Car Care Help

[jimlenz]

Annually, I wax our two cars. My process is as follows

Wash
Clay
Menzerna sip
Menzerna finish polish
water/alcohol solution
Pinnacle souveran wax

All of this with my flex 3401.

This works great but I have three products that I am not sure when to use. Since I only do the full job once per year, generally what I will do is wash the car weekly and use the crystal mist carnuba detailing spray to keep that nice wax shine and feel.

The three products that I have that I am unsure when to use are:

Paintwork polish enhancer
Deep gloss paint sealant
Paintwork cleaning lotion

I read that these are all good products so I bought them. Could someone provide some guidance on when to use these now that I have done my first wax of the season. When and how often is the biggest question.

Thanks

Jim

 

[ScottB]

paint cleansing lotions are chemical cleaners and often use in place of polishing when a finish is in good condition. It removes old wax and contaminents and preps paint for a new layer.

Paint sealants (synthetic waxes) are much more durable than traditional waxes. You could use this in place of Souveran of before it as wanted for longer protection.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

The three products that I have that I am unsure when to use are:

Paintwork polish enhancer
Deep gloss paint sealant
Paintwork cleaning lotion

I read that these are all good products so I bought them. Could someone provide some guidance on when to use these now that I have done my first wax of the season. When and how often is the biggest question.

Thanks

Jim

The Paintwork Polish Enhancer and the Paintwork Cleansing Lotion are like Scott said, light paint cleaners, they do work very well.

Here's an article that talks and shows how to use these products by hand...

How to clay, clean and wax paint by hand with Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion and Pinnacle Signature Series II Carnauba Paste Wax


And a general thread on working by hand...

How to use a hand applied abrasive polish or paint cleaner by hand



The DGPS is a paint sealant that you can apply by hand or machine.


The below is from the first link above...

Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion perfectly prepares the paint for application of wax. It will ensure the wax has a clean base to bond to.

To use Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing lotion, apply using a clean, soft foam or microfiber applicator pad using a back and forth motion. While the goal is to always work clean, working in a back and forth motion will prevent you from instilling circular swirls just in case any dirt particulates enter the polishing process.

Because the Lexus LX 470 is a very large Sport Utility Vehicle it can be difficult to rub out an entire panel at one time, so for vehicles like this you can break a panel up into smaller sections.

After the Paintwork Cleansing Lotion dries to a haze, buff off using a clean microfiber towel.

Next we'll move onto a new section and overlap a little into the previous section.

Then using an aluminum work platform to stand on to reach into the middle of the hood we then worked the inner back section of the hood again using a back and forth motion and overlapping a little into the front section where we started.

Then lastly, we worked the rear, outer section...

This half the hood is now clean and smooth and ready for an application of wax...

While claying will remove above surface bonded contaminants, Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion will remove embedded road grime and pollutants as you can see when we compare the applicator pad we used to a brand new, clean applicator pad.

New, never been used clean foam applicator pad

Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion removes road grime and dirt that stains the paint and will hinder any wax from bonding to the paint. Besides helping your wax to bond better to the paint by removing embedded road grime and dirt staining, you create a more clear finish which will enable your eyes to see the beauty of the color coat under the clear coat as well as sharpen reflections and increase gloss.

After cleaning half the hood...

 

[NorthernVaBMW]

I use Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant as my "wax" and as a touch up both. These synthetic sealants are so easy to apply and remove that they're as easy to use as a quick detailer spray but they last longer. After washing and drying, I dampen a microfiber cloth with the paint sealant and then wipe down the car. When applied lightly, you don't have to let the sealant haze. Wipe on and polish with the same cloth and maybe a quick wipe with a clean MF cloth. It will renew the paint's protection and remove any lingering waters spots.