Cleansing Paint

[TheFrankenberry]

1. So after claying and before polishing, a "cleanser" is required to strip off previous waxes and sealants, correct?

2. Would a "Decon" or "Traffic Film Remover" before claying suffice for stripping purposes?

3. It seems quite a few prefer to use a homemade brew of a 9:1 IPA: Dawn solution, this is just for stripping purposes, correct?

4. What do you use as a Decon/TFR/Cleanser?

Thanks for any help and insight.

 

[AutoHeed]

Polishing will remove waxes/sealants. if you are going to polish, no need to use such traffic film/dawn/decon.

if you are going to apply a new layer of wax, then OPC/Carpro Eraser/IPA/Mineral spirits will be enough to strip any sealant/wax.

 

[silverfox]

My go to is CG citrus wash. I guarantee you nothing of any previous polish or LSP will remain. Perfect to use just before a major detail and its about $10.

You can also go to a a dedicated product like Carpro eraser or Griots but I've never needed them to be honest. There are cheaper methods equally effective.

 

[Shortspark]

I think the best bet is to stay away from dish soaps and other home brew remedies. Instead, wash with CG "Clear" at the "stripping" dilution ratio of 2 ounces per gallon of water, follow with clay and then polish using a quality product - something like P21S Paintwork Cleanser. Doing this will guarantee you have prepped the car properly and safely.

 

[mwoolfso]

1. So after claying and before polishing, a "cleanser" is required to strip off previous waxes and sealants, correct? Any step with abrasives or chemical cleaners will strip off previous waxes and sealants. Strip off "completely" depends on the product and the process. That said, specific to your question you would not need to "clean" the paint with any cleanser product if you are going to polish. Any polish or compound will remove the sealant/wax layers.

2. Would a "Decon" or "Traffic Film Remover" before claying suffice for stripping purposes? It would help somewhat. Most of the time the paint would be stripped before you get to the decontamination step.

3. It seems quite a few prefer to use a homemade brew of a 9:1 IPA: Dawn solution, this is just for stripping purposes, correct? Dawn solution, yes.... I have not heard much (if any) talk of IPA being used to strip. Maybe you mean APC? I will typically put together a mixture of dawn and APC as my wash&strip step. 1-2oz of Dawn combined with 2-3 oz. of APC with 3-5 gallons of water do the trick for me. I don't use much Dawn because I let the mixture dwell on the paint for as long as possible. As for IPA, a 9:1 mixture would be good to remove polishing oils from the paint to ensure you have bare metal for the next step(s)... seal/wax.

4. What do you use as a Decon/TFR/Cleanser? IronX/Tarminator for Decon/TFR... For a cleanser I have a number of AIO's.... Mothers Step 1 and Synwax FX (OTC), Megs D151, Pinnacle/Wolfgang pre-wax cleaners.

Thanks for any help and insight.

...

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

What are you working on?

What are you trying to accomplish?



Keep in mind, car waxes and paint sealants wear off naturally through wear-n-tear and repeated washings via micro-abrading.

And as stated, if you're going to do any type of compounding or polishing, especially by machine, the abrading action of these types of products will completely obliterate any residual wax or sealant previously applied to the paint.

 

[FUNX650]

1. So after claying and before polishing, a "cleanser" is required to strip off previous waxes and sealants, correct?

2. Would a "Decon" or "Traffic Film Remover" before claying suffice for stripping purposes?

3. It seems quite a few prefer to use a homemade brew of a 9:1 IPA: Dawn solution, this is just for stripping purposes, correct?

4. What do you use as a Decon/TFR/Cleanser?

Thanks for any help and insight.

Sounds like you want to go through the whole nine yards to me.

If so:

1. Wash the vehicle using your favorite car-wash "shampoo"

2. Decontamination with either:
a) ValuGuard's ABC Kit
b) FinishKare's Decontamination System
c) Some folks will use an IronX type product

3. Clay

4. Polish/compound: Desired "paint-correction" dependent

5. LSP of choice


-If I warrant a vehicle does not require Step #2 (Decon)...
I've found that claying, along with compounding/polishing removes
the waxes/sealants I run across.

-Use of a citrus-based presoak product as a TFR; and, tar removers;
are often options I use on "localized-contamination"...
not so much as a 'decontamination-system', so to speak.




