Help explain this?

C

CleanIT

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2019
2,068
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I put two coats of the Griot's 3 in 1 on my new'ish car about a month ago. I plan on polishing soon.

I did a wash with TW Max Power car wash using the aggressive dilution ratio. Prior to washing the vehicle, beading was poor. Very flat in some areas. I was surprised.

Once I washed the car using this high alkaline soap, I experienced really good beading after this weekend's rain.

My question is: is the beading I'm now seeing after using this alkaline wash just rain hitting a now really clean surface? Or, was the build up and pollen coating the surface therefore preventing the rain from beading? When drying, my towel did not easily glide across the surface. I'm questioning whether 3 in 1 is still on the surface even after using this high alkaline wash.

View attachment 73556

View attachment 73557
 
You probably decontaminated the surface and exposed the 3 in 1. Two coats should last more than a month. Those beads are tight, which indicates something is there.

There is a chance that the beading is from the soap. Keep an eye on the next wash, if the soap left something behind, it will be gone by the next wash.
 
I'm really curious. I would think that the high alkaline soap, that claims to strip freshly applied waxes/sealants, would not leave anything behind but I'm wondering. The windows and trim, which I also applied the 3 in 1, were also beading. I would not have thought the 3 in 1 would hold up to that type of wash on windows/plastic trim. I could be wrong though.
 
•IMO:
-An alkaline car-wash solution having a
pH of 10.2, should not be aggressive/
strong enough to remove hardy LSPs.

{Aggressive/Strong enough to remove
pollen/other air-born contaminates?
Probably so—if accompanied along-
side agitation.}


•On the other hand:
-If it would happen to unexpectedly
remove the LSP: I would no longer
use that particular LSP...ever again.


Bob
 
Griot's 3-1 Ceramic Wax is probably the most durable LSP you can get off the shelf from a local auto parts store. No surprise the beading returned after a good cleaning. Same thing happens with full blown ceramic coatings.
 
SNP209 said:
Griot's 3-1 Ceramic Wax is probably the most durable LSP you can get off the shelf from a local auto parts store. No surprise the beading returned after a good cleaning. Same thing happens with full blown ceramic coatings.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen any definitive proof that high alkaline soap like the prep soap from different manufacturers can strip a sealant, despite the claims. Same with APC/IPA etc. I think you're probably right.
 
NJNinja said:
I haven't seen any definitive proof that high alkaline soap like the prep soap from different manufacturers can strip a sealant, despite the claims. Same with APC/IPA etc. I think you're probably right.
Click to expand...

I haven't seen anything of the sort either. A while ago people believed Dawn stripped waxes and sealants, but it turns out that it just left a film that masked hydrophobic properties and once that film was removed the hydrophobicity returned.

I believe those prep soaps are referring to waxes and sealants that are on their last leg. In that scenario I think it is possible, but even then I would still give the paint a once over with at least a fine polish just to be sure.
 
I had Mckee’s Coating prep soap remove or severely damage 1month old 3-1 and TWSNS. Complete sheeting after pre foam and bucket wash with it.

To make sure itcwasn’t just masked washed again with Reset.... both were done. Al alkaline soaps are not the same PH so maybe the Mckee’s is higher?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Coatingsarecrack said:
I had Mckee’s Coating prep soap remove or severely damage 1month old 3-1 and TWSNS. Complete sheeting after pre foam and bucket wash with it.

To make sure itcwasn’t just masked washed again with Reset.... both were done. Al alkaline soaps are not the same PH so maybe the Mckee’s is higher?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I experienced the same with feynlab pure wash. Killed off TWSNS (new formula) that was 2 weeks old, water was completely flat. But then again the argument can be made that the TWSNS is still there, it's just whatever they put in the formula to make it bead was removed. Personally, I use water behavior as an indicator of protection, but it isn't the end all be all.

I'd chalk it up to higher ph/more aggressive surfactants. The prep soaps that are available OTC such as TW max power and CG clean slate aren't aggressive enough to really strip much. M37 prep would be the exception since I believe it is available at Advance Auto, iirc.
 
Coatingsarecrack said:
I had Mckee’s Coating prep soap remove or severely damage 1month old 3-1 and TWSNS. Complete sheeting after pre foam and bucket wash with it.

To make sure itcwasn’t just masked washed again with Reset.... both were done. Al alkaline soaps are not the same PH so maybe the Mckee’s is higher?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

This soap is the strongest of any soap I’ve ever used. I have not tried to remove a somewhat fresh LSP, but it will clean VERY well and not damage trim whatsoever.
I agree that your soap just cleaned well which let the 3in1 shine again. May have shortened the lifespan of it though.
 
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