. At the end of the day I use Einszett 1z blitz APC @30:1

Not only is it highly concentrated, but it is completely safe and will not burn or dry out your skin like most APC/degreasers and it rinses clean without ever leaving any residue behind. While this isn't an effective cleaner for removing wax/silicone/sealant. I have found that even something as incredibly mild at 1z blitz @30:1 can be an effective product for removing compound/polish/paint residue because I saturate the pads with a foaming trigger sprayer and massage the pad for 15-20 seconds and rinse with warm water. For me, even mild cleaners are effective as long as the create a foamy lather when massaging the pads and most important rinse away easily. I have tried dedicated pad cleaners and they all seemed pretty harsh (especially blackfires).

When it come to removing waxes, sealants and AIO's I use 3d Towel clean in a spray bottle diluted 10:1 and I completely saturate the pads before throwing them into the washing machine at the shop and setting it to "handwashables." I always set it to warm/cold and always make sure the "extra rinse" setting is selected. Occasionally there is still some product remaining in my dedicated sealant pads that were used with WGDGPS and in those cases I will use OPC diluted 3:1.

While I'm sure they are strong enough to clean pads without alot of work, I just see no reason to invest in a dedicated pad cleaner when they are so ungodly expensive the spray versions I've tried are not sold in concentrated form which it's really difficult for me to justify spending $40-$50 on a cleaner that isn't capable of dilution.
 
the polishing pad cleaner does work great. i have two bottles. what kind of pads are those you have pictured with the flex. also what size?
 
I am convinced that the new McKee's Pad Cleaner is the old XMT pad cleaner. The vapor from the spray can take your breath away, so it is a bit harsh.

I was happy with the CG Pad Cleaner until I tried the XMT that I got with some kit.

This is also the best cleaner I have used to clean waxes and sealants out of pads too.
 
DBAILEY said:
I am convinced that the new McKee's Pad Cleaner is the old XMT pad cleaner. The vapor from the spray can take your breath away, so it is a bit harsh.

I was happy with the CG Pad Cleaner until I tried the XMT that I got with some kit.

This is also the best cleaner I have used to clean waxes and sealants out of pads too.
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really? i haven't noticed that yet.
 
Well, we're all different and have different sensitivities and have had a different history of chemical exposures.

Perhaps I am using a sprayer that atomizes more than you? I avoid breathing it in like almost all detailing products, but every now and then I'll accidentally get a lung full. It has made me have a little coughing fit more than once.

No where as strong as that Megs DynaCone pad cleaner. You really know when you've accidentally breathed in some spray vapors.
 
Nice Joe! Where can I get that brush you have pictured?

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Beautiful post, Joe!

From day one of my d/a polishing days, I've been using a dedicated pad cleaner. Whenever I tried anything else, even my APC, I never got the same results. The pad cleaner worked like a charm every time.

Same with water temperature. In the first year of serious d/a polishing I'd spray with pad cleaner, agitate with brush, and rinse with hot water. I switched to cool water because I felt that the heat was too much for the foam. It was just an OCD thing I suppose. I do use warm water when cleaning my sealant pads.
 
Joe, thank you for this very detailed write up! I've been cleaning my pads wrong forever!! I use Dawn to clean them as well as hot water, when I'm at my buddy's shop especially. Now there's times I've taken them into the show with me and used body wash and stepped on them to get the soap and product out. I guess I never really gave it much thought but I will be now!

Thanks again 👍👍

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Klasse Act said:
Joe, thank you for this very detailed write up! I've been cleaning my pads wrong forever!! I use Dawn to clean them as well as hot water, when I'm at my buddy's shop especially. Now there's times I've taken them into the show with me and used body wash and stepped on them to get the soap and product out. I guess I never really gave it much thought but I will be now!

Thanks again 👍👍

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Lmao, don't feel bad Klasse! I just recently was schooled my self and used some pretty dumb chemicals and methods to get them what I thought was "clean"

The best part was I thought I was being smart about the process *face palm*

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dlc95 said:
Beautiful post, Joe!

From day one of my d/a polishing days, I've been using a dedicated pad cleaner. Whenever I tried anything else, even my APC, I never got the same results. The pad cleaner worked like a charm every time.

Same with water temperature. In the first year of serious d/a polishing I'd spray with pad cleaner, agitate with brush, and rinse with hot water. I switched to cool water because I felt that the heat was too much for the foam. It was just an OCD thing I suppose. I do use warm water when cleaning my sealant pads.
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Of course you did! You are the pad king.

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Great information, thank you for sharing. I started using pad cleaners very early on. I also started using a dedicated microfiber cleaner for microfiber towels. Someone posted recently not to use the dedicated microfiber detergent every time. If you have a chance to talk to this chemist again I would be interested in hearing his/her thoughts on microfiber detergent.
 
Thanks for taking the time to do this review, very helpful my friend.

Kyle
 
they should make the pad cleaner in gallon size. the pad conditioner works good too.
 
Thanks Joe! Great information on pad cleaning. Ive been using the mckees 37 pad cleaner with great results. I also picked up the LC pad washer last year and use it on big jobs with the pad restorer powder and it makes quick work of cleaning the pads.



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