Bob

 

[HellaBroke]

-I use home brew... dawn... in foam canon cg citrus 3 oz in foam canon will strip any lsp as well...
-Ferrus metal decon next ie ironx and tarx or trix
-clay vehicle to remove any other bonded contaiminents
-compound if required
-polish
-finishing polish menz 4500 (personal favorite finishing polish)
- either rewash with citrus (remove any oils etc from compound polish steps) or ipa mix 12% search mikes posts for his ipa mix ratios(if sealing ie opticoat exo... ipa.. ipa...ipa...)
-apply sealant wait cure time if your topping it with anything
And/or
-wax...


Paintprep can get nuked from each step listed above... but this should yield exelent results... items like top coat insoection take the stress if any out of making your own ipa however i perfer to spend $3 for ipa and dilute rather tha. $15 for a bottle....
Dawn works for daily drivers... higher end paint I could see using different steps...

Sent from my SGH-T889 using AG Online

 

[TheFrankenberry]

I appreciate everyone's replies!

What are you working on?

What are you trying to accomplish?

- 2010 Challenger with Furious Fuchsia pearlcoat w/ <20k miles; daily driven 60 miles in Hawaii's sun and rain; exposed during the day, but in a covered garage at night.

- Remove light swirls, light scratches, and a couple moderate scratches with a medium compound (FG-400 or SI-1500) and final polish (SF-4500) with LC flat pads with a GG6" for the first time.

Sounds like you want to go through the whole nine yards to me.

Yes! I've been using the 2-Bucket Wash (sans Grit Guards) weekly, and locally available Mother's products (wheels, metal, soap, clay, 3-step process). Since last fall, I've included ChemGuys' soap, glaze, sealant, waxes, dressings and towels.

I now want to do it right, but was a bit confused on all the TFR/Decon stuff, and what (if anything) I should do between claying and polishing.

After this first 2-step polishing, I only plan on doing minor 1-step polishing semi-annually, sealant/wax monthly (HI DD), and weekly foam & wash.

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

- 2010 Challenger with Furious Fuchsia pearlcoat w/ <20k miles; daily driven 60 miles in Hawaii's sun and rain; exposed during the day, but in a covered garage at night.

Here's a real-world tutorial on one approach to taking care of your 2010 Challenger...



2012 Dodge Challenger + Menzerna Color Lock Makeover

Here's the after walk-around-video...
[video=youtube_share;OW5gMh59nmE&hd=1"]New Menzerna Color Lock Carnauba Wax on a 2012...[/video]​

Autogeek's Show Car Garage!
Tonight we're going to do an extreme makeover on a black 2012 Dodge Challenger and after we perfect the paint we're going to apply the new Menzerna Color Lock.


Here's the LSP we'll use, the brand new Menzerna Color Lock

Menzerna in the house!
And I have a pretty good arsenal of Menzerna compounds and polishes on had and ready to go to work...

The Challenger has arrived!
Okay Ken and his Challenger have arrived, hard to get great shots with the sun so low in the sky but here's what I took outside...

First, interesting self-portrait, now sure where I took this?

Swirls and Scratches Under Florescent Lights
Here's inside, paint looks a lot worse, more scratches under the florescent lights...

The Baggie Test

And we did the Baggie Test and the paint definitely needs to be clayed...

Have a new car? Check out this article...


How To Detail Your Brand New Car by Mike Phillips

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

First things first.... Ken washed his Challenger the day before but there was light dust on it so we wiped it down using Menzerna Pant Refresh...


Tim aka 57BORNTORUN misting on Menzerna Paint Refresh...

Paul aka Sailfish wiping the paint clean...

Claying the paint
No pictures of claying but we used Pinnacle Ultra Fine Poly Clay with Pinnacle Clay Lube.


Test Spot
Next up we did some testing and I had Robert and Paul compare the Lake Country Ultra Microfiber Pads on identical tools, the Flex 3401.

The difference was that one polisher had the THICK LC Ultra Microfiber Pad and the other polisher had the THIN Ultra Microfiber Pad.

If you want to know which one works best I'll let you post the question and I'll let Robert and Paul tell you their opinioins...

After some testing we buffed out the car using Menzerna SI 1500 with Lake Country Ultra Microfiber Pads on both the Flex 3401 and the Griot's DA Polisher and then followed that using Lake Country 5.5" white foam polishing pads with Menzerna SF 4000 and then sealed the paint using Menzerna Color Lock machine applied using Lake Country 5.5" Blue Finishing Pads on Griot's DA Polishers.


