Confused about IRON-X

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lineman

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The directions state "Spray on, wait 5 min while contaminates change color" Then it says "Rub in with a damp soft sponge" I thought Iron-x was a spray on, let it dwell and rinse off? My concern is, if Iron-x is lifting the rail specks to the surface and then I wipe that surface that I will scratch the paint. Or should I just spray on, let it dwell and rinse off? I am still going to clay afterward.
 
"scratch the paint" around here is generally considered touching the paint in any way, shape, or form. if you are using iron-x and clay, most likely you are preparing to correct the paint anyway, so the tiny bit of damage done will be very minimal versus the damage the paint already has that you are preparing to correct. don't drive yourself crazy, stress kills.
 
miad said:
"scratch the paint" around here is generally considered touching the paint in any way, shape, or form. if you are using iron-x and clay, most likely you are preparing to correct the paint anyway, so the tiny bit of damage done will be very minimal versus the damage the paint already has that you are preparing to correct. don't drive yourself crazy, stress kills.
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That's the problem. The car paint is in good shape, only 11,000 miles so there is no correction to do but I can feel the rail specks and don't want to cause any damage. I think I'll just apply iron-x let it sit and rinse off.
 
wash with the mitt, then apply iron-x, let it sit, then wash off with the mitt, then rinse. no damage done.
 
The spray says to wipe in with a sponge? I know the paste does...
 
Yes to ensure even coverage you are supposed to spread it with a sponge. Your worry shouldn't be too much of a worry as what ironX actually does to the particle is dissolve it into a liquid.
 
I find it works much better when worked in with a sponge. You ensure better coverage, although I don't know if it assist in activating or enhancing it by any stretch.
 
I've found the hard way, that if you think you're going to just cover every square inch of paint by spraying Iron-X, you'll go through a hell of a lot of product in no time flat.

I've found to spray it a little bit more conservatively upon a panel, then spread with a soft clean preferably new dampened sponge, one doesn't have to get too technical with a sponge type, spread the product completely on each panel you apply it to, walk around the vehicle.

Just about the time you are done applying around the vehicle, and complete application, you might be quite close to the rinse spray down.

I liked having a bucket of fresh cool water, to dunk the sponge as I went, rinsing the sponge, and squeezing it good.

Do this in total shade to cool paint, on a freshly washed vehicle.

Preferably wear some rubber, or Nitrile Gloves, and have a clothespin handy for your nose.
 
I understand the hesitancy to do a full blown paint correction, but.....
I've yet to see ANY new vehicle that doesn't need at least SOME sort of correction. Much less one with 11,000 miles on it.

Just the act of claying, IRON-X-ing, and even sometimes drying (depending on how OCD you are, or are not in your drying process) will impart swirls.

Not to mention if it's been being washed and all along the rail dust has been breaking loose on it's own during the wash process and doing it's fair share of RIDS/swirls, etc.

This car had 1500 miles on it when the owner bought it, 6000 when I got to it. It's a 2013 Camry Hybrid. As you can see, this paint looked HORRIFIC! (The worst I've ever seen on a car less than 10 years old.)


After correction however, it really popped! :D
(PBL coating on glass, wheels, paint.)


This one, new paint. Looked great till you lit it up. As you can see, the dealer installed hologram and buffer trails took it to yet another level.



One that I don't have any photos uploaded of though (but have plenty here) that was just sick was a "Certified Pre Owned" 335i, (in black of course). That one was LOADED with holograms front to back, top to bottom, not to mention RIDS. They never knew what "rail dust" was..... and honestly..... didn't friggin' care. :dunno:


One way that you might get away with the least amount of "scrubbing" would be use IRON-X Snow Foam and do it that way. That'll give you the best of both worlds, IRON-X to do it's job, all wrapped up in a nice foam to pull contaminates away from the surface while giving you tons of lubricity along the way. :dblthumb2:

In any event, I'd be looking at doing at least some sort of obligatory machine polishing after doing any/all decontamination. If it's as good as you say it is, then you might just get away with Megs 205 or Menz 2500 and call it a day. Do a good wipe, hit it with sealant and you're good for several months.:props:
 
I have to say Tony, your house and area looks really nice!
 
I have better experience with IronX paste, also see it slightly more powerful than the spray version (however I only used a sample and jumped to the paste for mainly because larger availability here). A bottle of the paste also goes a very long way.

To me, at least with the paste, it's a 'waste of product' not agitating it after a few minutes. IronX paste works better for me than other variants (like the Made in Brazil IronZ) because it's more than an iron decontaminant, it's also a very STRONG 'kind of soap' and lubrication is more than enough to do a good job.

One of my favorite tools for it's application is the Meguiar's MF wash mitt.

When rinsing it, I still agitate one last time, then go for claying.

In fact, I never see significant (if any) more damage than what was still on the car, apart of the clay marring that may happen at some level.

By the way, clay marring goes away on the first pass, the pre-existent defects will need, mostly often a minimum of 2 polishing steps to go away.
 
My method has been to spray it on the vehicle, let it sit but not dry and then gently work it with a dampened grout sponge and rinse off thoroughly. I do this on my black car and haven't noticed any significant marring but will say that i am following that with a clay and then a light polish anyway.
 
I've found this thread very helpful as I plan on trying out Iron-X next spring after the winter, I will start fresh and then decide what to start the next season with, thank you for bringing up all this info, I too wasn't sure about how to really use it but was afraid to ask because its such a common product here.

I have vinyl stripes on the car, is it safe to use on those as well, how about glass?
 
Thanks everybody. I feel lots more comfortable in using the Iron-X now. Appreciate the help
BTW...I'll be doing a clay job then polish and seal. MY other car I had looking like and feeling like glass but this will be my first outing with Iron-x. Also going to try the Nanoskin Auto Scrub Towel instead of clay.
 
Klasse Act said:
I've found this thread very helpful as I plan on trying out Iron-X next spring after the winter, I will start fresh and then decide what to start the next season with, thank you for bringing up all this info, I too wasn't sure about how to really use it but was afraid to ask because its such a common product here.

I have vinyl stripes on the car, is it safe to use on those as well, how about glass?
Click to expand...

I've used it on vinyl matte stripes with no issues.
 
Good luck!

I use a wet sponge to spread IronX and it works well for me that way.

Also love Nanoskin... Haven't looked back at clay since I went to the dark side :D
 
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