Detailing around emblems??

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Can you tell me how you go about removing dried wax around emblems? I'm using qtips but what product works well?
 
Qtips work for me. I tried some of those pointy qtips they sell here but I didn't think they did any better than old fashioned qtips. I'd like to hear what else others have used.
 
i use some QD any brand and a boar hair brush, stiff enough to remove the wax and soft enough NOT to scratch the paint (clear coat)
 
I made my own tools for this purpose.

I used various diameters of wooden dowel with pieces of soft chamois glued to the end. They will not only get right up to the edges of lettering, but will reach down into the inner areas where the painted body can be seen. Like in an "O"

One length of dowel and one chamois will make (probably) fifty tools.
 
Popsicle sticks.

You can do the old rub 'em on concrete trick to get about any type of edge you need.

Also, cuticle sticks...but the popsicle are much softer.

Bill
 
Some great ideas here. Might have to try the popsicle stick idea with a old MF towel.
 
Hey Everyone,

Most of the time I just take them off and work them clean so I can get both the emblems and behind the emblems clean, but if need be, I like to use Q-Tips as well but with one end saturated in QD to get the majority out, and BBQ Skewers ( basically overgrown toothpics ) to carefully work stubborn wax from the edges till its all gone.
 
Blue Diamond said:
Hey Everyone,

Most of the time I just take them off and work them clean so I can get both the emblems and behind the emblems clean, but if need be, I like to use Q-Tips as well but with one end saturated in QD to get the majority out, and BBQ Skewers ( basically overgrown toothpics ) to carefully work stubborn wax from the edges till its all gone.
Click to expand...

If I may ask, how do you then re-attach them, and make sure you get it all lined up properly?

The OCD in me says get them off to clean everywhere, but am nervous that if I do I will mess up putting them back.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks


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Blue Diamond said:
Hey Everyone,

Most of the time I just take them off and work them clean so I can get both the emblems and behind the emblems clean, but if need be, I like to use Q-Tips as well but with one end saturated in QD to get the majority out, and BBQ Skewers ( basically overgrown toothpics ) to carefully work stubborn wax from the edges till its all gone.
Click to expand...


Removing some of the new emblems can be a pain. older ones that use speed nuts not so much. That's why I debadged mine, too difficult to cleand around it.
Another great idea with the BBQ skewers.:props:
 
I also use qtips. I pull off some of the excess cotton on the tip before using.
 
Hey their lawrence,

It can be a bit intimidating at first (kinda like wet sanding into a new car for the first time) but after a couple times doing it, pulling emblems isn't that hard. I usually will give a Customer the option of putting them back on and actually 9 times out of 10 they just leave them off for that cleaner de-badged look. In fact I have seen a few Detailers offer de-badging as an up sell for an additional cost.

Taking the stick on ones off, you take a fishing line, pull one edge of the trim up so you can get the line behind it, and then use the line as a kind of saw working it back and forth gently till its off. This helps keep the trim straight and if its attached to other letters and so forth, you can more easily get it all off in one piece without breaking it.

As far as getting it back on and straight first off, they usually are put back on using 3M double sided trim tape (the red one is best).

When you take the emblems off, their should be a shadow left from where the trim was. If necessary you can also use some masking tape for reference lines as well to help make sure things are lined up.

In all honesty though, unless your wet sanding everything and so on, for me its just as easy to take either toothpicks or BBQ Skewers which I use cause they have the longer handle which I find helps me, and first use the pointed side to carefully get any wax buildup from around all the edges of the trim. Then you can go back and run the inside edge of the trim basically outlining the trim itself to get anything from the underside of the edge and that should come out pretty decent.

You can also use Quick Detailer or 50/50 mix of distilled water and rubbing alcohol and a good soft brush to clean it, but for me it may not always get the wax completely that has built up or been on their for a while and just needs something a bit more aggressive.

I hope that kinda sorta might answer your question. If you need anything else, please let me know anytime and I am always more than happy to try to help wherever I can.
 
get a new soft paint brush and cut the bristles down slightly, perfect around emblems. Sometimes a new soft toothbrush will work also.
 
+1 on the q tips. I use iron x first, if there is anything else like wax residue or anything oil based like tar I would use an adhesive remover like 3M because it does a much better job than the ordinary apc.
 
@Blue Diamond - thanks for your detailed response - appreciate it!
 
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