Here's Robert testing out the thick LC Ultra MF Pads and Paul testing out the thin LC Ultra MF Pads

Robert is very good behind any polisher and always focuses on using good technique...

Look at the THICK foam core for this MF Pad...

Below is the thin MF pad as the foam core is much thinner than the thicker version...

NOTE: The linting is normal when breaking in a new LC Ultra Microfiber Pad

Then I had both guys switch keeping all other variables the same except the thickness and thinness of the foam backing of the pads.

Robert with the thin pad...

Paul with the thick pad...

Hands-on Learning at Autogeek
Here's Ken working by machine for the first time. This is one of the benefits to coming to Autogeek is you get hands-on learning...

Here's Paul tackling the roof...

Here's Paul using a 4 1/4" thick LC Ultra Microfiber Pad on the front lip of the car...

The thicker foam core conforms easily to curved panesl...

Time to polish!
After removing the swirls, scratches and water spots using microfiber pads and Menzerna SI 1500 we switched over to foam polishing pads and Menzerna SF 4000

Hard Paint
Everyone agreed the clear coat paint on this 2012 Challenger was hard clear coat paint system...

Here's Ken testing out the Flex 3401 with Lake Country 6.5" Foam Flat Pad...

Here's Robert using a Griot's DA Polisher with a Lake Country 5.5" Foam Flat pad...

Intense focused polishing... that's the norm for Robert...

Tim keeping all the panels wiped clean after they are machine polished...

And here's how we knock cars out in 2-3 hours... it's called Man Power
(with machine power)

Here's Ken machine applying the Menzerna Color Lock using a Meguiar's G110v2 DA Polisher...

Menzerna Color Lock Carnauba Wax

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued...


Dry to a haze
Okay, here's the Challenger completely coated with Menzerna Color Lock. The directions state to allow the wax to dry to a haze.

C. L. that's stands for Color Lock

This is me breaking open a coating of wax...

Shiny and clear 100% pure black paint...

Can you see what I'm talking about now?

Here's Tim carefully removing the Color Lock...

Paul and Ken carefully removing the Menzerna Color Lock...

Like to wear two gloves and use two towels...

This is always the fun part...

Topical Articles

Here's a few related articles on the topic of microfiber towels, gloves and techniquess...

How to break open a coating of wax and remove it by creeping out...

Increase Your Grip Strength with Microfiber Gloves

I love the glove...

How to correctly fold and use a Microfiber Towel

The 4 minimum categories of wiping cloths

How many microfiber polishing cloths do I need to detail my car?

The Final Wipe – Tips for creating a streak-free, show car finish



:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Continued...


And now for the beauty shots...

The Overhead Hood Shot...

The low down front grill shot...

And here's the A-Team

From left to right...

Ken, Tim, Robert & Paul

:xyxthumbs:

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

On Autogeek.net

Menzerna Color Lock Carnauba Wax

Menzerna Compounds & Polishes

Lake Country Thick Core Ultra Microfiber Pads

Lake Country Flat Pads

Flex 3401 Forced Rotation DA Polisher

Griot's Garage DA Polisher

Super Soft Deluxe Green Microfiber Towels with Rolled Edges - 3 Pack

Microfiber Gloves 6 Pairs

Pinnacle Ultra Poly Detailing Clay

Pinnacle Clay Lube

Thank you!

Thanks to all the guys that helped to create a show car finish on Ken's 2012 Challenger and thank you Ken for trusting Autogeek with your pride and joy!

 

[TheFrankenberry]

-Use of a citrus-based presoak product as a TFR; and, tar removers;
are often options I use on "localized-contamination"...
not so much as a 'decontamination-system', so to speak.



Bob

Thank you, Bob. I believe that sums it up for me - that most use a TFR/Decon/Tar/Iron product just for isolated areas and situations.

Hard Paint
Everyone agreed the clear coat paint on this 2012 Challenger was hard clear coat paint system...

Well, that conveniently stops me from starting another thread trying to find out how hard my Challenger's paint is. Very fitting that you used Menzerna polishes, LC pads, and a GG DA on that Challenger - exactly what I'll be using!

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Well, that conveniently stops me from starting another thread trying to find out how hard my Challenger's paint is. Very fitting that you used Menzerna polishes, LC pads, and a GG DA on that Challenger - exactly what I'll be using!

I found the paint on the Challenger to be very polishable, just take your time and use good technique and you'll get show car results.