50/50 Alcohol Solution

J

jimlenz

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I am a noob here and keep reading about others using a 50/50 alcohol solution during the polishing process. Could you explain what that is and what is the other 50? I am going to be doing my first detail next week and figured I should know..

Jim
 
A 50/50 alcohol solution is simple one part distilled water to one part isopropyl alcohol mixed together.

It is used to spray the panel down after you polish it. This will remove any polishing oils left on the panel so that you can see your true work with nothing hidden. Some polishing oils will hide minor haze or swirls that might still remain after a polish pass.

You don't have to dilute it. I use straight 93% isopropyl alcohol. You can dilute it to kill some of the smell or to make a bottle of it last longer, but I just use it stright.
 
67Customs said:
A 50/50 alcohol solution is simple one part distilled water to one part isopropyl alcohol mixed together.

It is used to spray the panel down after you polish it. This will remove any polishing oils left on the panel so that you can see your true work with nothing hidden. Some polishing oils will hide minor haze or swirls that might still remain after a polish pass.

You don't have to dilute it. I use straight 93% isopropyl alcohol. You can dilute it to kill some of the smell or to make a bottle of it last longer, but I just use it stright.
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So I am doing a 2 step polish with menzerna and then wax. Do I do this after each step? I assume I spray the panel down with the solution and then do I wipe it off with a mf or do i spray it off or what?

Thanks
 
loudog2 said:
Spray it, then wipe it off with a MF towel.
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That works, but if you are not going to do your trim work after LSP, I would rather use a 16X16 mf and soak it with alcohol. Wring out gently until very damp, but not dripping and begin wiping down. This way you won't get over spray from the alcohol on your trim work.
 
50/50 alcohol solution is alcohol and water. Personally, I just fill the bottle completely with the alcohol but I don't know if that's okay or not. You can use the 50/50 Alcohol Solution to remove polishing oils and/or to strip off any existing paint protection. Treat it like a quick detailer....spray in one area and then wipe with a MF towel, then move onto the next section until the entire car has been done.
 
Every time that I see this I think about what I learned on here. IPA is usually 70% alcohol/30%water (actually comes stronger too). Guys that are after a 50/50 mix go 2:1 (70/30+70/30+30/30/30). You get 140 alcohol/150 water.
 
jimlenz said:
So I am doing a 2 step polish with menzerna and then wax. Do I do this after each step? I assume I spray the panel down with the solution and then do I wipe it off with a mf or do i spray it off or what?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Yes, right after you get done polishing a panel, spray it with 50/50 and then wipe of with a mf. When you come back around to do the next step, do the same thing again. Polish the panel, spray with 50/50 and then wipe it off with a mf.

Don't do it after the wax. I'm sure you know that, but I like being over cautious when giving advice.
 
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